MISSION

What is the need?

The popular misconception that eating disorders primarily affect young, white, heterosexual, cisgendered women from middle-class and affluent backgrounds remains pervasive— despite the evidence to the contrary that so many of us see in our practices.

Many of us struggle to find appropriate referrals for clients needing specialized eating disorder care, particularly for those who are in need of a reduced fee. Clients often struggle to get connected to any therapist who specializes in eating disorder treatment. For those seeking a therapist who also mirrors particular identities or experiences, such as a therapist of color or an LGBTQ therapist, the pool can become discouragingly small.  

LEDE’s mission is to close this crucial service gap.

The overarching goal of the program is to provide accessible, culturally-attuned eating disorder treatment for the community, while growing and training a more inclusive community of eating disorder therapists.  

What does LEDE offer the community? 

LEDE partners with individual providers and mental health organizations to increase the availability of accessible, knowledgeable, culturally-attuned eating disorder care. LEDE provides mental health clinicians with specialized training in the treatment of eating disorders, grounded in best practices from scientific and social justice frameworks. The training includes didactics, case conference and individual supervision with experts in the field. Didactic topics include: diagnosis and case conceptualization; assessment; medical & nutritional aspects; treatment approaches; working as part of a multidisciplinary team; body politics and sociocultural influences.

Find out more about our current programs and offerings.