A Neurodiversity Affirming Approach to Working With Eating Disorders
Course basics
- Presented by psychologist Lucy Smith
- All online and self-paced
- 12 hours total (12 CPD points)
- Six month access
- Filled with case exmaples and practical strategies
Who is it for?
Psychologists, dietitians, and other health professionals who are interested in delivering neurodiversity affirming, intersectional, trauma-informed care.
What client demographic does it apply to?
Adolescents and adults with eating difficulties and eating disorders that are neurodivergent or have a strong sensory palate, in particular clients with complex co-occuring presentations.
Course preview
Course Curriculum
- Week 1: A Much Needed Paradigm Shift - and what it looks like in practice (38:27)
- Week 2: SAFETY - A Neurodiversity Affirming Approach to Developing Neutral Food Relationships (58:22)
- Week 3: Supporting Clients to Untangle their Neurotype from their Eating Disorder (70:13)
- Week 4: Working with Autistic Clients with Eating Disorders / Eating Differences with Andrea Parker (80:11)
- Week 5: Working with ADHDers with Eating Disorders / Eating Differences with Andrea Parker (59:41)
- Week 6: Considering the Evidence-Based Treatments for Eating Disorders (143:22)
- Week 7: Lived Experience with Jacqueline Harvey (48:42)
- Week 8: Working With High Risk Clients and Using a Harm Reduction Approach (64:40)
- Week 9: Working With Clients With Complex Trauma and Other Complex Presenting Issues (60:29)
- Week 10: Navigating Client Ambivalence and Dishonesty and Navigating Non-Affirming Health Practitioners / Stakeholders (107:12)
Lucy Smith
Course presenter
Psychologist (she/her)
Director of Exhale Psychology Centre.
Credentialed eating disorder clinician.
Registered with AAPi.
Over 15 years of clinical experience.
Andrea Parker
Guest speaker
Dietitian (she/her)
Late identified ADHDer.
Credentialed eating disorder dietitian.
Over 10 years of clinical experience.
Certified intuitive eating counsellor.
Accredited sports dietitian.
Jacqui Harvey
Guest speaker
Psychologist (they/she)
Late identified AuDHDer.
Lived experience of an eating disorder.
Eating disorder peer mentor experience.
Special interest in eating disorders and neurodivergence.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course you will;
- Understand eating disorders through a neurodiversity affirming lens
- Understand the difference between eating differences, eating difficulties, and eating disorders
- Feel confident implementing the SAFETY tool into clinical practice
- Feel confident in untangling ARFID from Anorexia Nervosa
- Feel confident in supporting your clients to untangle their neurotype based eating preferences from their disordered eating behaviours
- Have a variety of neurodiversity affirming resources that you can use with clients in your clinical practice
- Have a basic understanding of all of the evidence-based treatments for eating disorders as approved by Australia’s Medicare Eating Disorder Plan
- Feel confident in critically evaluating these treatments based on evidence, lived experience perspectives, and neurodiversity affirming principles
- Have a practice that is informed by lived experience
- Feel more confident using neurodiversity affirming principles when working with clients with complex mental health difficulties
- Feel confident navigating complex trauma when working with clients with eating disorders
- Have the strategies needed to implement a harm reduction approach when working with eating disorders
- Feel confident navigating client ambivalence and dishonesty using an affirming lens
- Have strategies to skilfully navigate non-affirming health practitioners and stakeholders