The Ethics of Modern Eating Disorder Care:
Exploring Nuances & Opposing Perspectives
Saturday, March 1, 2025
8:00am to 4:30pm
At United Way
Join us for the
HEDS Professional Conference 2024
this conference is for:
Professionals in the
Eating Disorder Field
Clinicians wanting to
learn more about
eating disorders.
Conference Schedule
| 8:00am to 8:45am | Check-In, Social Time, and Breakfast |
| 8:45am to 9:00am | Welcome |
| 9:00am to 10:15am | Breakout Session One
|
| 10:15am to 10:30am | Sponsor Break |
| 10:30am to Noon | ARFID Panel Discussion Join us for a discussion amongst therapists, dietitians, a medical doctor, and a speech therapist on approaching the treatment of ARFID. |
| Noon to 1:00pm | Lunch, Visit Sponsor Booths |
| 1:00pm to 2:15pm | Breakout Session Two
|
| 2:15pm to 2:45pm | Visit Sponsors, Stretch Break, and Afternoon Snack |
| 2:45pm to 4:15pm | Keynote Presentation With Gloria Lucas |
| 4:15pm to 4:30pm | Closing Remarks + Raffle Basket |
Meet our Keynote Speaker
Gloria lucas
Glo Lucas is an eating disorders awareness educator and organizer that specializes in intersectional eating disorders education and resources that transform the lives of BIPOC individuals and expand eating disorders treatment models. Being the founder and CEO of Nalgona Positivity Pride, she is able to raise awareness through digital media, public speaking, and grassroots activism. She lives in Orange County, CA.
Turning The Treatment Industry On Its Head: Eating Disorder Harm Reduction 101
This presentation explores Eating Disorder Harm Reduction (EDHR) as a groundbreaking and inclusive approach to supporting individuals with eating disorders. Attendees will learn how EDHR shifts the focus from traditional recovery-only models to strategies that prioritize safety, quality of life, and incremental change. By addressing the systemic inequities embedded in eating disorder treatment, this session highlights the importance of community-based care, radical compassion, and person-centered frameworks. Through an introduction to practical harm reduction strategies and reflections on societal and institutional barriers, participants will be inspired to challenge conventional paradigms and reimagine eating disorder care as a liberatory and transformative practice.
Breakout Session One
Compassion Over Compliance: Integrating Harm Reduction in ED Treatment
with Abbie Madden, MS, RD (they/them)
Is there Room for Weight Loss in ED Treatment?
with Dr. Sehrish Ali, PhD, LPC, CEDS (she/her) and Dr. Erikka Taylor, MD, MPH (she/her)
Healing Beneath the Surface: Psychedelics and Eating Disorder Recovery
with Jennifer Lancaster, LCSW-S, PATP (she/her)
Breakout Session Two
GLP medications & Body Autonomy: Considerations for HAES providers
with Erin K. MacDonald, LCSW-S (she/her)
Working with Neurodivergent Patients with Eating Disorders
with Stephanie Setliff, MD, CEDS-C (she/her) and Jennifer Vittitow, RD, LD, CEDS-C (she/her)
Challenging the Narrative: Are Eating Disorders Always Non-Choices? An Exploration of Client Agency and Ethical Care
with Chelsea Fielder-Jenks, LPC-S, CEDS-C, PMH-C
Panel Discussion
Join us for a discussion amongst therapists, dietitians, a medical doctor, and a speech therapist on approaching the treatment of ARFID. Swipe through to meet our panelists!
Dr. Erin Knopf, MD, CEDS, FAAP, DABPN
Dr. Knopf completed residency training at The University of Kentucky in a combined residency program, the Triple Board program. She is a board-certified pediatrician, adult psychiatrist and child/adolescent psychiatrist as well as an iaedp Certified Eating Disorder Specialist. She previously worked at The Eating Recovery Center and ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders. She is co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of VERY, an outpatient, virtual treatment company dedicated to individualized care. Services are grounded in weight-inclusive, trauma-informed and gender-affirming principles and include therapy, psychiatry and dietary support for patients 10 years of age and up in 10 states.
