Eating Recovery Center

With an increased focus on food and eating during the holiday season, our Executive Director Catherine Ruscitti, PsyD, CEDS-C shines a light on a common eating disorder that isn't widely known — binge eating disorder (BED). In this article, she dispels how binge eating disorder differs from "eating past fullness," shares the signs someone could be struggling with binge eating disorder and what to do, and outlines treatment options. Read the full piece here: https://bit.ly/4iCNd3H

The holiday season can be a particularly challenging time for people navigating eating disorder recovery — and for the clinicians supporting them. Increased social expectations, disrupted routines, and food-centered gatherings can all contribute to heightened distress. Here are a few common stressors you may see in your patients: 🚩 Meals becoming the focal point of gatherings, often with pressure to eat certain foods or “clean their plate.” 🚩 Comments from family or friends about weight, appearance, or eating habits. 🚩 Diet culture language woven into conversations — “I’m being so bad,” “I’ll work this off tomorrow,” etc. 🚩 Complex family dynamics or a lack of understanding about eating disorders and recovery. 🚩 Social pressure to appear “happy” or “festive” despite internal struggle. 🚩 Increased comparison around how others are eating or celebrating. As you support patients through this season, small proactive steps can make a meaningful difference. Here are a few strategies you can encourage: 💙 Maintain consistent routines around meals, rest, and sleep to create stability. 💙 Build in grounding rituals — a short walk, journaling, or calming music. 💙 Help patients practice boundary-setting and identify when to step away from triggering conversations. 💙 Reinforce the importance of leaning on supportive people, including their care team, peer support, or recovery-aligned communities.

We're thrilled to share two exciting updates from our At Home program — expanding access to virtual care for adults across Arkansas and Pennsylvania. ➡️ Arkansas We've officially launched virtual intensive outpatient (VIOP) for adults struggling with eating disorders. This new offering will help ensure more adults across the state can receive specialized, compassionate eating disorder support, right from home. 🗓️ Program schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 5 – 8 PM ➡️ Pennsylvania We’re also expanding our virtual care footprint with the launch of virtual intensive outpatient (VIOP) for adults struggling with binge eating disorders. This new program joins our existing VIOP for eating disorders (adults, children and adolescents) and mood & anxiety programs, creating a comprehensive network of support. 🗓️ Program schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 5–8 PM These launches represent our ongoing commitment to improving access to high-quality, evidence-based virtual treatment — helping more individuals get the care they need, wherever they are.

Our recent event "Clinical Voices, Human Stories: Foundations in Data Informed Care" was a huge success. 👏 This event (happening in various cities across the country, throughout the year!) brings together nationally recognized mental health clinicians and leaders who share their expertise through engaging presentations, while offering attendees valuable opportunities for continuing education, connection, and professional growth. Keep an eye out for future announcements for these events!

Every person deserves to feel seen, respected, and safe — at school, at home, and in their community. In honor of Trans Awareness Week, we're coming together with GLSEN to advocate for affirming care and representation that supports the mental health and well-being of trans youth everywhere. 💙 To browse the support resources listed on the last slide, visit glsen.org For free virtual support groups, visit eatingrecoverycenter.com and pathlightbh.com

If you missed our annual conference, you can still access every session on demand through 12/31 (and earn up to 30 CE/CME/CNE hours at your own pace). Session topics include: ➡️ Implementing FBT in High-Level Care Settings for ARFID ➡️ Identifying and Treating Eating Disorders in Medical Weight Loss Populations ➡️ The Impact of AI in Mental Health Treatment ➡️ Childhood Trauma and Pediatric Mental Health ➡️ Patient Autonomy at Eating Disorder Higher Levels of Care Learn more here: https://bit.ly/45geF2q

The holidays can be a time of connection and joy — but for many people in recovery from an eating disorder, they can also bring unique (and sometimes overwhelming) challenges. As providers and caregivers, our support during this time can make all the difference. Here are a few ways to help people navigate the season: ➡️ Set realistic expectations. Remind them that it's okay if the holidays don't look perfect, and it's okay if they're feeling particularly nervous or anxious about holiday gatherings. ➡️ Encourage open communication. Create space for them to share their worries about meals, social gatherings, or family interactions. ➡️ Collaborate on a plan. Work together to identify potential triggers, coping strategies, and support people ahead of time. ➡️ Model flexibility and compassion. Remind them (and yourself) that recovery doesn't take a holiday — progress may look different this time of year, and that's okay. If they're looking for resources to share with their support people, this post we shared on Instagram is a good place to start: https://bit.ly/47vos5t

Eating disorder relapse can happen during stressful times or life transitions. 😮💨 "To reduce the risk of relapse, I encourage my patients to create a relapse prevention plan that includes proactive steps, recovery self-talk strategies, and ways that loved ones can help. Recovery is within reach — even when relapse feels overwhelming." — Stephanie Setliff, MD, CEDS Here are her relapse prevention planning tips: 1️⃣ Reach out for help if you need it. Your treatment team and/or support system are going to be some of the biggest helpers to you during this time. 2️⃣ Reflect on what's been going on. If you're struggling with eating disorder thoughts and behaviors, take some time to explore your internal state. 3️⃣ Write up your plan. This plan can include: a list of warning signs that indicate a higher risk of relapse for you, steps you can take to reduce this risk, steps others can take to reduce this risk. 4️⃣ Share your plan with your support system (friends, family, treatment team). This provides you both the support you need right now and accountability for the future. For more tips from Dr. Setliff, find the full blog link in the comments.

Social media isn't just shaping culture — it's shaping our mental health. 😮💨 In the latest episode of Mental Note Podcast, host Eleanor Pike and psychiatrist Alyssa Lucker D.O. unpack what we do and do not know about how social media impacts our brains. Throughout this conversation, they explore: ✨ What’s happening in the adolescent brain when it meets an endless stream of likes and notifications ✨ The real benefits (connection, confidence, creativity) that come from being online ✨ How parents can approach social media with curiosity, openness, and digital literacy ✨ Why asking “What is this doing for me?” might matter more than “How much time am I spending?” Tune in to learn how families can build healthier relationships with social media: https://bit.ly/4hyb1VM

In our upcoming continuing education event, we're exploring the complex intersection of mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) and eating disorders, particularly restrictive types such as avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and anorexia nervosa. Here are the educational objectives for the event: - Define validated MCAS diagnostic criteria and distinguish them from non-consensus frameworks. - Identify overlapping gastrointestinal and anxiety symptoms during eating disorder refeeding that can mimic MCAS. - Apply evidence-based nutritional and pharmacologic management for patients labeled with MCAS during ED treatment. Register here: https://bit.ly/3JoRqKZ