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The Psychoanalytic Approach to the Treatment of Eating Disorders

This course will discuss how to assess patients for and treat eating disorders. The course will go review the various stages of treatment beginning with weight restoration, medical rehabilitation and the incorporation of a consistent meal plan. Underlying dynamics associated with the development and maintenance of eating disorders will be addressed. The course will discuss the treatment of eating disorders utilizing significant theoretical concepts, eating disorder specific interventions and fundamentals of general psychoanalytic practice.

 https://nefesh.org/workshops/ThePsychoanalyticApproachtotheTreatmentofEatingDisorders/view

The Psychoanalytic Approach to the Treatment of Eating Disorders

Previously Recorded
$59.99 Cost For Member: 39.99 Rachelle Heinemann, LMHC

This course will discuss how to assess patients for and treat eating disorders. The course will go review the various stages of treatment beginning with weight restoration, medical rehabilitation and the incorporation of a consistent meal plan. Underlying dynamics associated with the development and maintenance of eating disorders will be addressed. The course will discuss the treatment of eating disorders utilizing significant theoretical concepts, eating disorder specific interventions and fundamentals of general psychoanalytic practice.

About the Presenter

Rachelle is a licensed mental health counselor in private practice. She specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image issues. She is currently pursuing her CEDS (certified eating disorder specialist) and is in individual and group supervision with eating disorder experts. She has experience working in a practice that specializes in eating disorders. She was trained psychoanalytically at Training Institute for Mental Health. Training included classes, group and individual supervision, client caseload in the clinic, and group presentations. Rachelle has taught an undergraduate course in eating disorders.

This workshop Offers 3 Continuing Education Credits
This webinar is recorded and will not grant live credits.

Learning Objectives:

  1. To identify at least one obstacle that patients with eating disorders present when developing a therapeutic alliance.
  2. To summarize a basic outline of the psychoanalytic treatment approach to eating disorders.
  3. To provide at least one example of an underlying issue contributing to the development and maintenance of an eating disorder.

Agenda:
  1. Discussion about what is an eating disorder. (Including DSM criteria.) 20 min 
  2. The ability to do psychoanalytic work rests on the foundation of addressing medical, behavioral, and nutritional issues. Discussion of assessment of level of care and/or organizing a treatment team. 20 min 

3. Discussion on building an alliance. Now that the patient is safe and stable for psychotherapy, how do we engage them? Building an alliance with patients with eating disorders presents with unique obstacles.  Discussion of theory and technique of the above. (Active group discussion.) 20-30 min 

4.Understanding Eating Disorders through a Psychoanalytic Perspective: (Definition of each idea and how it presents.)

    • Alexithymia 10 min
    • Loss of mentalization. (Fonagy) 10 
    • Role of significant developmental relationships/childhood experiences in the pathogenesis  of eating disorders. 10 min 
    • Role of dissociation and psychological defenses. 10 min 
    • Difficulty regulating self esteem. 10 min
    • Difficulty regulating affect. 10 min

5. Psychoanalytic Treatment  of Eating Disorders: (Providing examples.) 

    • Address the disconnect with the emotional experience. 10 min 
    • Explore what makes emotions (or one in particular) so intolerable. 10 min 
    • Process (Making space for difficult emotions, acceptance of upsetting experiences, reassurance that they can tolerate what once felt intolerable.) 10 min 
    • Using metaphors (Explore emotional hunger and fullness etc.) 10 min 
    • Utilizing analytic relationship/exploration of transferences in treatment. 10 min 
This presentation is open to:
  • Social Workers
  • Professional Counselors
  • Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
  • Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
  • Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
Course Level: intermediate
Level of Clinician: intermediate
  • New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
  • Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
  • Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
  • Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives

Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.

Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by the NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
Refund Policy: Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.
48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.
*exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.