Vivian lee, LPC
vanessa galeano, SLP
kris scover, rdN, LD
Alex Caron, lpc
alison pelz, rd, LCSW
Wholehearted Sponsors
Courageous Sponsors
Brave Sponsors
Interested in
sponsoring the conference?
Our conferences aren’t possible without our incredible lineup of sponsors! Your sponsorship will be going towards three main areas:
Conference Logistics
The bread and butter of our conference is the logistics. This includes our venue, food, systems to collect registration, giveaways, and more. Our venue is being held at the United Way and all food will be provided through them.
Keynote Speaker
This year, we are excited to welcome a keynote speaker who will explore the critical topic of harm reduction in eating disorder treatment. As eating disorder care evolves, addressing the ethical complexities and challenges of harm reduction is more essential than ever. Our keynote speaker will provide valuable insight into how harm reduction approaches can support patients in navigating their recovery journey, while offering practical strategies for professionals working within these nuanced frameworks.
Breakout Speakers
Our conference will feature a diverse lineup of breakout speakers, each bringing unique expertise and perspectives on critical topics in the field of eating disorder care. These sessions are designed to provide practical, actionable insights for professionals from various disciplines. In line with our commitment to valuing the contributions of our speakers, we are proud to offer compensation to all speakers and panel members for their time and expertise.
More information coming soon!
Stay in-the-know with professional conference updates by providing your email address below.
Taking Your Power Back: Practical Skills for Recovery
with Dr. Ametis Bassir, PhD, LPC-S, RP and Abbie Madden, MS, RDN, LD, CEDS
During Taking Your Power Back, Dr. Bassir and Abbie will facilitate a collaborative and educational discussion on what it looks like to take your power back in recovery. They will guide folks through identifying core values, exploring why skills are important to have and how to effectively implement them, and working together to create coping skill boxes.
Meet Dr. Ametis Bassir (she/her)
Dr. Bassir is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, EMDR Trained Therapist, and Reiki Practitioner. She received her doctorate in counselor education from Sam Houston State University and a Master’s in Counseling from George Washington University. She is an adjunct faculty member in the counselor education department at Sam Houston State University and owns her own private practice in Houston. Her areas of specialty include eating disorders, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma, and women’s issues.
Meet Abbie Madden (she/they)
Abbie is a registered dietitian (RD) and certified eating disorder specialist (CEDS). She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nutritional sciences from Oklahoma State University. She has experience working at various levels of eating disorder treatment and sees clients with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and ARFID. She also specializes in nutrition therapy for polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). In her free time, she enjoys playing with her dog Ozzie, thrift shopping, and growing a variety of houseplants.
EFFT Caregiver Workshop
led by Dr. Anna Brown, PsyD
During the EFFT Caregivers Workshop, Dr. Brown will guide families and support teams through an education discussion on what EFFT is and how to incorporate it into everyday life. Joined by other EFFT providers, attendees will break up into different groups to practice skills on how to support their loved ones.
meet dr. anna brown (She/Her)
Speaker Bio Coming Soon
Movements & Meditation
with Alii Chargois, RYT-200
My workshop, “Movements & Meditation”, will be centered around yoga-based movements and end with meditation. You can anticipate a slow and intentionally drawn together practice that will end with a sound led meditation. This includes lots of stretching, some heat building in the body and a very relaxing sound bowl meditation. I encourage you to use this time to foster a closer relationship to yourself and your thoughts. I suggest bringing a yoga mat (and props), pen and journal, and a water bottle.
meet alii chargois (She/her)
My name is Alexandria and I have been practicing yoga for over 15 years. In 2018 I completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training and have gained over 100 hours worth of leading classes since then. My main focus when guiding a practice is to make sure you feel the fullness of the pose. My goal is for you to feel comfortable through the entire class and for you to walk away deeply rooted in your body.
