Holding Space for Healing with Jennifer Gaudiani, MD, CEDS-S, FAED

 
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Episode 43 - Holding Space for Healing with Jennifer Gaudiani, MD, CEDS-S, FAED

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, we are joined by Jennifer Gaudiani, MD, a nationally recognized internist for her work on the medical complications of eating disorders. Known as “Dr. G” to her patients and their families, Dr. Gaudiani is the founder and Medical Director of the Gaudiani Clinic in Denver, a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS), and Fellow in the Academy for Eating Disorders (FAED). Dr Gaudiani is passionate about the medical care of adolescents and adults who have a complicated relationship with food and their body. Dr. Gaudiani is also the author of Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • Caring for the whole person through a collaborative and communicative approach.

  • Recognizing the deep harm endured at the hands of medical professionals.

  • Removing the medical barriers to recovery makes room for more authentic feelings and may not appear as "bubbly.”

  • Speaking in metaphor serves as a “rainbow bridge” of connection.

  • Looking at ourselves as a two-sided coin and allowing the feelings that come with each side.

  • The importance of treatment professionals approaching care without judgment or impositions so that they can truly see their client’s whole self.

  • Honoring the client’s decision-making process while simultaneously holding the dangers of their eating disorder.

  • The steps in one’s healing may be outside the box, but it doesn’t mean recovery is not possible.

  • Following eating disorder “rules” moves one away from what they value most.

ABOUT DR GAUDIANI:

Jennifer L. Gaudiani, MD, CEDS, FAED, is the Founder and Medical Director of the Gaudiani Clinic. Board Certified in Internal Medicine, she completed her undergraduate degree at Harvard, medical school at Boston University School of Medicine, and her internal medicine residency and chief residency at Yale.

From 2008 to 2016, Dr. Gaudiani was one of the leaders of the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health. She left after serving as its Medical Director and as an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine to found the Gaudiani Clinic, which provides outpatient in-person and telemedicine medical care to patients of all genders with eating disorders and disordered eating and to those in recovery. The Gaudiani Clinic is a HAES®-informed/weight-inclusive provider that cares for people of all shapes and sizes.

Dr. Gaudiani has lectured nationally and internationally, is widely published in the scientific literature as well as on blogs, is a current member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Eating Disorders and the Academy for Eating Disorders Medical Care Standards Committee. Dr. Gaudiani’s book Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders was published in 2018. Sick Enough offers patients, their families, and clinicians a comprehensive, accessible review of the medical issues that arise from eating disorders by bringing relatable case presentations and a scientifically sound, engaging style to the topic.

On a personal note, Dr. Gaudiani is fluent in Spanish and speaks conversational Italian, loves hiking and spending time outdoors, is a voracious reader especially of young adult fantasy fiction, and lives with her wonderful husband and two daughters in Denver.


CONNECT WITH DR GAUDIANI:

ABOUT KARIN LEWIS:

Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS has been recovered from Anorexia Nervosa for over 20 years and has been specializing in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders since 2005. Karin is the founder of the Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center located in Boston, MA. You can visit Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center online to learn more about Karin and her center’s services. You can also connect with Karin on social media by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Growing Pains with Rachel Gerretsen, LMFT, CEDS

 
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EPISODE 42 - Growing Pains with Rachel Gerretsen, LMFT, CEDS

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Rachel Gerretsen, LMFT, CEDS. With a passion for helping people, Rachel has worked in the eating disorder field helping individuals, collaborating with families, and supporting providers in the healing process for over a decade in both private practice and treatment settings. Her goal is to help her clients live a more fulfilling, authentic, and meaningful life by reconnecting them to their most desirable self.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • The harm double standards produce in regards to culture’s view of what an “appropriate” appetite looks like across genders.

  • Judging someone’s relationship with food based on what is seen and not what is true.

  • How age plays a role in children/adolescents’ ability to express internal struggles.

  • Working with children/adolescents also means working with their family too.

  • The fine line of holding trust and confidentiality with a client while acknowledging that they are a minor.

  • What supporting vs punishing looks like for children/adolescents in eating disorder recovery.

  • The need for family and caregivers to seek out their own individual therapy and safe space to hold fears and frustrations and to promote healing.

  • How the unintentional attempts to protect children/adolescents from the outside world can lead to opposite results.

ABOUT RACHEL GERRETSEN:

Rachel Gerretsen is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, and owner of Rachel Gerretsen Therapy. With a passion for helping people, Rachel works with children/adolescents, couples, individuals, and families of all ages using a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy, family systems, humanistic therapy, positive psychology, and solution-focused therapy.

