VOXED – Voices of eXperience in Eating Disorders

VOXED 2026: Voices of Experience in Eating Disorders

A one day, fully online conference bringing together lived experience, research, practice, community insight, and creativity—on equal ground.

Hosted by Kel O’Neill

What to Expect:

• A New Kind of Eating Disorder Conference
  VOXED isn’t here to replicating what already exists. We’re building something deliberately different - puting accessibility, openness, and honest dialogue at the core.
  
  Expect panels, workshops, and creative sessions. You’ll hear from a wide range of voices: lived experience, research, and clinical practice - so that everyone can learn, question, and connect, not in competition but in conversation.
  
• Equal Voice, Open Dialogue
  Cost and credentials don’t define who belongs here. Whether you’re an eating-disorder specialist, counsellor, GP, youth worker, artist, student, carer, or simply someone who cares, VOXED welcomes you. We trust that listening and conversation spark real change.

Who Should Attend

• Individuals with lived experience
• Carers, families, and supporters
• Therapists, counsellors, and healthcare professionals
• Educators, social workers, and youth workers
• Researchers, academics, and students
• Artists, advocates, and community organisers

If you’ve ever thought, “I care about this but I don’t know if I belong,” you belong here.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

VOXED is built on the belief that all kinds of knowledge deserve equal respect. We’re committed to:

• Amplifying Marginalised Voices: Including those from racialised, disabled, neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+, working-class, and other communities.
• Intersectional Perspectives: Holding space for complexity, acknowledging harm and hope, tension and progress.
• Ongoing Accountability: Listening, reflecting, and learning—because true inclusion is a journey, not a promise of perfection

Join Us

Whether you’re here to share your work, ask big questions, or simply listen in – you’re welcome.

Register now and be part of conversations that could shape the future of eating-disorder care, research, and recovery.

This might just be a conference. Or it might be the start of something more.

Either way, you’re invited.

CONFERENCE ACCESSIBILITY & TICKET FEES

TICKETS

Choose your ticket price. Each ticket provides access to the LIVE event on Zoom & the conference Recording. Choose the fee that works for you: £25.00, £37.50, or £50.00.

CPD CERTIFICATE

After attending the LIVE conference, your CPD certificate will be emailed to you.

If you watch the event on catch-up, you can download your certificate from the Onlinevents CPD Library.

RECORDING

This conference will be recorded and the recordings are included in the live admission tickets. This will be useful for colleagues who are not able to attend the event live and also for those who attend the event live and want to watch it again.

ZOOM

This workshop will be hosted on the Zoom meeting platform where we will use our cameras and microphones to interact with each other as a group.

___________________________

At Onlinevents, we and the presenters we collaborate with are committed to working in a way that aligns with the ethical codes and frameworks of our respective professional organisations. We expect all colleagues attending our events to uphold the ethical principles of their professional membership.

If you are not a member of a professional organisation, we ask that you participate in a way that is both authentic and respectful, fostering a space of mutual learning and professional engagement.

By registering for this event, you agree to be present and interact in a manner that reflects these principles.

___________________________

CONFERENCE HOST

Kel O’Neill is a Counsellor, Trainer, and Researcher with two decades of combined lived and professional experience in the field of eating disorders. Passionate about challenging stigma and broadening understanding, Kel is working towards compassionate and accessible support for anyone affected by eating disorders.

Kel is the creator of The Eating Disorder Recovery Companion and co-founder of the Lived Experiences of Eating Disorders (LEED) Research Collective. Her blog and YouTube channel, Mental Health Bites, offer valuable resources for improving understanding of eating disorders. Those interested in learning more can explore her online and in-person training, which helps professionals enhance their knowledge and skills in this important area.

Through her work in therapy, education, and research, Kel helps individuals and professionals alike navigate the complexities of eating disorders.

__________________________________

Beyond the Numbers: Understanding BMI Barriers in Eating Disorder Referral and Treatment - Tanya Frances & Kel O'Neill

While NICE guidelines advise against using BMI as the sole criterion for access to eating disorder (ED) treatment, people with lived experience frequently report that weight thresholds continue to shape who is offered care. This session shares preliminary findings from a qualitative study exploring how ED clinicians understand the role of BMI in access to treatment.

