Using Ancient Wisdom & Modern Neuroscience to Treat Eating Disorders

Date: Friday, August 11, 2017
Time: 9:00-4:00pm
Location: Capitol Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, 100 State St, Montpelier, VT 05602

Presenters:
Laura Biron, RDN, CD, CEDRD, RYT Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian and a Registered Yoga Teacher and mindful eating expert at Living Better Nutrition in Stowe and the Adams Center for Mind and Body in South Burlington.

Anita Johnston, Ph.D., CEDS, clinical psychologist and certified eating disorder specialist and supervisor, Anorexia & Bulimia Center of Hawaii and ‘Ai Pono in Honolulu, the first Eating Disorders Intensive Outpatient Program in the US. She is currently Clinical Director of ‘Ai Pono Maui, a residential eating disorders treatment program on the island of Maui.

Description:
For eons, ancient traditions in cultures across the world have used metaphor and storytelling for teaching and healing. Only recently, however, has modern science developed technology that gives us a glimpse into brain functioning, allowing us to see how these processes work. A metaphor is a bridge between two ideas that, at least on the surface, are not equivalent or related. Many individuals struggling with eating disorders perceive their struggles with eating as unrelated to other aspects of their lives.

This presentation explores the work of scientists who have discovered rigorous ways to study insight and metaphor by identifying the aspects of the brain that are better able to see hidden connections and the remote associations between separate ideas. It will
describe the neuroscience research that supports the use of metaphor and stories in eating disorder treatment.

Objectives:
1. Name the neural correlate of insight in the brain.
2. Identify the brain wave pattern that occurs immediately before insight occurs.
3. Identify the hemisphere in the brain responsible for finding the connections between seeming unrelated things.
4. Describe interoceptive awareness and how it relates to eating disorders.
5. Demonstrate the use of 3 specific tools to cultivate interoceptive awareness.


Earn CE Credits:
Psychologists: 6 credits
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN): 5.5 credits (pre-approved CPE #134132)
Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) and
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors (LCMHC): Eligible for 6 credits