First Alert Safety Check: National Eating Disorder Awareness Week

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – 28.8 million Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. It’s the number one cause of death among all mental health illnesses and affects lives emotionally, socially, and physically.

Victus Counseling owner and Clinical Therapist specializing in eating disorder treatment Faith Carlson explained the warning signs as, “You’re really gonna be looking at mood changes, at behavior changes, and you’re going to start to see a lot of isolation or rigidity. When I think of the medical side of it, labs will be off, GI, those will all be off. Then, when I think of the social side of it, they’re not engaging, there’s a lot of heightened anxiety or debility just because it’s such an overwhelming diagnosis.”

Stereotypically, it’s believed that only girls and young women experience eating disorders, but that’s not the case.

“It affects all ages. The youngest I’ve worked with is six years old. My oldest I’ve worked with is within their 70s. It’s men, it’s female, it’s all genders and there’s diversity. It impacts everybody,” Carlson said.

While an eating disorder doesn’t have a specific look, times like National Eating Disorder Awareness Week bring us an opportunity to educate ourselves on the topics.

“As a society, if we can recognize that we don’t need to comment on other people’s bodies, on other people’s foods, on other experiences or images… if you don’t know what to say, it’s best not to say anything,” Carlson said.

There are multiple resources available to help treat an eating disorder, but Faith also recommends identifying somebody in your life as a safe person. This individual can help you manage the struggles an eating disorder presents.

“A malnourished mind doesn’t know how to do all these critical steps. So, if you can identify one person who you feel like you can talk to to get the next steps, allowing that other person to get the footwork because their mind is fed and they can kind of multitask and do all that critical thinking,” said Carlson.

During National Eating Disorder Week, which is February 28 through March 2, Victus Counseling is lighting The Falls blue and green to draw awareness to this mental health illness.

For more information on eating disorders or for those seeking help, click here.

 

 

By Hannah Ekwall
Published: Feb. 27, 2025 at 5:16 PM CST
Updated: Feb. 27, 2025 at 5:26 PM CST

Eating Disorders Awareness Week

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Eating Disorders Awareness Week shines a crucial light on a complex and often misunderstood group of mental health conditions.

Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder, impact millions of individuals across all demographics, causing significant physical and emotional distress.

Faith Carlson with Victus Recovery counsels people dealing with eating disorders. She knows that beyond the statistics lie real stories of struggle, hope, and the possibility of recovery.

Faith was here to help demystify eating disorders by helping us to recognize the signs and gain an understanding of the available resources to break down the stigma surrounding these illnesses and empower people to embark on a journey towards healing.

 

Posted: Updated: https://www.keloland.com/keloland-living/eating-disorders-awareness-week/

Five Questions To Ask Your Providers To Determine If They Are Specialists

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Not every therapist / dietitian / medical provider is a good fit for every client. We all have different personalities, different styles and different specialties – and eating disorders are SUCH a specialty. Therapists / dietitians / medical providers with the best intentions can do more harm than good working outside their training and expertise.

So how the heck do you know who to see when reaching out for help already feels so vulnerable? ASK QUESTIONS! The right therapist, medical provider, or dietitian will welcome your questions and have answers that put you at ease and show their competence in what you’re struggling with. This is your time and your recovery that you’re investing in – it’s worth it to take a few extra steps to make sure you’re partnering with a therapist, medical provider, or dietitian you click with AND who has the experience to back it up.

Here’s a few great questions to ask as a place to start:

1. What evidence-based practices are you trained in to treat eating disorders? How do you incorporate those into sessions with clients?

You want a counselor / dietitian / medical provider who has SPECIFIC answers with the training to back it up. Family Based Treatment/Maudsley for teens, empowering parents as part of the treatment team. RO-DBT to help clients challenge perfectionism and rigidity. ERP to overcome food rules and body image avoidance. ACT to learn to tolerate uncomfortable emotions that surface without the numbness of the eating disorder. DBT for distress tolerance. CPT to address underlying trauma. IFS with eating disorder training.

CBT alone isn’t going to cut it. Intuitive eating is awesome but absolutely not appropriate for someone who needs to weight restore or is deep in a restriction mindset. Reading a book or taking one workshop isn’t enough. Look for a commitment to continued education, consultation, and lots of experience.*

2. How long have you been working with eating disorders? What percentage of your caseload is made up of clients with eating disorders?

Eating disorders are a specialty. Someone who’s caseload is 10% individuals with eating disorders probably isn’t a specialist. If you’re talking to a graduate-level intern or a newly licensed therapist, medical provider, or dietitian, ask about their supervisor and their training. They might be newer in the field but completed hundreds of hours of training with a supervisor who has years of experience with a caseload that is 90% food and body image concerns. You’ll never know if you don’t ask.