We conducted four focus groups with 17 specialist clinicians, including dietitians, psychotherapists, psychologists, counsellors, mental health nurses and a consultant psychiatrist. Using thematic analysis, we developed themes around the centrality of low BMI in determining risk, the pervasive influence of weight stigma, and the way ED clients/patients can be positioned as a “hot potato”, whose perceived risk or complexity may feel unmanageable or unsettling for services.

Session Aims:

• Present preliminary findings on how BMI-based barriers are understood in ED care.
• Reflect on implications for clinicians and people with lived experience of EDs.

Tanya Frances

Dr Tanya Frances (she/her) Tanya is a Chartered Psychologist, Lecturer, and Psychotherapist whose feminist, critical, and embodied work explores trauma, eating disorders, epistemic injustice and violence. She is the author of Narratives of Childhood Domestic Violence (Routledge) and has published widely across academic and professional contexts. Tanya co-founded the Lived Experiences of Eating Disorders Research Collective and the Intersectional Violences Research Group. She also has lived experience of an eating disorder. She feels passionately about centring lived experience voices to challenge dominant narratives and foster more compassionate and socially and epistemically just approaches to mental health care.

Kel O'Neill

Kel is a Counsellor/Psychotherapist and Educator with a special interest in the area of Eating Disorders. She has spent 15+ years working in this field in a variety of roles and is ever passionate about sharing her experiences and using her knowledge for the benefit of others. Presently Kel runs a busy private practice, delivers a collection of Eating Disorder CPD programmes, contributes to research and other professionals’ projects, as well as curating Eating Disorder content for both a blog and YouTube channels under the brand ‘Mental Health Bites’.

__________________________________

WORKSHOPS

How to Rebuild a Balanced Relationship with Exercise in ED Recovery - Melissa Nelson

In this workshop, Mel will look at the benefits of movement and exercise in our lives, and how exercise can become disordered, risky, and too easily overlooked in the context of eating disorders. She will explore the relationship between exercise, eating disorders, and neurodivergence, and how to establish a balanced approach to movement. Drawing on her lived experience of working in the fitness industry, recovery from an eating disorder, and a late diagnosis of neurodivergence, Melf will share her personal insights on how to support recovery and change, and how she now looks after her own mental health.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Explore the benefits of movement and how it can become disordered
• Understand the links between exercise, eating disorders, and neurodivergence
• Learn ways to support recovery and build a balanced relationship with exercise

Melissa Nelson

Mel is a qualified counsellor currently working as a Senior Counsellor for an eating disorder charity in Somerset. She specialises in supporting people with eating disorders, with additional training as an autism-informed practitioner and experience working with children and young people. Before becoming a therapist, Mel worked in the fitness industry - an experience that shaped her lived experience of an eating disorder, her later recovery, and her eventual diagnosis of being neurodivergent. She now brings together personal insight and professional expertise to support people in finding their own recovery.

From Surviving to Shaping Services: Lessons from Lived Experience in EDs - Mary Bower

Eating disorders are often misunderstood, reduced to stereotypes or surface-level symptoms. In this session, Mary will share her personal experience of living with an eating disorder for 19 years, including 10 spent in and out of hospitals across the UK. She will explore the realities behind the illness — the trauma, shame, and silence that often go unspoken — alongside practical insights into how services can better support individuals. Drawing on her work as founder of EmpowerED Lotus, Mary highlights how trauma-informed, compassionate approaches and small shifts in service culture can make a big impact on recovery.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Deepen understanding of the psychological and emotional roots of eating disorders
• Recognise why traditional approaches often fall short
• Explore the importance of trauma-informed, compassionate care
• Identify small but meaningful changes services can make to improve recovery outcomes

Mary Bower

Mary is a Northern Irish lived experience advocate and founder of EmpowerED Lotus, a heart-led service supporting services, individuals, and families affected by eating disorders. With 19 years of lived experience, including a decade in and out of hospitals, she uses her journey — from surviving to thriving — to offer hope, insight, and compassionate support. Mary now shares her story in units, works alongside health professionals, and helps shape better care through storytelling, education, and trauma-informed understanding. Her mission is simple: to ensure no one feels alone in their struggle, and to be the voice she once needed.

