Professional Summer School Series

This summer, The Renfrew Center Foundation is pleased to offer our Summer School Series, an opportunity for mental health professionals to access 5 On-Demand Continuing Education (CE) courses. These powerful presentations will address core issues in the treatment of eating disorders.

In this series, Renfrew experts will explore topics which include:

• • Genetics and Intergenerational Trauma
  • Attachment Theory
  • Treating Clients with ARFID
  • Social Media and Adolescents
  • Interoceptive Exposure

Training #1
Breaking Cycles: Genetics, Intergenerational Trauma and Eating Disorders
Presenter: Samantha DeCaro, PsyD

Research suggests that both eating disorders and trauma related disorders can be passed down through various pathways, impacting the mental and physical well-being of subsequent generations. Trauma and eating disorders frequently co-occur, creating a challenging environment for healing. This presentation will review recent research on genetics and intergenerational trauma through a biological, social and relational lens, while providing practical ways to break down these findings in sessions. Participants will learn how to identify risk factors, harness the power of protective factors, and implement epigenetically informed strategies to reduce shame, break cycles, and navigate recovery with compassion.

Training #2
Co-Regulation: Why Attachment Matters in Treating Eating Disorders
Presenter: Angela Kaloudis, LMHC, PMH-C

There are environmental, social, biological and psychological factors that may influence the likelihood of developing an eating disorder. In addition to those influences, emerging literature has begun focusing on the relationship between insecure attachment and eating disorders. While one cannot go back and modify any early attachment injuries, this presentation will focus on how mutual, reciprocal, and growth-fostering relationships can help build a secure attachment and increase efforts in eating disorder recovery.

Training #3
You Want Me to do What?: Collaborating with Clients when Developing ARFID Exposures
Presenter: Laura McLain, PsyD, BC-TMH & Jessica Berens, MS, RD, LDN

While still a relatively novel DSM-5 diagnosis, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder affecting children, teens, and adults with little guidance regarding evidence-based treatment. Presenters will provide a brief overview of ARFID, the three subtypes, and the importance of a multidisciplinary treatment team. Synthesizing Renfrew’s Unified Treatment Model, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for ARFID (CBT-AR), and case examples, this presentation will review exposure principles in collaboration with clients. This presentation will offer actionable tools for providers to utilize with clients including the development of a hierarchy and planning food exposures for individual sessions, groups, and therapeutic meal settings.

Training #4
A Digital Dilemma: The Intersection of Social Media, Adolescents and Eating Disorders
Presenter: Ashley Moser, LMFT, CEDS

Treating adolescent mental health issues has never been for the faint of heart. The challenges of treating this population have been amplified by the influence of social media causing clinicians to seek new ways to address the evolving needs of adolescents. In this presentation, adolescent mental health and eating disorders will be explored with specific focus on role of social media. Evidence-based practices for treating this population will be provided including social media specific interventions for adolescents and their families. Special considerations for clinicians will be discussed as we seek support adolescents and the digital dilemmas they often face.

Training #5
I Don’t Like This Feeling: Interoceptive Exposure in the Treatment of Eating Disorders
Presenter: Melanie Smith, PhD, LMHC, CEDS-C

Interoceptive awareness (IA) or the brain’s ability to recognize, label and accept one’s internal emotional states and bodily signals has long been recognized as a contributing issue in EDs. Interoceptive exposure (IE) exercises are designed to provoke the uncomfortable physical sensations that accompany difficult emotional experiences, to promote new learning and increase tolerance of these sensations. In this workshop, we will briefly review research linking deficits in interoceptive awareness and tolerance to eating disorder symptoms and will demonstrate how interoceptive exposure can promote tolerance of physical sensations associated with eating and emotions, thereby reducing forms of avoidance that maintain eating disorders.

Accreditation

• • The Renfrew Center Foundation has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5852. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Renfrew Center Foundation is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
  • The Renfrew Center Foundation is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Renfrew Center Foundation maintains responsibility for the program and its content.
  • Continuing Education Credits for registered dietitians are pending approval by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
  • This program is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers for 1.5 continuing education contact hours per workshop. (Approval # 886357583-3381, 886357583-5634, 886357583-2352, 886357583-8481, 886357583-3717)

CE credits will be sent via email around mid-September. To receive credit, you will need to complete the online seminar evaluation and posttest for each course.

For questions, please contact [email protected].