The Role of Occupational Therapy in Supporting Individuals with Eating Disorders & Disordered Eating

The Role of Occupational Therapy in

Supporting Individuals with Eating Disorders & Disordered Eating

1.5 CEUs, Free to NOTA Members

Course Instructor: Alyssa Gremban, OTD, OTR/L, CPST, RYT

Did you know that February is Eating Disorders Awareness Month?

In this session we will discuss the main types of eating disorders, their warning signs, health complications, and evidence-based strategies to use in occupational therapy practice. This course is intended for practitioners passionate about mental health care or simply those who want to increase their awareness of eating disorders and current advocacy efforts. The information gained in this course will provide attendees with a strong foundation to begin effective and collaborative care for this population and minimize the risk of triggering eating disorder behaviors and thought patterns in themselves, clients, friends, and loved ones in the future.

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Speaker Bio:

An occupational therapist by trade, Dr. Alyssa Gremban (The Yogi OT℠) pursued her yoga certification training in order to increase yoga’s accessibility for every personality, experience, and ability. Her vision is to utilize yoga as a therapeutic supplement to assist all individuals in their process towards mental health recovery. Dr. Gremban specializes in private and group-based therapy sessions for mental health disorders, including: eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety disorders, and substance abuse disorders. Through her expert combination of occupational therapy and mindfulness-based practices, Dr. Gremban hopes to deepen her clients’ understanding of their bodies’ unique needs to create balance in their daily lives and heal stubborn thought patterns that have been inaccessible through conventional medicine and therapy.

Course Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to identify the (4) main types of eating disorders and their associated eating disorder behaviors.

2. Participants will be able to describe at least (3) different health complications related to eating disorders and disordered eating.

3. Participants will be able to describe the unique role of occupational therapy in the treatment of eating disorders.

4. Participants will be able to explain at least (2) evidence-based strategies for healing in the treatment of eating disorders.

References:

American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association.

Baum, E. (2019). Body set point theory explained. In Eating Disorder Solutions. Retrieved from https://eatingdisordersolutions.com/body-set-point-theory-explained/

Braford, R., Holliday, M., Schultz, A. & Christy, M. (2015). The role of the occupational therapist in the treatment of children with eating disorders. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 8(3), 196-210. https://doi.org/10.1080/19411243.2015.1077053

Eat Breathe Thrive (2021). Three-day online immersion series. Retrieved from https://www.eatbreathethrive.org/courses

Frank G. K. (2016). The perfect storm - A bio-psycho-social risk model for developing and maintaining eating disorders. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 10, 44. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00044

FREED Eating Disorders (FREED) (2021). Types of eating disorders. Retrieved from: https://www.freedeatingdisorders.org/patient-family-support/types-of-eating-disorders/

Harned, M. (2016). Dialectical behavioral therapy skills training is effective intervention. Psychiatric Times, 33(3). Retrieved from: https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/dialectical-behavior-therapyskills-training-effective-intervention

Mayo Clinic (n.d.). Body dysmorphic disorder. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/body-dysmorphic-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353938

National Association of Anorexia and Associated Disorders (ANAD) (2021). Eating disorder statistics. Retrieved from: https://anad.org/get-informed/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/

National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) (2021). Health consequences. Retrieved from: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/health-consequences

National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) (2018). Emotional and behavioral signs of an eating disorder. Retrieved from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/toolkit/parent-toolkit/emotional-behavioral-signs

Sensory Enhanced Yoga Institute (SEYI, 2020). A short meditation in the midst of crisis. Retrieved from: https://www.sensoryenhancedyoga.org/

Sunrise Residential Treatment Program (SRTP). (2017). Distress tolerance skills. Retrieved from: https://www.sunrisertc.com/distress-tolerance-skills/