After obtaining her Bachelors in Psychology from her hometown college, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Rachel Gerretsen began her development as a therapist and completed her Masters in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy, from Pepperdine University in Malibu.

Rachel has worked as a therapist for 12 years in Southern California in private practice and spend a decade in the treatment facility setting at Monte Nido, one of the leading eating disorder treatment centers in the country. As a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, Rachel confidently and competently treats Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, and various forms of disordered eating.

Rachel has worked with adolescents and adults with a variety of difficulties and has collaborated with families and supporting providers to help heal each client. Her goal is to help her clients live a more fulfilling, authentic, and meaningful life by reconnecting them to their most desirable self.


CONNECT WITH RACHEL GERRETSEN:

  • Visit Rachel’s website or contact her directly to learn more about her therapy services

  • Inquire about Rachel’s therapeutic and program development consulting services

  • Learn about Rachel’s clinical supervision for intern therapists

ABOUT KARIN LEWIS:

Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS has been recovered from Anorexia Nervosa for over 20 years and has been specializing in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders since 2005. Karin is the founder of the Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center located in Boston, MA. You can visit Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center online to learn more about Karin and her center’s services. You can also connect with Karin on social media by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

One Size Does Not Fit All with Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D.

 
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Episode 41 - One Size Does Not Fit All with Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D.

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Associate at McLean Hospital, and Lecturer at Harvard Medical School. His research and clinical focus on eating disorders and body image in males spans over 25 years. He co-authored The Adonis Complex, the first book of its kind detailing various manifestations of body image problems in males. Roberto also specializes in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). He has spoken on numerous podcasts and webinars and presents at many talks and conferences around the country.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • What behaviors and high-risk medical complications look like in males with eating disorders.

  • How the shame attached to the stigma of males with eating disorders often acts as a barrier to receiving support.

  • The difference in timeline and prognosis for males with eating disorders compared to those of females.

  • The drastic, different, and mixed messages males receive from society and the media.

  • How advertising has shifted to extend its reach and messages to the male population.

  • The complexity of ADHD and eating disorders.

  • The lack of (and need for) research dedicated to males with eating disorders.

ABOUT ROBERTO OLIVARDIA:

Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Associate at McLean Hospital, and Lecturer at Harvard Medical School. He maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Lexington, Massachusetts, where he specializes in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), executive functioning issues, and issues that face students with learning differences. Roberto also specializes in the treatment of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and in the treatment of eating disorders in boys and men.

Roberto is co-author of The Adonis Complex, a book that details the various manifestations of body image problems in men. He has appeared in publications such as Time, GQ, and Rolling Stone, and he has been featured on Good Morning America, CNN, and VH1. He has spoken on numerous radio shows, podcasts, and webinars and presents at many talks and conferences around the country.

Roberto currently sits on the Scientific Advisory Board for ADDitude and serves on the Professional Advisory Boards for CHADD, Attention Deficit Disorder Association and the National Association for Males with Eating Disorders. He is a featured expert on Understood and an active member of Decoding Dyslexia–Massachusetts. He is a member of the International OCD Foundation, International Dyslexia Association, Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association, and the American Association of Suicidology.


CONNECT WITH ROBERTO OLIVARDIA:

ABOUT KARIN LEWIS:

Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS has been recovered from Anorexia Nervosa for over 20 years and has been specializing in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders since 2005. Karin is the founder of the Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center located in Boston, MA. You can visit Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center online to learn more about Karin and her center’s services. You can also connect with Karin on social media by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

MeaningFull Life with Alli Spotts-de Lazzer, LMFT, LPCC, CEDS

 
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Episode 40 - MeaningFull Life with Alli Spotts-de Lazzer, LMFT, LPCC, CEDS

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Alli Spotts-De Lazzer, LMFT, LPCC, CEDS, and a person on the other side of her own decades-long struggle with food battles and body dislike. Alli created #ShakeIt for Self-Acceptance! - a series of public events sparking conversations about body, soul, and self-acceptance through fun, inspiration, and flash mob dance. She is also the author of MeaningFULL: 23 Life-Changing Stories of Conquering Dieting, Weight, & Body Image. Throughout the years, Alli has witnessed firsthand that stories of humanness, joy, inspiration, and hope increase people’s receptivity to both considering change and opening up to education. That motivated her to write MeaningFULL.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • Going “within” to find the barriers to self-acceptance.

