HumanKind Educational Services

Absolutely! Although this course is designed with beginners in mind, it also contains newer research and perspectives that may differ from previous training you’ve received. There is an in-depth module on the diagnosis of Orthorexia Nervosa, which is not yet included in the DSM. The second half of the course is entirely focused on Diet Culture, Weight Bias and Weight Stigma, so even if you have experience with eating disorder work, you can certainly benefit from a deeper dive into these concepts and how they may be affecting your practice. If you have extensive training and experience with both eating disorder treatment and the anti-diet/ Health at Every Size movements, this course may not give you brand-new information. However, even if you’re an expert in this area, it never hurts to brush up on your knowledge. Plus, as providers we know that the inner work is lifelong. This course will provide you with opportunities to continue challenging internalized fatphobia and weight stigma.

This course was actually developed for clinicians who don’t typically work with eating disorders, or who have very little familiarity or exposure to eating disorders. Even those of us who don’t treat eating disorders will encounter individuals who struggle with body image concerns, or who engage in disordered eating (i.e., patterns of eating or relating to food that don’t warrant an eating disorder diagnosis but are still worthy of clinical attention). Everyone has to eat, so each of us has a relationship to food that is often complicated. Plus, thanks to the social and cultural factors we’re all subjected to in Diet Culture, it’s practically a guarantee that some of your clients/patients will have negative beliefs or feelings about their bodies, or will experiment with dieting and weight loss efforts. This course prepares you to recognize these struggles no matter where they fall in the spectrum of severity. Overall, it will make you a more well-rounded clinician, and set you apart from others in your area of specialty by giving you tools to address food and body concerns when they arise. As part of the course materials, you’ll receive a robust list of resources for further learning, should you wish to pursue additional training or education in this area.

Course enrollments cannot be shared. Once you enroll and payment is received, you will receive access to the full course content and will be assigned a unique username and password to log in. However, if you enjoy the course and would like to refer a colleague, you can request a referral code so that your colleague may obtain the course for a discounted rate.

Once enrolled, you’ll have access to the course anytime of day or night, for two full years! You can complete it at your own pace, and can repeat sections if you’d like. It is recommended that you complete quizzes and activities shortly after their corresponding lessons, while the information is still fresh. However, if you decide to take breaks, you’ll be able to jump back in right where you left off!

Yes, definitely. A significant component of this course is on proper assessment and diagnosis of eating concerns, and the importance of asking about eating, exercise, and body image beliefs and behaviors during the intake process. Even if you only meet with your patients once or twice, or for a very brief period of time, this course will give you useful information. You will learn to recognize signs and symptoms of eating disorders, so that you can pick up on indications that your client/patient may benefit from specialized eating disorder treatment or further assessment by a registered dietitian or eating disorder physician once discharged from your care.

Absolutely! Body image concerns are particularly relevant to couple’s work, as one or both partners’ perceptions of their bodies (and their partners’ bodies) impact the relationship and can show up in sex and intimacy concerns, adjusting to bodily changes (such as following pregnancy and childbirth) and impact feelings of trust or security. In families, rules and beliefs about food, eating, and weight are often transmitted across generations, even if they aren’t discussed explicitly. Understanding how the family relates to food, physical activity, and body size will only enhance your ability to conceptualize and explore the norms and values of the family system.

Yes, this course is appropriate for providers regardless of the age or developmental phase of the populations they treat. Research indicates that children as young as 2 years old already demonstrate body image and are aware of anti-fat messaging. Eating and body image concerns often start early in life, and can be perpetuated by modeling and messages in the home. In fact, you will notice several of the case examples discussed in the course are stories from individuals whose disorders began in childhood or early adolescence.

Yes. Although there is an emphasis on mental health, this course is relevant to health providers across disciplines, including mental and behavioral health, all areas of medicine, dietitians, naturopaths, physical therapists, and so forth. This course is also designed to be your entry point into size-inclusive healthcare and is great to build upon with the companion course, Weight Science 101, and with further education from educators and activists in the Health at Every Size movement.

At this time, no continuing education credits are offered for this course. We are currently in the review process to obtain continuing education credits from several accrediting bodies. Your course enrollment includes lifetime access to all future updates of the course, so you may be able to obtain CE credits once approved. It is worthwhile to sign up now, while you can take advantage of the introductory pricing and begin using this valuable information and enjoying the resources included with the course!