Eating Disorder Education in the Community
Re-posted from Cleveland Center for Eating Disorders (CCED) blog archives. CCED and The Emily Program partnered in 2014.
I co-taught a day-long conference at the Gestalt Institute a few weeks ago on eating disorders, the science behind them, when to refer, and when to treat. It’s a topic that forms the core of the work we do and is very dear to my heart. The participants at the conference were a terrific group.
Those who attended this event took a day off from work and paid a fee to learn more about eating disorders. I believe this speaks to the commitment of mental health professionals in our community to keep themselves educated and up to date on recent research and treatments. I also realized, more than I had in the past, that those who work in the field of eating disorders may live in a bubble. Given that we treat eating disorders day in and day out, we understand the biology of eating disorders, new treatments for the illness, and the experience of our patients on a deep level. When we step outside of this bubble we realize this information may not be the common knowledge we sometimes expect it to be. My takeaway from this training was that mental health practitioners are dedicated and hopeful about being able to work with and help those with eating disorders, but the information and resources aren’t always easily accessible. Most people with an eating disorder never receive specialty care. Our goal is to teach the general mental health and primary care world how to recognize an eating disorder, understand when a crisis is present, and how to refer the patient in crisis to the appropriate specialist. With increased education and support for providers our hope is to reach those in need so they receive the most effective care possible.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Warren, MD
Dr. Mark Warren (he/him) is the Chief Medical Officer of Accanto Health, the parent company of The Emily Program and Gather Behavioral Health. His primary focus enhancing patient safety and providing comprehensive treatment that addresses both the physical and psychological aspects of eating disorders. Working alongside our executive team and our medical staff, Dr. Warren is dedicated to helping all of our patients embark on a path toward a meaningful and joyful life.
Dr. Warren is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a Fellow of the Academy of Eating Disorders, where he co-founded the special interest group (SIG) for Professionals and Recovery and the SIG for Males and Eating Disorders. He is a two-time recipient of the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, and a winner of the Woodruff Award. He has published and spoken extensively on males and eating disorders, professionals and recovery, and DBT and FBT in the treatment of eating disorders.
Dr. Warren is a founding member and former co-chair of the Academy of Eating Disorders Medical Care Standards Committee and serves on the FEAST Medical Advisory Board and The Visiting Committee of the Case Western Francis Payne Bolton School of Nursing.
Having personally experienced an eating disorder as a young man, Mark feels privileged to be working in the field of eating disorders for over two decades.