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On-Demand

Neurodiversity and Eating Disorders: What Clinicians Need to Know

Kara Becker, LMFT, CEDs-C
Suzie Berthiaume, LPC
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Information

Recorded

  • -

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Discuss the prevalence, co-occurrence, and diagnostic overlap of eating disorders and neurodiversity.

  • Determine if a client’s presenting symptoms are best conceptualized as eating disorder pathology, neurodivergent traits, or an interaction of both.

  • Apply basic interventions to accommodate neurodiverse clients with disordered eating.

Educational Goal

The educational goal of this webinar is to offer tools to support clinicians in effectively assessing and treating eating disorders in neurodiverse individuals.

Description

People with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other types of neurodiversity have a higher risk of eating disorders than the general population. Research also shows they experience poorer outcomes in treatment due to the complexity of their co-occurring diagnoses. This webinar offers tools to support clinicians in effectively assessing and treating eating disorders in neurodiverse individuals.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Kara Becker, LMFT, CEDs-C
Kara Becker, LMFT, CEDs-C leads the growth and development of evidence-based treatment initiatives across Newport Healthcare's nationwide programs. With more than a decade of experience in clinical leadership, she has directed multiple residential and outpatient programs focused on eating disorder recovery and mental health. An AAMFT Approved Supervisor and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Consultant, Kara trains clinicians in best practices and provides national program oversight. Passionate about education and advocacy, she has presented at major conferences on integrating eating disorder treatment into general psychiatric settings, and has been a featured expert for Parents magazine and FOX11 Los Angeles, among other national shows and publications. She holds a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Southern Connecticut State University.
Suzie Berthiaume, LPC
As Newport Healthcare's National Clinical Onboarding and Program Development Specialist, Suzie provides clinical training, onboarding support, and consultation to therapists across our programs and sites. Her clinical and educational focus is neurodivergence, with an emphasis on trauma-informed assessment and treatment. Suzie's approach integrates EMDR, DBT, and a polyvagal-informed framework to support regulation, identity development, and sustainable well-being. She holds a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Newport Healthcare