Tips for Moving Forward in Your Practice

Judith Matz, LCSW, ACSW Related seminars and products

Judith Matz, LCSW, ACSW, is co-author of The Making Peace with Food Card Deck, The Body Positivity Card Deck, and two books on the topics of eating and weight struggles.  Beyond a Shadow of a Diet: The Comprehensive Guide to Treating Binge Eating Disorder, Compulsive Eating and Emotional Overeating, has been called “the new bible” on this topic for professionals. The Diet Survivor’s Handbook: 60 Lessons in Eating, Acceptance and Self-Care was a #1 bestseller on Amazon and a favorite resource for therapists to use with clients. She is also the author of Amanda’s Big Dream, a children’s book that helps kids to pursue their dreams – at any size! Judith has a private practice in Skokie, IL where she focuses her work with clients who want to get off the diet/binge rollercoaster and learn to feel at home in their bodies. Through her individual counseling, groups, workshops, presentations and books, Judith has helped thousands of people to develop self-care skills that increase physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing without a focus on the pursuit of weight loss. Through educational programs, she is dedicated to helping people end the preoccupation with food and weight. Judith received her MSW at University of Michigan and earned her post-graduate certificate at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, where she trained in the treatment of eating disorders. Judith is a frequent contributor to the Psychotherapy Networker magazine and a popular speaker at national conferences. Descriptions of her work have appeared in the media including the New York Times, LA Times, Allure, Fitness, Self, Shape, Today’s Dietitian, Diabetes Self-Management, NBC News Chicago, Huffington Post Live, and she appears in the documentary America The Beautiful 2.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Judith Matz is the director of The Chicago Center for Overcoming Overeating, Inc. and maintains a private practice. She receives royalties as a published author. Judith Matz receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Judith Matz is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the National Eating Disorder Association, and the Association for Size Diversity and Health.

Amy Pershing, LMSW, ACSW, CCTP-II Related seminars and products

Center for Eating Disorders

Amy Pershing, LMSW, ACSW, CCTP-II, is the founding director of Bodywise, the first BED-specific treatment program in the United States, and president of the Board of the Center for Eating Disorders in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She is the founder of Pershing Consulting, which offers training to clinicians treating BED and trauma worldwide. Amy is also the co-founder of “Attune”, an online coaching program for attuned eating and recovery support.

Amy is an internationally known leader in the development of treatment paradigms for BED, and one of the first clinicians to specialize in BED treatment. Based on 35 years of clinical experience, Amy has pioneered an approach to BED recovery that is strengths-based, and trauma informed, incorporating Internal Family Systems (IFS) and body-based techniques to heal the deeper issues that drive binge behaviors. Her approach integrates a non-diet body autonomy philosophy, helping clients create lasting change with food and body image. She is the author of the book Binge Eating Disorder: The Journey to Recovery and Beyond and Emotional Eating, Chronic Dieting, Bingeing and Body Image: A Trauma-Informed Workbook, with co-authors Judith Matz and Christy Harrison. She also offers a variety of trainings on BED treatment through PESI. Amy maintains her clinical practice in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Amy Pershing is the founding director of Bodywise and the Vice President of The Center for Eating Disorders. She receives royalties as a published author. Amy Pershing receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Amy Pershing is a member of the National Register of Eating Disorders Professionals and the Academy of Certified Social Workers. She is a founding board member of the Eating Disorders Action Network and The Body Freedom Project. She is the membership chair for the Eating Disorders Professional League of Michigan.

Andrew Walen, LCSW-C, LICSW, CEDS-S Related seminars and products

Andrew Walen, LCSW-C, LICSW, CEDS-S, is the founder of DUDE Mental Health, psychotherapist, and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and Supervisor with a specific focus on males with eating disorders. He was the founder of The Body Image Therapy Center and Vice President of Eating Disorders Treatment for Refresh Mental Health. Andrew has appeared on The Today Show, featured in The New York Times, USA Today, Men's Health, and many other national and local media outlets as an expert in the field of eating disorders and body image. In addition, he has authored numerous articles and presented workshops at national and international eating disorder conferences. He authored Man Up to Eating Disorders, which is a memoir and self-help book directed at males with eating disorders. Andrew is the immediate past-President of the National Association for Males with Eating Disorders (NAMED), which merged with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) in November 2019. He currently serves as NEDA's Senior Advisor on Males with Eating Disorders and as the Certification Chair for the Baltimore chapter of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp). He is also a past founding board member of the Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA).

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Andrew Walen is the founder of D.U.D.E Mental Health and receives royalties as a published author. He receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Andrew Walen serves as Baltimore chapter certification chair for the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals and as senior advisor for the National Eating Disorders Association.

Sand C. Chang, PhD Related seminars and products

Sand Chang, PhD, (they/them/their), is a Chinese American, genderfluid, nonbinary psychologist and trauma-informed Diversity Equity and Inclusion consultant based in Oakland, CA. They are a Certified Body Trust provider, Certified IFS Therapist, and Certified EMDR Therapist. Their career has been dedicated to body liberation, specifically with regard to trans health, eating disorders, and trauma. Outside of work, Sand is a dancer, punoff competitor, and smoosh-faced dog enthusiast.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Sand Chang has an employment relationship with Shifting Center, Inc. They receive royalties as a published author. Dr. Chang receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. They have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Sand Chang is a member of the Professional Advisory Council of the Sexual and Gender Minority Health Equity Initiative at Harvard Medical School, The Gender Affirming Letter Access Project, and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. They are a board member of Trans Bodies, Trans Selves and an advisory board member for the United States Joint Statement (USJS) Warning against Conversion Therapy, Kaiser Permanente Pride, and the National Queer and Trans Therapist of Color Network.

Jessica Wilson, MS, RD Related seminars and products

My Kitchen Dietician, LLC

Jessica Wilson, MS, RD, (she/her), has 15 years’ experience as a clinical dietician. She has specialized in eating disorder care since 2009 and has led international dialogues about the barriers marginalized clients face when accessing eating disorder care. Jessica is well known for co-founding the #amplifymelanatedvoices movement and her commentary on the racist origins of the frameworks and models that guide the medical and mental health fields. She stays active on social media and in her communities advocating for body liberation, centering those most marginalized. Jessica is currently writing a book about the impacts of white supremacy on the narratives of Black women’s bodies for Hachette Books. In her spare time, she gardens, rides bike and walks her dogs.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Jessica Wilson maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with the University of California. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Jessica Wilson is a Co-host of the My Black Body podcast.