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Live Webinar

The Accommodations Your Patients Wish Were Offered in Eating Disorder Treatment

Lindsay Birchfield, MS, RD, CEDS-C (they/them)
Monica Starck, MS RDN, CD (she/her)
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Information

Date & Time

Description

What becomes possible when accommodations are approached as integral to accessible, meaningful participation and affirming eating disorder care? Drawing on patient narratives gathered through a patient survey, this presentation examines opportunities to make eating disorder treatment more accessible, collaborative, and affirming for Neurodivergent patients, individuals with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and patients seeking sensory-informed care. Patient survey data will be used for examining how treatment environments, mealtime practices, communication, and clinical expectations can be adapted to better support individual sensory needs. Presenters will explore accommodations as an ongoing process of collaborative inquiry; one that values patient expertise, respects sensory differences, and invites clinicians to examine assumptions about participation and progress. Particular attention will be given to communication styles, sensory-informed meal support therapies, and environmental considerations.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Identify at least three sensory, environmental, or communication-related barriers to participation in eating disorder treatment illustrated by patient-reported experiences.

  • Describe potential accommodations across treatment environments, mealtime experiences, and clinical interactions.

  • Explain the importance of collaboratively assessing their relevance rather than inferring needs from diagnosis alone.

  • Demonstrate at least two adaptations to the phrasing, pacing, or delivery of clinical questions and instructions that support patients in understanding, identifying, and communicating their needs and preferences.

Educational Goal

The educational goal of this workshop is to advance a strengths-based, Neurodivergent-affirming approach that recognizes lived experience and sensory diversity as essential considerations in accessible eating disorder care and positions accommodation as an integral clinical responsibility rather than an exception to treatment. This workshop will equip clinicians with a practical framework and communication approaches for creating the structure and safety necessary for collaborative exploration, individualized support, and meaningful participation in ARFID and sensory-informed eating disorder treatment. 

Target Audience

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

Presenters

Lindsay Birchfield, MS, RD, CEDS-C (they/them)
Lindsay Birchfield, MS, RD, CEDS-C (they/them), or LB, as many of their colleagues refer to them, is Center for Discovery’s (CFD) National Director for Virtual Programming & Innovation. LB is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and holds a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from New York University and a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from Miami University. LB has worked in the eating disorder field since 2012, specializing in gender affirming healthcare, somatic interventions, and trauma-informed nutrition therapy. LB firmly believes that healing happens within relationships; thus, they've invested in Virtual CFD, SENSE, and Path to Peace to be accessible healing environments that foster authentic connections and community.
Monica Starck, MS RDN, CD (she/her)
Monica Starck, MS RDN, CD (she/her) is a Senior Dietitian with Center for Discovery’s Path to Peace and SENSE team, where she enjoys exploring the intersections between neurodivergence and eating disorders. She additionally leads a Neurodivergent+ Affinity Group to support patients in increasing nourishment accessibility. Monica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and a Certified Dietitian. She holds a Master of Science in Nutrition from Illinois State University and a Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences Communication, Nutrition & Dietetics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Center for Discovery