How to Support Gender‑Diverse Clients with Body Image Challenges in ED Care - Lulu Tacconelli

The purpose of this workshop is to expand awareness of the impact of gender identity on body image and eating disorder outcomes, and how these outcomes arise. Lulu will begin by outlining gender identity as a socially-derived construct, distinguishing between “gender” and “sex.” They will then highlight how theoretical models of body image, such as the tripartite influence model, explain the role of social factors in shaping both body image and vulnerability to eating disorders. Drawing on their Master’s thesis, Lulu will share findings on how the transgender experience of discrimination contributes to less favourable body image and eating disorder outcomes, using the minority stress and resilience model as a basis. The session will also consider how intersections of marginalised identities produce unique patterns — for example, differences seen in the experiences of black women compared with women of other races.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Understand how gender identity shapes body image and eating disorder experiences
• Explore theoretical models linking social factors, body image, and eating disorders
• Reflect on the unique experiences of transgender and other marginalised groups

Lulu Tacconelli

Lulu is a graduate of the University of Lincoln whose lived experience as a transgender person inspired their research into gender and body image. Their Master’s thesis examined how transgender and gender-diverse people’s experiences of discrimination feed into less favourable body image outcomes, using the minority stress and resilience model as a framework. In October 2025, Lulu began a PhD focused on evaluating and applying an intervention to incite culture change in schools regarding body respect.

Understanding ED‑Linked Suicidality: What Services Need to Know - Dr Una Foye

People with eating disorders are at significantly increased risk of suicide, yet little research has explored why this risk is so heightened. This study brings together the voices of people with lived experience of eating disorders (n=30) and clinicians working across diverse services (n=19) to explore the factors that drive, and protect against, suicidality in this population.

Using qualitative interviews and reflective thematic analysis, Una and her team identified the complex interplay of risk and protective factors, as well as the moments when individuals are most vulnerable. In this session, Una will present key themes and findings, showing how they shed new light on why people with eating disorders experience such high rates of suicidality. She will also reflect on how these insights can inform theory, practice, and the way treatment addresses suicide risk throughout the recovery journey.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Understand the heightened risk of suicidality in people with eating disorders
• Explore key risk and protective factors identified by those with lived experience and clinicians
• Consider how research findings can shape treatment, care, and theoretical models of suicidality

Dr Una Foye

Una is a mental health researcher at King’s College London with a special interest in eating disorders. Her work focuses on using lived experience voices to deepen our understanding of eating disorders and to shape better treatment and care. Una also has particular interest and expertise doing research on inpatient mental health wards, with focus on safety, patient experience, and reducing restrictive practice.

Creating Connection Through Conversation: How Podcasts Support ED Recovery - Hannah Hickinbotham

Podcasting can be a powerful tool for sharing lived experience and creating change. In this talk, Hannah will share what inspired her to start Full of Beans, and what she’s learned from hosting over 250 episodes. She will reflect on the emotional side of storytelling, how podcasting connects those accessing support, those providing it, and those researching change, and how it has shaped both her own recovery and the wider conversation on eating disorders. Attendees will leave with insight into how lived experience, when shared authentically, can drive compassion, connection, and systemic impact.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Explore how podcasting can share lived experience and reduce stigma
• Understand the impact of storytelling on recovery and advocacy
• Reflect on how podcasts can connect lived experience, professionals, and research

Hannah Hickinbotham

Hannah is the founder of Full of Beans, an eating disorder awareness podcast dedicated to reducing stigma and amplifying lived experience. She speaks with individuals across the spectrum of lived experience, clinicians, and researchers, creating a space where people can access information, feel validated, and connect through shared stories. Hannah has lived experience of atypical anorexia and body dysmorphia, and found her path to recovery after finally receiving an ADHD diagnosis 14 years later. Passionate about broadening the conversation beyond stereotypes, Hannah uses podcasting as a platform to inspire hope, challenge stigma, and build genuine connection.

How to Confidently Involve Families in ED Treatment (Without Breaking Trust) - Deirdre Reddan & Zuzanna Gajowiec, Supported Families

Families can often be a hidden superpower in eating disorder recovery. Yet professionals may feel reluctant or lack confidence in involving them, citing concerns around confidentiality, conflict, or boundaries. Drawing on their combined lived and clinical expertise, Deirdre and Zuzanna will share insights from their work with families and professionals on how to build collaboration rather than exclusion. The workshop will explore the unique role families can play — including parents of adults — and offer practical guidance to help professionals engage families confidently, ethically, and effectively. Attendees will leave with a renewed perspective on how families can be part of the solution, not the problem.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Explore common barriers and concerns around involving families in ED recovery
• Understand the unique contributions families can make, including with adults
• Gain practical strategies to engage families with confidence and compassion

Deirdre Reddan

Deirdre is a former banker and mum who supported her daughter through eating disorder recovery. This life-changing experience inspired her to retrain as a coach and eating disorder expert by experience.

