events / Family Systems Approach to Treatment Ambivalence in Teens and Young Adults with Eating Disorders
Eating Disorders
Professionals
Continuing Education
In Person
Family Systems Approach to Treatment Ambivalence in Teens and Young Adults with Eating Disorders
October
30
Friday
Friday, October 30, 2026
08:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET
1 CE/CME/CNE Hours
Presented by
Eating-disorder treatment often begins in the context of profound ambivalence: young people may feel conflicted about recovery, caregivers may doubt their capacity to intervene, and family relationships may become organized around avoidance, accommodation, conflict, or fear. This presentation reviews how to understand and effectively address ambivalence as part of treatment.
The session will examine the principles and evidence supporting FBT for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, along with the evolving evidence for FBT adaptations in ARFID. Participants will explore strategies to engage caregivers, preserve the young person’s voice and agency, reduce family accommodation, and address common threats to treatment momentum. The talk will also offer a clinically practical approach to reassessing treatment when FBT is not producing early progress, including questions of fidelity, medical and psychiatric complexity, caregiver capacity, family safety, developmental fit, and appropriate use of alternative or adjunctive models.
The target audience for this continuing education program is mental health providers and clinicians working with individuals with mental health diagnoses. Materials are appropriate for learners with an introductory level of understanding about mental health concerns.
Agenda
8:30–9:00 AM: Check-In & Breakfast
9:00–10:00 AM: CE Presentation
10:00–10:30 AM: Q&A, Discussion & Networking
Educational Objectives:
Following this presentation, participants will be able to…
Compare the principles and strength of evidence for family-based treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, adapted family approaches for ARFID, and family involvement in young adults with eating disorders.
Identify patient, caregiver, and family-system factors that contribute to treatment ambivalence and affect engagement, nutritional rehabilitation, and behavioral change.
Apply a decision-making framework to assess limited early progress, adapt family-based treatment, and choose alternative or adjunctive interventions when the approach is ineffective, infeasible, unacceptable, or unsafe.
PARKING: There are multiple parking lots available for guests. We recommend parking in the North Drive Parking Lot, as it is the closest to the lower level of the Community Center where the event will be held.
All facility parking lots will be available to guests. Please refer to the attached maps for parking locations and directions. Directions for Parking.
Questions about this event? Please email christine.elkhoury@ercpathlight.com.
Available Continuing Education Credit
In support of improving patient care, Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center, LLC designates this live course for a maximum of 6 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 6 clinical continuing education credit.
Completion of this RD/DTR profession-specific or IPCE awards CPEUs (One IPCE credit + One CPEU). If the activity is dietetics-related but not targeted to RDs or DTRs, CPEUs may be claimed which commensurate with participation in contact hours (One 60-minute hour = 1 CPEU). RDs and DTRs are to select activity type 102 in their Activity Log. Sphere and Competency selection is at the learner’s discretion. Attendees who complete this course are eligible for 1 CPEU.
Eating Recovery Center, LLC is approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6815 Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Eating Recovery Center is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Eating Recovery Center, LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Eating Recovery Center maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Eating Recovery Center, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0232.
Eating Recovery Center, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0280.
Eating Recovery Center, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0756.
All Eating Recovery Center, LLC sponsored educational activities are presented in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you are in need of accommodations, please contact the Continuing Education Team at continuing.education@ercpathlight.com.
Conflict of Interest
There is no conflict of interest in the presentations.
Commercial Interest
There is no commercial support for this activity.