Why is eating disorder training a necessity?
When I first started working in eating disorders, it felt nearly impossible to learn from practitioners who had more experience than I did. Understandably, there was a strong “lock and key” mentality meant to protect clients — but it also created barriers for eager learners like me who wanted to build the skills needed to support such a vulnerable, yet deeply rewarding, population.
Back then, I was often told to just “refer out.” And, at the time, it seemed feasible. There were enough eating-disorder providers available, and referrals could usually be made without the fear of someone ending up on a months-long waitlist. We didn’t have the same level of scarcity or urgency that we’re facing today.
But over the past few years, there has been a massive change with access to care. And not just care, but affirming, human-centred, compassionate, knowledgeable care that can truly support a person to take the brave steps towards healing.
Some of my clients have been on waitlists for a year to access the care they deserve. Just "referring out" has become a thing of the past, because of the barriers that get in the way of people accessing care.
For dietitians, eating disorder training is no longer a "nice to have" - it's a necessity.
Whether you work in private practice, primary care, community health, diabetes education, sports nutrition, pediatrics, or general outpatient counseling… clients with eating disorders or disordered eating are already in your caseload.
They’re not only “out there” in specialty clinics anymore. They’re sitting in your office, logging into your virtual sessions, and asking you questions that require far more than nutrition knowledge.
And I don’t say that to overwhelm anyone—I say it because I’ve seen how empowering it is when dietitians finally have the skills they need.
Why the landscape has changed
Over the past number of years, we have seen:
Increasing rates in adolescents, adults, athletes, and people in midlife
Higher acuity and more complex presentations
More clients turning to dietitians before they ever see a therapist or physician
A huge mismatch between training received in school… and what real clients actually bring to sessions
Here’s the reality:
Every dietitian is now an eating disorder dietitian—some just haven’t been trained yet.
And when we aren’t trained, the work becomes harder, heavier, and more emotionally draining. We feel stuck. We second-guess ourselves. We wonder whether we’re helping or unintentionally causing harm.
Clients need more than meal plans—they need us to appreciate their experiences (including emotions)
Clients don’t just ask about calories or carbs anymore. They bring us:
panic around body changes
spiraling urges
shame around binge eating
black-and-white perfectionism
fear of “losing control”
guilt after eating
pressure to shrink their bodies
parents who are terrified and overwhelmed
And these emotional conversations arrive in the dietitian’s office. Even when we aren't prepared.
Without training in attunement, emotion coaching, validation, trauma informed approaches, boundaries, safety planning, and harm-reduction approaches, most dietitians end up feeling like they’re drowning.
But the opposite is also true:
With these skills, sessions feel more connected, effective, and therapeutic—not heavier.
Eating disorder training isn’t optional anymore because:
It protects clients from harm
It protects dietitians from burnout
It protects our profession by raising the standard of care
It protects our scope, because when we know what we’re doing, we stay grounded and effective
This isn’t about “specializing.”
This is about being prepared for the work that is already in front of us.
When dietitians are trained in eating disorders:
I’ve watched hundreds of dietitians experience the same transformation:
✨ Their confidence skyrockets
✨ They stop feeling like they’re “winging it”
✨ Sessions feel less draining
✨ They build deeper, safer relationships with clients
✨ They know when to intervene, when to refer, and when to collaborate
✨ They feel proud of the work they’re doing
✨ They finally feel capable—not overwhelmed
You deserve that. And your clients deserve a dietitian who feels grounded, equipped, and emotionally attuned.
This is the future of dietetics
The profession is shifting. Clients expect more. The complexity is increasing. The emotional depth of this work is unavoidable.
And so is this truth:
Eating disorder training isn’t optional anymore.
It’s the new baseline for ethical, compassionate, effective nutrition care.