Live Webinar

Carrying Vulnerability and Hope: Eating Disorders and Pregnancy

Kate Geoghegan, LCPC, NCC
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Information

Date & Time

Description

This presentation explores how eating disorder (ED) symptoms and pregnancy, from fertility and conception through the postpartum period, interact with and affect one another. It investigates how body changes and physical symptoms, like nausea or “morning sickness,” during pregnancy may disrupt clients’ sense of embodiment, identity, and control, impact body image, and contribute to ED behavior usage. Utilizing a Health at Every Size ® framework, this presentation illuminates how pregnant people are affected by sizeism, fatphobia, and “diet culture” narratives prevalent in the medical establishment and the broader culture. This presentation also advocates for inclusive interventions aimed at reducing stigma while promoting healing.

Educational Goal

To develop greater clinical skill in supporting clients struggling with an ED or at risk for an ED who may be considering getting pregnant or who may already be pregnant, gain increased insight and understanding into medical issues associated with eating disorders and pregnancy, and increase understanding and application ability of the HAES ® framework into work with clients with eating disorders and/or clients who are pregnant.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Explain 2-3 ways in which eating disorders can affect medical issues associated with pregnancy, including fertility, fetal development, and physical symptoms of “pregorexia” in the birthing parent

  • Identify 2-3 ways in which pregnancy may trigger intensification of eating disorder symptomatology, particularly related to how pregnancy may disrupt one’s sense of embodiment, identity, and control, and intensify concerns about weight, shape, and size

  • Explain ways in which pregnant people are adversely affected by sizeism, weight stigma, and diet culture narratives in medical settings and in the broader culture

Target Audience

  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker
  • Substance Use Disorder Professionals

Presenters

Kate Geoghegan, LCPC, NCC
Kate Geoghegan supports Crossroads’ clients as a primary therapist in our Greater Portland Counseling Center providing clinical care for clients enrolled in our Eating Disorder Partial Hospitalization Program and Eating Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program. Kate’s clinical career at Crossroads began in 2021 providing individual and group therapy for clients at the Back Cove Women’s Residential Program. Kate is an experienced clinician in treating clients with anxiety, depression, PTSD and using CPT to support her client’s processing trauma. Prior to joining Crossroads, Kate served as a therapist for Monte Nido and Affiliates at the Laurel Hill Residential Program and did a clinical practicum with the Renfrew Center of Boston.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Crossroads