  • How self-acceptance can be taught through fun.

  • The struggles and triumphs that connect us.

  • The difference between “not fitting in” and holding different values.

  • Recovery is not linear, can take a long time (or not), and relies on consistency.

  • The notion that people crave to be heard, seen, and connected.

  • How anger can be a catalyst for healing.

ABOUT ALLI SPOTTS-DE LAZZER:

After having dealt with her own 20+ years of eating and body issues ranging from mild frustrations to serious eating disorders, Alli Spotts-De Lazzer became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor specializing in eating and body image issues. Eventually, she became a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist—the only nationally recognized designation indicating a specialty in eating disorders.

Alli has been a featured speaker at public events; presented workshops at national and international conferences, graduate schools, clinical training facilities, and hospitals; published articles in trade magazines, online information hubs, and academic journals; and appeared as an eating disorders expert on local news. She has also co-chaired committees for the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (iaedp™) and the Academy for Eating Disorders. In 2017, she received the iaedp Member of the Year award.

As far as public activism and advocacy, in 2014, Alli created #ShakeIt for Self-Acceptance! - a series of public events sparking conversations about body, soul, and self-acceptance through fun, inspiration, and flash mob dance. This movement has appeared across America. Highlights include appearing on Capitol Hill and at the Los Angeles Staples Center. July 13, 2017 was recognized as “#ShakeIt for Self-Acceptance! Day” in the City of Los Angeles by Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Throughout the years, Alli has witnessed firsthand that stories of humanness, joy, inspiration, and hope increase people’s receptivity to both considering change and opening up to education. That motivated her to create MeaningFULL.


CONNECT WITH ALLI SPOTTS-DE LAZZER:

ABOUT KARIN LEWIS:

Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS has been recovered from Anorexia Nervosa for over 20 years and has been specializing in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders since 2005. Karin is the founder of the Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center located in Boston, MA. You can visit Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center online to learn more about Karin and her center’s services. You can also connect with Karin on social media by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Grow Through What You Go Through with Monika Ostroff, LICSW, CEDS-S

 
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Episode 39 - Grow Through What You Go Through with Monika Ostroff, LICSW, CEDS-S

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Monika Ostroff, LICSW, CEDS-S, and Executive Director of Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association Inc (MEDA). Nationally recognized for her 25+ years of experience and contributions to the field of eating disorders, Monika has directed several successful residential, partial hospital, and intensive outpatient eating disorder programs in addition to having owned a thriving private practice. Monika’s passion for treating eating disorders and mentoring other professionals was borne out of her own struggle and full recovery from what today is known as Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • How the recovery journey looks different for everyone.

  • Recovering when professionals label you as “chronic.”

  • How compassion, respect, and empowerment can elicit change.

  • Connecting back to one’s innate, inner wisdom.

  • The need for inclusivity, access, and equality within healthcare.

  • Being seen as a human, not a diagnosis.

  • Finding your voice is your key to recovery.

  • How eating disorders can serve as a “resource” when no other “resources” aren’t available.

ABOUT MONIKA OSTROFF:

Monika Ostroff, MSW, LICSW, CEDS-S is the Executive Director of MEDA, a leading national nonprofit organization dedicated to healing, educating, and empowering the community in the fight against eating disorders.

Monika is a therapist, author, and consultant specializing in the fields of eating disorders and substance use disorders. She is nationally recognized for her contributions to the field of eating disorders and their treatment. With expertise in individual, group, and family therapy in both outpatient and hospital settings, Monika has 25 years of experience in the field of eating disorders. Her passion for treating eating disorders and mentoring other professionals was borne out of her own struggle and full recovery from what today is known as Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa.

Prior to joining MEDA, Monika was the Manager of Outpatient Behavioral Health Services at HCA’s Parkland Medical Center where she provided leadership for Reflections Eating Disorders Treatment Center at Parkland Medical Center in Salem, NH; Parkland’s Center for Emotional Wellness Adult Partial Hospital Program and the Behavioral Health Unit’s inpatient Social Work Department. She also assisted in launching the Cambridge Eating Disorder Center of New Hampshire, where she served as their Director. She served as the Clinical Director for R.O.A.D. To A Better Life's nine addiction treatment centers in the state of New Hampshire as well as the Program Director for Hampstead Hospital's Eating Disorder Treatment Center. Additionally, she owned a thriving private practice specializing in eating disorders for many years.