3. Do you ever encourage dieting, calorie counting, or weight loss? Do you work from a Health At Every Size perspective? How do you help clients implement intuitive eating?

If you see a counselor / dietitian / medical doctor who says they specialize in weight loss or obesity, RUN! A counselor / doctor / dietitian who truly works from a HAES perspective will not encourage dieting, calorie counting, or weight loss as a goal. Instead, they will help you understand what’s at the root of your relationship with food and your body, find new ways to cope, and focus on cultivating self-compassion and body respect. \

Look for a counselor / dietitian / medical provider who recognizes the different approaches needed depending on what your particular struggles with food are. If you need to weight restore or have been engaging in significant restriction or bingeing and purging, intuitive eating is not the right approach right off the bat. The structure of a meal plan is necessary to help your hunger/fullness cues heal (think of it like a cast on a broken arm). Have a teen with an eating disorder? Look for a counselor, medical provider, or dietitian who works WITH you as a vital part of your child’s recovery. Struggling with overeating or are in active recovery? Intuitive and mindful eating is the best direction to go. You want a counselor, medical provider, or dietitian who understands these nuances.

4. Do you collaborate and take a treatment team approach (specialized dietitians, psychiatrists, local treatment centers, etc.)?

Eating disorder treatment takes a multidisciplinary approach. Ask who this counselor’s / dietitian’s / doctor’s referral resources are and what their relationship is like with local treatment providers. Look for someone who can rattle off a long list of dietitians, psychiatrists, pediatricians, school counselors, PCPs, and higher levels of care. You want to work with someone who is committed to helping you create a treatment team approach and who will coordinate to make sure each aspect of your recovery is being addressed.

5. Do you believe in full recovery?

Fully recovery IS possible. Working with a counselor, medical provider, or dietitian who doesn’t believe in full recovery will limit how far you can go and the freedom you can experience. And you deserve to experience full freedom.

 

Written by: www.rootedcounselingmi.com

You Don’t Have to be Thin to Have an Eating Disorder

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The BMI is a screening for body fatness that is frequently used to identify a person’s risk of disease. However, The CDC now warns against using the BMI as a means of diagnosing body fatness or health. One place where the BMI screening may in fact be missing the mark, is when it comes to diagnosing Anorexia Nervosa.

Faith Carlson is a Licensed Clinical Therapist and Eating Disorder Specialist.

She joined us to talk about atypical anorexia, a disease with the same symptoms and risks as Anorexia, just without the qualifying marker of a specifically low body weight or BMI. She also shared how that may lead to someone with a serious eating disorder to slip through the cracks in terms to getting the help they need. We do want to warn you that this conversation may include triggering language.

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Pandemic Fueling Eating Disorder Surge

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Faith Carlson is a counselor with the Carroll Institute. She’s here today to explain how the pandemic may have triggered disordered eating among teens and adults.


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Faith Carlson: Eating Disorder Expert Advocating for Holistic Well-being

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Faith Carlson, the esteemed founder and owner of Victus Counseling, is a dedicated specialist in the treatment of eating disorders. Her extensive training includes certification from the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals, demonstrating her commitment to maintaining the highest standards of care. With a rich background in providing psychotherapy across diverse settings, including outpatient mental health clinics, hospitals, non-profit community counseling, and private practice, Ms. Carlson brings a wealth of experience to her practice.

Over the past 5 years, Ms. Carlson has concentrated her clinical efforts on the assessment and treatment of various eating disorders, encompassing anorexia, bulimia, ARFID, and binge eating diagnosis. Her multifaceted approach involves close collaboration with specialized and trained eating disorder dietitians spread across the United States. This collaborative effort reflects her commitment to providing holistic and comprehensive care, acknowledging the interconnected nature of mental and nutritional well-being in the journey to recovery.

As an Ambassador with the Eating Disorder Coalition and a member of professional affiliations such as the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP) and the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED), Ms. Carlson actively contributes to the field’s advocacy and progress. Not only does she provide clinical services but also extends her expertise to training, consultation, and teaching, benefiting physicians, colleagues, and fellow mental health professionals. As Victus Counseling expands, Ms. Carlson anticipates the arrival of registered interns in clinical counseling, signaling a commitment to continuous growth, learning, and excellence in eating disorder treatment.

Episode Topic:
In this captivating episode of Mastering Counseling, this episode engages in a captivating conversation with Faith Carlson, the founder, and owner of Victus Counseling. The focus is on Victus Counseling, a pioneering multi-state licensed private practice dedicated to comprehensive and specialized treatment for eating disorders. She shares insights into the practice’s mission, vision, and commitment to advocating for the best treatment modalities. The episode delves into the practice’s empathetic culture, fostering understanding and support for clients navigating the complexities of eating disorders.