Zuzanna Gajowiec

Zuzanna is a Clinical Psychologist, Family Therapist, and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist with over 12 years’ experience in the field. She is Chair of the Ireland chapter of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals.

Together, they have spent the past four years working with families and professionals, challenging assumptions and creating collaborative, recovery-focused approaches.

Eating Disorders in the Black Community: Barriers and Better Support - Kaysha Thomas MSc, MBANT

Eating disorders in the Black community remain under-recognised, under-researched, and often misunderstood. Despite harmful stereotypes suggesting otherwise, Black people experience the full spectrum of eating disorders — yet many go unseen and unsupported. In this workshop, Kaysha will explore the cultural significance of food in Black households, the role of stigma in preventing people seeking help, and the ways Black people “show up” in therapeutic spaces. She will also examine weight bias, the limitations of BMI, and how assumptions about Black bodies delay diagnosis and care. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the barriers Black people face in eating disorder recovery, alongside practical steps for creating safer, more culturally-responsive support.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Understand cultural, systemic, and clinical barriers facing Black people in ED recovery
• Explore how stereotypes and bias delay diagnosis and treatment
• Identify practical ways to create safer and more culturally-responsive support

Kaysha Thomas MSc, MBANT

Kaysha Thomas is a Registered Nutritional Therapist, trauma-informed Pilates teacher, and Black women’s mental health advocate with a Master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Nutrition. Since 2017, she has supported individuals on their eating disorder recovery journeys through a compassionate, embodied, and anti-oppressive lens. Blending nutritional therapy with the principles of nervous system regulation and embodied movement, Kaysha helps people reconnect with their bodies and reclaim their relationship with food, exercise, and self-worth—beyond diet culture and appearance-based ideals. Known for her balanced and compassionate approach, she creates person-centred spaces where recovery feels possible, grounded, and empowering.

Beyond the Medical Model: Navigating ED Work in Counselling - Jen Davies-Owen

Counsellors and psychotherapists can play a powerful role in supporting eating disorder recovery, but the work brings unique challenges. This workshop will explore the dilemmas practitioners face in navigating between counselling theory and medical model approaches, managing risk within their competence, and building supportive communities of practice across disciplines. Through discussion and reflection, Jen will open space to consider how we can strengthen therapeutic confidence and competence in working ethically with eating distress, and how this can contribute to improving the quality of care clients receive.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Explore ethical and professional dilemmas in working with eating disorders and eating distress
• Reflect on how counsellors can navigate between counselling and medical model approaches
• Consider ways to build confidence, competence, and community in therapeutic practice

Jen Davies-Owen

Jen is a therapist, coach, and academic working in private practice, passionate about supporting individuals experiencing food, eating, and weight-related distress. Her approach is collaborative and pluralistic, grounded in the belief that effective support is best tailored to each individual. Jen is committed to body size diversity, addressing weight stigma, and adapting practice to meet the needs of neurodivergent clients. She is also a Senior Lecturer in counselling and psychotherapy, training future therapists to develop as practitioners and researchers. Outside of work, she enjoys rock climbing, horse riding, and life on her smallholding.

Eating Disorder Between Us: Love, Intimacy and Survival - Charlotte Jefferson COSRT, MBACP

Eating disorders don’t just affect the person experiencing them – they ripple through relationships, reshaping communication and straining intimacy and trust. Partners can feel trapped between the roles of carer and lover, while their own emotional needs go unseen. Meanwhile, the person with ED may struggle with shame and isolation, making communication feel impossible.

In this workshop, Charlotte will explore how eating disorders impact couples and close relationships, and what can help. Themes will include the challenges of supporting a partner through recovery, balancing caring and relational roles, and recognising the emotional toll on both sides. This session will also consider how therapists and supporters can help couples build resilience, communication, and connection in the shadow of an eating disorder.

