The highly anticipated two-day Tri-State Eating Disorder Conference: Internal Family Systems & Eating Disorders is just around the corner!
Happening April 12th and 13th, this exclusive event presents a rare opportunity to glean insights from the pioneering mind behind Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, Dr. Richard (Dick) Schwartz. Recently featured on widely acclaimed author Glennon Doyle’s popular podcast, We Can Do Hard Things, Dick guides Glennon through an exploration of her own internal system of parts, particularly those intertwined with her eating disorder. In a captivating two-part follow-up episode, he extends his guidance to Glennon’s co-hosts, Abby Wambach and Amanda Doyle, as they embark on their own explorations of their internal parts.
In addition to learning from Richard Schwartz, you’ll also get to hear from an esteemed eating disorder and IFS experts such as Amy Pershing, Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, Chevese Turner, Jeanne Catanzero, Molly Kellogg, Theresa Chesnut, and Kindful Body founder Marcella Cox, among others..
Before the event begins, we’re excited to share with you five facts about this groundbreaking conference!
#1: Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, the focus of the conference, stands out as a remarkably innovative, non-pathologizing, evidence-based approach to addressing eating disorders and disordered eating.
In fact, did you know the roots of IFS trace back to the treatment of eating disorders?
In 1982, Dick Schwartz, initially a self-described “zealous family therapist,” conducted an outcome study with bulimic youth under his care to assess the effectiveness of family therapy in treating their bulimia (Van Ness, 2019, 03:42). To his alarm, despite efforts to reorganize their family systems-the overarching goal of family therapy-his clients continued to binge and purge (Schwartz, 2021).
Dick’s exploration of their behaviors took a pivotal turn when he asked his clients about their persistent engagement in these “disordered” behaviors, only to find that each client possessed an inner system of distinct parts, each possessing considerable autonomy and influence (Schwartz, 2021).
At first, Dick attempted to challenge and suppress these clients’ destructive parts, only to discover this approach exacerbated their behaviors (Schwartz, 2021).
Shifting his strategy, he began to get curious about these parts’ and their intentions, finding that they, despite their detrimental impacts, were actually driven by a desire to protect the client – a revelation that challenged conventional therapeutic assumptions (Schwartz, 2021). In fact, these parts didn’t want to be in these extreme roles at all (Schwartz, 2021)!
Through this discovery, Dick laid the groundwork for the IFS model-a transformative paradigm in which eating disorders and disordered eating are not mere problems or pathologies to be fixed, but, instead, messages to be heard and honored.
#2: The event is happening at Old National Events Plaza in Evansville, Indiana, but both in-person and virtual attendance options are available, providing flexibility and accessibility for attendees.
While the option to attend in person has now passed, virtual registration remains open! Find out more and register here.
#3: You don’t have to be a therapist to attend; people from diverse professional backgrounds and knowledge levels are welcome!
Whether you’re a psychologist, Master’s-level licensed clinician, social worker, dietitian, student, recent graduate, medical practitioner eager to expand your skill set, or simply an IFS enthusiast, you’re invited to attend. (And for students, we offer an exclusive discount.
For therapists, attendance qualifies for up to 9.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs), while dietitians can earn up to 14 CEUS-a valuable opportunity to enhance your credentials and expand your knowledge.
#4: In fact, the conference features a lineup of experts across diverse disciplines.
From nurses to dieticians to social workers, doctors, and public health professionals, our conference features voices across the spectrum of eating disorder treatment. Through engaging didactic and experiential workshops, you will gain invaluable insights into the application of IFS with clients with eating disorders. This immersive experience ensures a comprehensive and inclusive understanding of IFS.
#5: Marcella Cox, LMFT, the founder of Kindful Body, is honored to be joining experts in the field presenting at the conference.
https://tri-state-eating-disorder.ce-go.com/tristate-eating-disorder-conference-2024/home
Marcella will be a part of two dynamic talks, offering invaluable insights and expertise on utilizing IFS in the treatment of eating disorders and disordered eating.
Right after Dr. Schwartz’s half-day session, Marcella, alongside her colleague and conference host Theresa Chesnut, LCSW, will explore the transformative potential of the IFS approach to treating eating disorders.
In her second presentation, Marcella will delve into the crucial role of embodiment in healing from eating disorders, highlighting the power of Somatic IFS in guiding clients home to their bodies. Drawing from her role as a staff member of Somatic IFS founder Susan McConnell, MA, CHT, Marcella will lead attendees through an experiential Somatic IFS practice, empowering them to work with their own parts.
Eager to learn more about the conference? Check out her exclusive interview with Theresa Chesnut below, where she explores her presentation topics in more depth.
Whether you’re attending in person or virtually, the Tri-State Eating Disorder Conference offers a unique opportunity to enrich your understanding of IFS therapy and its application in treating eating disorders. We hope to see you there!
Begin Eating Disorder Therapy in California
Kindful Body can help you positively transform the way you think and feel about your body, no matter your gender or size. At Kindful Body, we utilize the most cutting-edge, evidence-based approaches, including Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, and Somatic-based modalities. You can begin therapy with us by following these steps:
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Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with our client care coordinator.
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Connect with a caring, experienced eating disorder therapist.
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Start improving the relationship between you and your body!
Other Services Offered by Kindful Body
Eating disorder therapy isn’t the only service we offer support in overcoming. Our team is happy to offer a variety of services in support of your mental health. This is why our team is happy to offer counseling services focused on self-esteem issues, trauma and PTSD, emotional eating recovery, nutrition counseling, binge eating disorder, and body image. You can start receiving support from Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland/Berkeley, Walnut Creek, San Mateo, Orange County, or anywhere in California. Learn more about us by checking out our blog and FAQs page.