Lessons You’ll Learn:
Listeners can expect to glean valuable lessons on the holistic approach to eating disorder treatment. Faith Carlson discusses how Victus integrates specialized counselors and dietitians, fostering collaboration and open communication. The episode sheds light on the significance of client involvement in their treatment plans, empowering them to voice their needs. It offers insights into the multidisciplinary approach that emphasizes the interconnected nature of mental and nutritional well-being, contributing to sustainable recovery and emotional resilience.

About Our Guest:
Faith Carlson is the esteemed founder and owner of Victus Counseling. With a passion for providing comprehensive treatment for eating disorders, she combines entrepreneurial expertise with a commitment to client well-being. Her dedication to creating a supportive and inclusive practice environment is reflected in Victus’s success in the field of eating disorder treatment and mental health support.

Topics Covered:
The episode covers a range of crucial topics, from the advocacy for comprehensive eating disorder treatment to the practice’s collaborative and inclusive approach. Faith shares real-life case studies, emphasizing the practice’s role in significant contributions to individuals’ recovery. The discussion extends to the challenges and considerations in managing a multi-state licensed practice, integrating entrepreneurial insights, and future initiatives for expanding Victus’s impact in the community.

Podcast: Isn’t it Lovely To Find Recovery from Eating Disorders? Special Guest: Faith Carlson

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TW: This episode contains sensitive subject matter, including conversation around eating disorders and suicide.

The content of this podcast episode is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have.

“Never lose hope. Do not ever lose hope. You will hold the hope for the person, you will hold the hope for yourself, you will hold the hope through the process. Never lose hope.

Tracy and Rachel are so grateful to welcome counselor and co-founder of Victus Counseling and Nutrition Services Faith Carlson to the show for a sensitive and nuanced conversation centered around eating disorder recovery. Faith compassionately provides framework and illustrations to better comprehend the impact and prevalence of eating disorders, including a broader understanding of the spectrum of behaviors and their place in overall mental health and wellness. In addition to her local work, Faith also consistently advocates on a national level to remove barriers to care, while emphasizing that hope and healing are always possible. Faith and Rachel explore ways to support loved ones facing this journey and the importance of simply believing their lived experiences, even if those experiences can be difficult to understand; Tracy and Faith discuss the power of language surrounding food and movement, particularly as it pertains to children and parenting. Everyone celebrates the power of a great partner and why we all need a handler at one time or another.

Episode Mentions:

Faith Carlson is a licensed mental health therapist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders and co-founder of Victus Counseling in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Faith graduated from South Dakota State University with an undergraduate degree in psychology and Sioux Falls Seminary with a graduate degree in clinical counseling. Faith is active member of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals and is concluding her certification with over 4000 client contact hours treating eating disorders. Faith is a member of the Eating Disorder Coalition, is a national ambassador, and speaks regularly to congress on both local and national levels to advocate for parity and access to mental healthcare. Faith holds a license to practice in Minnesota, Iowa, Florida, and South Dakota and looks forward to expanding the first private, standalone eating disorder clinic in the state of South Dakota.

 

Site Credit: https://www.isitnotlovely.com/episodes/faithcarlson

Eating Disorder Treatment: Multi-Disciplinary Approach

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According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa, 9% of Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. The more rural the area, the higher that number could be. Which is why it’s so important to have the help and resources for those struggling. Today’s guests that stopped by are with Victus Counseling, the first stand alone eating disorder clinic in our community specialized in eating disorders.

Faith Carslon is a Mental Health Therapist and Lauren Cornay is a registered dietitian. They both specialize in eating disorder treatment.

They joined us to tell us about the advantages of treating eating disorders with a multi-disciplinary team approach.

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National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

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Today kicks off National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. It’s an annual campaign focused on educating people about the realities of eating disorders and to provide hope, support, and visibility to those affected by eating disorders. Faith Carlson is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and knows how important this is to shine a spotlight on this issue. She joined us to to tell us more about the signs to look for in adolescents if we are concerned they might have developed disordered eating habits.

“Lighting up the falls is something that says, ‘It can be isolating, lonely, hard to get help & support, but we see you!'”

– Faith Carlson

 

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Social Media Impact on Disordered Eating

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A New Year means new resolutions. One common resolution that many want to jump on board with is their diet and exercise to create a healthier version of themselves. Yet can this sometimes go too far and create unhealthy eating habits? And how can social media impact the way we view ourselves and the expectations we set? Faith Carlson is a licensed professional counselor and and eating disorder specialist at Carroll Counseling Services. She stopped by to answer those questions and explain why, now more than ever, body image and eating concerns are being linked to social media use.

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