F.E.A.S.T. Panel Discussion: Promoting Life in the Treatment of Severe and Enduring Eating Disorders

We are painfully aware that eating disorders are dangerous and potentially life-threatening illnesses. Alongside that, we hold hope in recovery for every person suffering with an eating disorder, even in those for whom recovery seems unlikely.
We are alarmed that treatment pathways are being created which are robbing people of the chance to recover. We are equally appalled that in some systems, active treatment is being withdrawn from those with enduring eating disorders, sending a loud and clear message that there is no place for them in treatment and no hope for their recovery.

Four of FEAST’s esteemed Advisory Panel experts will lead a discussion on the topic of Promoting Life in the Treatment of Severe and Enduring Eating Disorders, alongside FEAST’s own Executive Director.

The panelists will talk about harm reduction and palliative care that is meant to be used as a vehicle to promote life. They will share their insight and experience on how people with enduring eating disorders can live better lives in the shadow of their illness, and how their families can help them achieve this. They will address the need to combat the hopelessness associated with severe and enduring eating disorders, and offer reasons to hold onto hope.

Please join F.E.A.S.T. for this sensitive discussion on a complex topic.

Presenter Bios:

Lauren Muhlheim, Psy.D., FAED, CEDS is a psychologist, fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED), and certified eating disorder specialist (CEDS) and approved supervisor for the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). She directs Eating Disorder Therapy LA in Los Angeles. She is certified in FBT for adolescent eating disorders and is the author of When Your Teen Has an Eating Disorder. Dr. Muhlheim has held leadership roles inseveral professional organizations including the AED, IAEDP LA Chapter, and the Los Angeles County Psychological Association. She provides training on eating disorders to mental health providers internationally.

Angela Guarda M.D. is the Stephen and Jean Robinson Professor of Eating Disorders and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She has been the Director of the Eating Disorders Program at Johns Hopkins Hospital since 1997. She is an active clinician, educator and researcher and has published and presented extensively. Her clinical research interests include improving treatment outcomes and rates of meal-based weight restoration for anorexia nervosa and ARFID as well as medical and ethical issues surrounding the treatment of extreme anorexia nervosa. She has received grant funding from both the NIH and the Klarman Family Foundation and her translational research focuses on neural mechanisms of appetite dysregulation that may contribute to the driven nature of eating disorders. Dr. Guarda is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a Fellow of the Academy of Eating Disorders and member of the Eating Disorders Research Society and has been named yearly since 2008 in Castle Connolly’s “America’s Top Doctors” for eating disorders.

Lucene Wisniewski, PhD, FAED is a clinician, trainer, and researcher whose interests center around using empirically founded treatments to inform clinical practice. Lucene, an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, has taught more than 150 workshops, lectures and presentations on Cognitive Behavioral and Dialectical Behavior Therapies internationally and has over 40 publications in peer reviewed journals and invited book chapters. Lucene has been elected fellow, has served on the board of directors, and as the co-chair of the Borderline Personality Disorder special interest group of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED). In 2013 the AED awarded Lucene the Outstanding Clinician Award to acknowledge her contribution to the field of eating disorder treatment. In 2023, Lucene was recognized as ABCT Champion. She is the founder and Chief Clinical Officer of The Center for Evidence Based Treatment, which offers therapy, training and consultation in evidence-based approaches to mental health conditions via traditional and teletherapy platforms.

Walter H. Kaye, M.D. is a Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego and Founder and Executive Director of the UCSD Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Program. Dr. Kaye attended Oberlin College, then Ohio State Medical School, trained in neurology at the University of Southern California, and trained in psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Kaye was then a fellow and research physician at the Intramural Program of the National Institute of Mental Health for 7 years where he conducted research on appetite regulation, behavior, and treatment for eating disorders. Dr. Kaye was a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh for 20 years until joining UCSD. Dr. Kaye has an international reputation in the field of eating disorders and is the author of more than 400 publications. Dr. Kaye’s current research is focused on exploring the relationship between brain and behavior by integrating approaches from imaging with behavioral and cognitive neuroscience, and genetics to delineate the neural substrates of eating disorders. A major focus of the UCSD Eating Disorders Program is to use these new insights to develop more effective psychotherapies and medication for Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa. Moreover, the treatment program is committed to providing evidence-based treatment and collecting neuropsychological and symptom-related data to assess course and outcome. Finally, the program provides a rich training environment for students and fellows interested in developing expertise in eating disorders.

Judy Krasna has been involved in the eating disorders space as a parent advocate and an expert by experience for over 15 years. She was an active volunteer in the Academy for Eating Disorders and is a staunch advocate for incorporating lived experience into research and treatment. After serving on the F.E.A.S.T. Board of Directors and taking on multiple volunteer roles within the organization, Judy stepped into the position of F.E.A.S.T. Executive Director in early 2021. Judy is passionate about helping families of people with eating disorders, especially after her daughter Gavriella took her own life after a fierce and prolonged battle with anorexia.