Drawing on relational therapy approaches, attachment theory, and systemic perspectives, we’ll look at:

• The hidden toll eating disorders take on relationships
• Balancing support with maintaining partnership and intimacy
• The emotional wellbeing of partners themselves
• Practical strategies for couples to maintain connection and resilience

Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the couple dynamic in the context of EDs, and with tools to help clients and their partners hold on, together.

Charlotte Jefferson COSRT, MBACP

Charlotte (COSRT, MBACP) is a relationship therapist with a Master’s in Contemporary Relationship Therapy and the founder of CRJ Therapy. She works with couples, individuals, families, and young people (11+), bringing a warm, down-to-earth style that keeps therapy real and relatable. Passionate about strengthening communication, connection, and emotional wellbeing, Charlotte has a particular interest in the overlooked intersection between eating disorders and relationships. She is dedicated to amplifying this conversation, equipping both clients and clinicians with the tools to navigate love, trust, and resilience when EDs are part of the story.

Holding Recovery: Navigating Personal Experience in Eating Disorder Work - Holly Marsh

This session explores the intersection between lived experience and professional identity in the eating disorder field. Holly shares her story through the intensity, complexity, and quiet aftermath of anorexia, and how that journey shapes her work as a counsellor.

She speaks honestly about the apprehension she felt stepping into this role: “Was my history a liability? Or was it the very thing that made me exactly the right person to do this work?” Inspired by Carolyn Costin and Kel, Holly grappled with whether it was appropriate, even ethical, to support others through something she had struggled with so profoundly.

Holly reflects on how her own history now feels more like a compass than baggage—yet quiet questions about legitimacy, readiness, and responsibility still remain. A core theme will be the weight bias embedded in many treatment models. In her own recovery, treatment intensity often correlated with BMI, reinforcing the eating disorder’s voice: “See? You’re not sick enough. You’re too fat.” That message, so familiar and so harmful, deepened her shame and doubt.

As a practitioner, Holly now works differently—moving away from weight-based criteria and focusing on the person, not their symptoms. She will share what she wishes loved ones and treatment providers had known when she was unwell, and how she is bringing that understanding into her practice today.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Explore the opportunities and challenges of integrating lived experience into professional ED work
• Reflect on the impact of weight bias in treatment and recovery
• Consider approaches that centre the person, not just the eating disorder

Holly Marsh

Holly is a person-centred counsellor working in private practice with a focus on eating disorders, shaped by both professional training and eight years of lived experience with anorexia. She completed her master’s in counselling in 2022 and has had two babies since, so is still fairly new to practice. Holly is giving this talk while navigating the early stages of her professional journey—learning how to hold space for others while carrying her own lived experience with care, curiosity, and a strong commitment to challenging weight bias in treatment.

Rethinking Compliance: ND‑Informed, Autonomy‑Centred Anorexia Care - Becky Grace Irwing

Drawing on over 15 years of clinical practice and 30 years of lived experience with binge eating, bulimia, and anorexia, this workshop offers an honest, deeply personal exploration of working with anorexia. Becky will reflect on the difficult realities of eating disorder services, including the moral injury caused by systems prioritising compliance over compassion. She will share her journey of moving toward harm reduction, neurodiversity-informed care, and autonomy-centred therapeutic relationships, while owning past mistakes and highlighting practical strategies for private practice professionals who often lack tailored guidance. Attendees will be invited to reflect on their own practice and explore how empathy, resilience, and relational approaches can create safer, more effective therapeutic work with anorexia.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Explore the tensions between compliance-based care and compassion-based practice
• Understand harm reduction and autonomy-centred approaches in anorexia treatment
• Reflect on challenges and moral injury within current service systems
• Gain practical strategies for supporting clients with greater empathy and resilience

Becky Grace Irwing

Becky is a BABCP-accredited CBT and EMDR therapist with over 15 years of experience in eating disorders, neurodiversity, and complex trauma. With a background as a mental health nurse, yoga teacher, and personal trainer, she blends somatic and evidence-based approaches. Becky’s clinical journey — and her own 30 years of lived experience with eating disorders — has shaped her shift from compliance and symptom control toward harm reduction, autonomy, and relational healing.

