In the past few years, research has started to catch up to what so many folks already knew: transgender individuals are much more likely than cisgender individuals to experience an eating disorder. Despite this, competent care for transgender people remains a challenge to find in the eating disorder field. This presentation will discuss prevalence of eating disorders across diagnoses and the gender spectrum, the unique expressions of eating disorders within the transgender population, what goes into creating an inclusive environment for individuals of all genders and gender presentations, and ways eating disorder treatment needs to move forward. We will also explore some of the more challenging aspects of eating disorder care for transgender individuals, for example: untangling the web of gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia.

Objectives:

-Recognize various eating disorder presentations in transgender/gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals

-Define ways to provide inclusive eating disorder treatment at all levels of care

-Explore the differences between body image dysmorphia/distress and gender dysphoria and the ways the two interact within an eating disorder experience

Speakers:

Dr. Rachel Porter (she/her) is a psychologist living and working in North Carolina. Dr. Porter specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, working primarily as a therapist and clinical care advocate at Carolina House, a treatment facility for individuals experiencing eating disorders. Dr. Porter is primarily based at Carolina House’s gender inclusive residence where she is honored to serve the transgender and gender non-conforming community. Dr. Porter practices from a Health at Every Size framework and takes an intersectional approach to psychotherapy. Dr. Porter is committed to using her many privileges in life to support everyone she can. Dr. Porter also has a small private practice and works as a supervisor at HANDS, a treatment facility for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In her remaining time, Dr. Porter enjoys spending time with her partner and two cats, reading, taking on tv “projects,” traveling, and seeing Hamilton: An American Musical as many times as she possibly can.

Emmy Johnson, MSW, LCSWA, (they/them) is an eating disorder professional working as a therapist at Center for Discovery. They specialize in working with LGBTQ+ populations with eating disorders and trauma, and they love providing trainings in working with transgender clients. They strive to be anti-racist, anti-oppression and Health At Every Size/anti-sizeism oriented in all that they do. Outside of work, they love going hiking with their dog Lyra and rereading Harry Potter for the twenty-something time.

Continue education credits have been approved for 1.0 units by the CDR and NBCC.