East Regional Workshop 2025
Eating Disorders and Play Therapy: A Multidisciplinary Team Approach
Presenters: Dr. Kristine Gibson, Trina Weber, RDN, CEDS, and Lindsay South, LPC, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™
Eating disorders among children and adolescents have been on the rise since the onset of the pandemic in 2020. Play therapists often find themselves in the unique position of providing services to children who may be struggling with disordered eating, body image concerns, as well as a clinical eating disorder. Specific training for play therapists working with this population is slim to none. Children with eating disorders may show up unexpectedly in your current caseload. Are you able to identify them? Do you understand how your play therapy skills can be used to treat these children and their families? Are you able network with a team of allied health professionals trained to address the needs of this population?
Dr. Kristine Gibson is an associate professor of pediatrics at Western Michigan University Stryker School of Medicine. She will open the workshop with an overview of the DSM-V(TR) diagnostic categories of feeding and eating disorders and their associated medical needs. Dr. Gibson runs the Adolescent Eating Disorder Clinic at WMED. She will provide information about how her patients typically present and how they are managed after diagnosis. Dr. Gibson will assist participants in thinking about how to select and work with a medical provider in their home community.
Trina Weber, RDN, CEDS, is a nutritionist and certified eating disorder specialist. She will follow Dr. Gibson’s presentation. Ms. Weber will focus on the dietitian’s role within the treatment team as she assesses patients for adequate nutritional intake and develops food plans for weight restoration and maintenance. She will discuss how her work dovetails with the role of the play therapist; Ms. Weber’s job is filled with negotiation, reality checking and helping her young clients and their families face directly their fears around eating. She will present participants with several strategies that they may use with children and their families.
Lindsay South, LPC, RPT-S™ will review how the skills of a play therapist are integral to working with this population. She will provide concrete examples of the use of art, play and sand tray therapy as an integral part of the healing process. Lindsay will lead participants in experiential play therapy interventions that can be used with children and teens struggling with an eating disorder. Play therapists attending this workshop will then apply their new understanding of the roles that each discipline brings. They may begin to develop a rudimentary framework for establishing a multidisciplinary team in their home community.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: As a result of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Distinguish between the five types of eating disorders most commonly seen in an outpatient play therapy setting .
- Understand the role a play therapist may play on a multidisciplinary team treating children and adolescents with eating disorders.
- Facilitate play therapy interventions designed to externalize the eating disorder.
- Practice play therapy interventions targeted for children struggling with food avoidance and restriction.
- Explore ways in which to address body image issues in therapy.
- Discuss play therapy techniques to use at the end of treatment.
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Dr. Kristine Gibson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, at Western Michigan University Stryker School of Medicine. She provides specialty care for adolescents with eating disorders at WMed as well as inpatient consultations at Bronson Children's Hospital in Kalamazoo, MI. Academic interests and current research are focused on the care of patients with eating disorders in the community setting, interprofessional education and practice, DEI/Belonging, psychological safety, resident and student as teacher curriculum, and professional identity formation. Dr. Gibson is past president and current member of the Southwest Michigan Eating Disorders Association and is an active member of the Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics.
Trina Weber is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) who counsels all ages and genders about overall wellness, sports nutrition, stomach/intestinal issues, and eating disorders. She is a certified eating disorder treatment specialist through the International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals (Iaedp). Since 2003, she has been in a private practice or university setting where she sees people one- on-one, presents to various groups, and leads meal and support groups for eating disorder recovery. The purpose of Trina's practice is intuitive or mindful eating, using a Health At Every Size (HAES)® approach, where we eat when truly physically hungry and stop when comfortably full. We eat a wide variety of all foods in moderation without labeling them as “good,” “bad,” “healthy,” or “junk.” We identify, trust, and honor what our body is telling us it needs in order to achieve optimal body function. Trina will meet clients wherever they are on their eating journey and individualize treatment by listening to what the client needs. Based on the client's long-term hopes for food, she will work together with them to plan short-term, measurable, manageable goals to meet those hopes and ultimately have peace with food.
Lindsay South, LPC, RPT-S™ has been in practice since 1988. In her 36 years of work as a therapist Lindsay developed an interest in eating disorders which she has treated in both inpatient, college campus and private practice settings. After completing seven years of sand tray training and becoming a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, Lindsay began to integrate art, sand and play therapy in treatment of her eating disordered child and adolescent patients and their families. Lindsay is a founding member of the Southwest Michigan Eating Disorder Association (SMEDA). Dr. Gibson and Lindsay have presented together on the integration of play therapy and eating disorders at the annual Canadian Association for Child Play Therapy in 2013. Lindsay currently owns a private practice in Portage, MI devoted to play and individual therapy for elementary aged children, tweens, teens and adults. She helps facilitate the Southwest regional networking group for MIAPT and enjoys supervision.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Play Therapy Primary Areas of Instruction: Play Therapy Special Topics
Seating is limited so register early!
6 APT Contact CE.
Social Workers: This session has been approved by the Michigan Social Work Continuing Education Collaborative for continuing education clock hours.
We will need to issue two separate certificates, so please pay attention during announcements to ensure you get credit for both if you need social work and play therapy credits.
Payment must be made online at the time of registration to guarantee your seat.
Workshop Schedule
Registration: 8:30-9:00 a.m.
Workshop Session: 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Break: 10:30-10:45 a.m.
Workshop Session: 10:45-12:15 p.m.
Lunch (on your own): 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Workshop Session: 1:15-2:45 p.m.
Break: 2:45-3:00 p.m.
Workshop Session: 3:00-4:30 p.m.
End of the Workshop: 4:30 p.m.
FOOD: Food and snacks are NOT provided at this workshop. You may bring your own food or go to a local restaurant during break.
CANCELLATION POLICY: All cancellations must be requested in writing and received no later than April 15, 2025. Cancellations are subject to $25 processing fee. Substitutions may be made in writing for no additional cost. No refunds are given due to inclement weather.
HANDOUTS: In an effort to reduce paper waste and be more “green,” our policy is to email all handouts. Please include a valid email address with your registration to receive the handouts.
PHOTO RELEASE: By registering for this workshop, you are giving permission for MIAPT to use any photographs that are taken at the event containing your likeness for as long as MIAPT deems appropriate and desirable. Photographs may be used on the MIAPT website, social media pages, and/or newsletter for any purpose. By completing the registration, you are also consenting to waive any rights to the photographs indefinitely. If you do not wish to have your photo used, it is your responsibility to notify someone at registration of your request to be omitted.
CONTINUING EDUCATION: This workshop for mental health professionals is sponsored by the Michigan Association for Play Therapy. APT Approved Provider 99-050. CE credit is offered for play therapy. The program offers 6.00 contact hours, with full attendance required.
ADA: If you have special needs, please contact Sabrina Slagter at mymiapt@gmail.com.
