Topic: Picky Eaters, or Something Else?: How to Properly Assess and Treat Clients Struggling with ARFID

When: Thursday, March 26th

Time: 5:00-6:00 PM

Who: A professional continuing education event – though everyone is welcome

Cost: Free

Where: Zoom

Description: In this presentation, we will take a look at how ARFID differs from other eating disorder diagnoses. We will look at factors that may contribute to the development of ARFID, as well as various treatment modalities that are helpful in working with clients with ARFID. We will learn specific interventions that can be used in various levels of care when treating clients with ARFID.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify four main differences between Anorexia Nervosa and ARFID.
2. Identify three different types of treatment modalities that can be used in the treatment of AFRID.
3. Identify two ways in which family involvement can be beneficial in supporting a client with ARFID.
4. Identify one screening tool that can be helpful in the assessment of ARFID.

About the speaker:

Kelly Souza is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist. She earned both her Master’s and Doctorate degrees from Southern California Seminary in San Diego, California. Her clinical training included pre-doctoral and post-doctoral work at a psychiatric hospital, where she specialized in treating severe mental illness and provided acute stabilization for individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

Throughout her career, Dr. Souza has worked across a variety of treatment settings, including foster care, substance use and co-occurring disorder programs, mental health treatment facilities, and eating disorder centers. Since 2015, she has held leadership roles such as Clinical Director and Regional Clinical Director in higher levels of care, including inpatient psychiatric stabilization, residential eating disorder treatment, and partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs. She has been instrumental in building and launching Residential, PHP, and IOP programs, leading strong clinical teams and enhancing care delivery. Additionally, she has developed and implemented specialty programming for co-occurring concerns often seen in eating disorder treatment, such as trauma and substance use disorders.

Dr. Souza has presented at national conferences and within treatment centers on topics including eating disorders, trauma, substance use, body image, relationships, and the impact of mental health on family systems. She brings extensive experience in working with individuals, families, and groups. Her clinical approach integrates EMDR, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Emotion Focused Family Therapy. She also utilizes evidence-based modalities such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and interpersonal therapy.

In her current role as Clinical Director at EDCare Denver, Dr. Souza supports the clinical team and leads program development efforts to ensure the highest quality of care for clients. She believes in healing the whole person, focusing not only on changing behaviors but also helping clients connect to purpose and meaning beyond their eating disorder. She emphasizes the value of therapeutic relationships and peer support as essential components of the recovery journey. Dr. Souza meets clients where they are in their recovery, providing compassionate, individualized care and walking alongside them without judgment.

Outside of her professional work, Dr. Souza enjoys spending time with her family and taking in the natural beauty of Colorado. She recently picked up mountain biking and is looking forward to developing this new hobby.

Continuing Education Information:

CE credits will be available for psychologists and mental health professionals. Qualified participants who attend the full live virtual session will receive a certificate of attendance for one (1) clock hour. Please note:

• Full attendance is required; no partial credit will be awarded.
• CE credit is only available for live attendance. Watching a recording does not qualify.
• Participants are responsible for verifying with their state licensing boards whether CE credits will be accepted for their specific discipline.

EDCare has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No.7113. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. EDCare is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. EDCare is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. EDCare maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Can’t make it? A recording of this workshop will be posted on our YouTube channel.

Brought to you in collaboration with our sponsor, EDCare

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For questions about this event, contact us at 303-322-3373 or [email protected]

The mission of The Eating Disorder Foundation is to be an effective resource in the prevention and elimination of eating disorders through education, support, and advocacy. Learn more about us at https://eatingdisorderfoundation.org/