Among her credits, Monika is the co-author of Anorexia Nervosa: A Guide to Recovery, 1999; and a contributing author to both Self-Harm Behavior and Eating Disorders., 2004 and The Thinking Mom's Revolution: Autism Beyond the Spectrum, 2012. She has also authored several well-received essays on the topics of anorexia, bulimia, trauma, and healing. Monika has appeared on several radio and television broadcasts including NPR’s Public Affair and Boston’s WGBH Arts and Ideas. Monika has extensive experience speaking publicly and presenting workshops on eating disorders. She continues to lecture and present at conferences and universities across the country.

Monika strongly believes in providing compassionate care that combines alternative healing with evidence-based modalities. In addition to using meditation, yoga, and essential oils, she is certified in several alternative modalities and has recently teamed up with Dr. Patrick Porter to create an eating disorders recovery support series for the revolutionary BrainTap.

Monika received her BA from Wellesley College and her MSW from Boston College Graduate School of Social Work.


CONNECT WITH MONIKA OSTROFF:

  • Learn more about MEDA’s eating disorder support and recovery services

  • Donate directly and view other ways to support MEDA

  • Follow MEDA on Facebook and Instagram

  • Sign-up for MEDA’s weekly support group and view other events here

  • Tune into MEDA’s IGTV channel on Instagram to view their weekly support series and live recovery chats/interviews.

ABOUT KARIN LEWIS:

Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS has been recovered from Anorexia Nervosa for over 20 years and has been specializing in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders since 2005. Karin is the founder of the Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center located in Boston, MA. You can visit Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center online to learn more about Karin and her center’s services. You can also connect with Karin on social media by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Do No Harm, Take No Sh*t with Hannah Chase, MS, LPC

 
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Episode 38 - Do No harm, take no sH*t with Hannah Chase, MS, LPC

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Hannah Chase, MS, LPC, and Be Body Positive Licensed Facilitator. Hannah is a clinician with over two decades of personal experience with eating disorders and mental health. Hannah has conquered several obstacles in her life from sexual assault, domestic violence, family loss, to surviving and recovering from an eating disorder. Recently licensed, Hannah works for a PHP/IOP program for eating disorders located in Wisconsin. Her motivation rests on her personal journey, the treatment soul sisters that she has gained, and by continuing to educate and help those suffering in memory of her treatment peers and friends that she has lost to mental health, addiction and suicide.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • Genuine connection as a catalyst for authenticity.

  • Breaking down the toxic messages received from the medical community, family, and the media.

  • The harm of using Body Mass Index (BMI) as a tool for diagnosing eating disorders.

  • The importance of being an educated consumer of social media.

  • How eating disorders serve as a protective mechanism for underlying trauma.

  • The long-term health consequences of an eating disorder, even after recovery.

  • The paradigm of health insurance dictating treatment length based on anecdotal, antiquated, and harmful practices.

  • Freeing oneself from the confines of comparison, people-pleasing, fears of rejection, and other underlying barriers to authenticity.

ABOUT HANNAH CHASE:

Hannah has been a longtime advocate for eating disorder awareness and has a unique approach blending both a personal experience and professional insight to recovery. She has participated in several eating disorder walks and community outreach/awareness events in the Upper Peninsula.

Hannah earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona in 2013. Thereafter, Hannah graduated with her Master’s degree in counseling from Grand Canyon University in 2018.

Hannah received her LPC-IT in 2018 through the State of Wisconsin. She is currently working towards earning her certification as an eating disorder specialist. Hannah has a wide variety of experience from working with youth involved in the juvenile justice system, group home populations, long term support children and families, those who struggle with mental health concerns, trauma-informed care, and community outreach.

Hannah is passionate about creating a safe space where therapeutic rapport can be developed. She uses an individualized approach when treating eating disorders and incorporates the unique wants and needs that a client desires into the treatment. Hannah knows that recovery is possible, but acknowledges the strength and determination that it takes to reach this milestone.

Hannah is originally from Marquette, MI, enjoys spending time with her children, cycling, watching live music shows, and swimming in Lake Superior.


CONNECT WITH HANNAH CHASE:

ABOUT KARIN LEWIS:

Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS has been recovered from Anorexia Nervosa for over 20 years and has been specializing in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders since 2005. Karin is the founder of the Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center located in Boston, MA. You can visit Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center online to learn more about Karin and her center’s services. You can also connect with Karin on social media by following her on Facebook and Instagram.