Join our webinars to gain knowledge from experts on eating disorders.
When your child is struggling with an eating disorder, your instinct is your most valuable tool. This presentation is a skills-based guide for parents and caregivers to empower you as an essential partner in recovery. Learn what “good treatment” truly looks like, how to recognize critical “red flags”—the moments when your heart is screaming “this is wrong”—and gain the confidence to advocate decisively. We offer reassurance that difficult experiences are not a reflection of parental failure, giving you the knowledge and support to regroup and move your family toward lasting recovery.
Guest Bio(s):
Dr. Melodie Simmons, LPC, CEDS-C, is a Clinical Instructor and expert in evidence-based care, particularly Family-Based Treatment (FBT) at Equip. She is dedicated to improving access and outcomes for all people with eating disorders. Dr. Simmons leverages her clinical leadership to address the intersectional complexities of recovery, specializing in integrating compassionate, systems-level guidance with practical tools for diverse populations.
Dr. Shannon Patterson is a licensed psychologist and Senior Clinical Instructor at Equip, specializing in eating disorder treatment and psychological adaptation to chronic illness. She provides training for healthcare professionals and is committed to delivering individualized, evidence-based care to diverse communities. She is the co-author of the Weight-Inclusive CBT Workbook for Eating Disorders.
More specifically, dietary restriction is particularly associated with a brain region called the striatum. This part of the brain is involved in habits – a neurobiological basis for stuck behaviors. This may help explain why food restriction in anorexia nervosa is so hard to change. Over time, and repetition, the brain becomes wired to respond to cues and rules around food. This pattern shows up in both adolescents and adults, and it helps explain why anorexia nervosa can be so persistent even when someone genuinely wants to recover.
The good news is that understanding the brain’s role in this illness is opening doors to better treatments. When we stop seeing food restriction as willful behavior and start seeing it as something the brain has learned to do automatically, it changes how we approach care — and gives researchers a clearer target for developing new ways to help.
Dr. Steinglass’ research investigates Anorexia Nervosa through study of the neural mechanisms of illness and the development of mechanism-based treatments. She conducts interdisciplinary research that uses tools from cognitive and computational neuroscience to apply the latest understanding of the healthy brain to research on Anorexia Nervosa. She applies these insights to the development of behavioral, neuromodulatory, and pharmacological interventions.
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