Addressing Anti-fat Bias in Eating Disorder Practice - Mel Ciavucco

Anti-fat bias is deeply ingrained in society — and in the very systems designed to support people with eating disorders. This session explores the harm caused by weight stigma and professional bias, from the thin ideal and anti-“obesity” strategies, to barriers that keep people in larger bodies from accessing care. Mel will highlight both the physical and psychological impacts of these biases, and how they undermine recovery for those trying to heal in a world that continues to promote thinness. The session will also offer practical suggestions for professionals to recognise and challenge their own biases, and to adopt size-inclusive, compassionate practices.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Understand how anti-fat bias shapes treatment, recovery, and access to services
• Explore the harm caused by weight stigma at individual, professional, and systemic levels
• Learn practical ways to challenge bias and create size-inclusive support

Mel Ciavucco

Mel is an integrative counsellor, writer and trainer, specialising in eating disorders and body image, as well as domestic abuse and sexual violence. She has worked in mental health for over a decade, including domestic abuse services and eating disorder charities. Mel writes informative content on her blog about disordered eating, domestic abuse and more:

Website | www.melciavucco.com

How to Translate “EDSpeak”: A Communication Framework for Families and Clinicians - Mia Thompson

Eating disorders often come with a constant inner dialogue that twists even the simplest comments. For example, “You’re looking so much better” might be heard instead as “You’re way bigger than you should be, and you need to lose weight.” In this presentation-workshop, Mia draws on her lived experience to explain how this dialogue works, why it can make communication so difficult, and how parents, supporters, and professionals can respond in ways that are helpful rather than triggering. The session will offer honest insight and practical ideas for communicating with compassion and care.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Understand how the “ED voice” distorts everyday conversations
• Recognise the impact of common phrases on people experiencing eating disorders
• Explore practical ways supporters can communicate more safely and effectively

Mia Thompson

Mia is an expert by experience, content creator, educator, and trainee counsellor. With lived experience of an eating disorder, she is passionate about turning personal insight into meaningful support. Her work aims to break stigma, foster authentic conversations, and create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and supported.

Counselling for Eating Distress: When and How It Helps - Rachel Cowey

Current NICE guidelines do not recommend counselling for eating disorders, yet feedback from clients and practitioners tells a very different story. In this workshop, Rachel will explore how counselling can be an effective part of eating disorder support, both alongside and beyond other therapeutic interventions such as EMDR. Drawing on case studies and over six years of frontline practice, she will highlight how counselling can help clients make sense of their experiences, address underlying issues, and build sustainable recovery.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Recognise the role counselling can play in supporting recovery from eating distress
• Explore ways counselling can sit alongside other approaches, including EMDR
• Gain practical insights from case examples on how counselling addresses the roots of eating disorders

Rachel Cowey

Rachel is a psychotherapeutic counsellor, EMDR therapist and supervisor working in private practice with a specialist interest in eating distress and eating disorders. She also works part-time as a counsellor at Rape Crisis.

With over six years’ experience working in the field of eating disorders as a counsellor and the therapeutic service manager Rachel brings a practitioner perspective that challenges the limitations of current NICE guidance. Drawing on both client feedback and her own therapeutic experience, Rachel is committed to showing how counselling can play a vital role in recovery, supporting individuals to move forward and address the underlying factors that contribute to eating distress. 

Emotion Regulation and Eating Disorders: Evidence and Application - Maria Paula Cordovez MSc, BS

Emotion regulation difficulties are closely linked with the development and maintenance of eating disorders, yet these skills are not always prioritised in treatment. In this session, Maria will present findings from her systematic review and meta-analysis on emotion regulation skills in eating disorders, highlighting what the evidence tells us about their role in treatment outcomes. She will also invite participants to reflect on adaptive and maladaptive regulation strategies, creating space for questions, personal experiences, and shared conversation. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how emotion regulation impacts eating disorder recovery, and why these skills are vital for effective support.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Understand the link between emotion regulation and eating disorders
• Explore how regulation skills affect treatment outcomes and recovery
• Reflect on adaptive and maladaptive strategies through discussion and examples

Maria Paula Cordovez MSc, BS

Maria is a medical doctor and eating disorders nutritionist based in the UK, committed to transforming lives through medical and nutritional care. She has an MSc in Clinical Nutrition and Eating Disorder and a background in health prevention, metabolism, and life habits. Passionate about improving treatment and outcomes for those affected by eating disorders, Maria combines clinical expertise with research. She has conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on emotion regulation skills and eating disorders, and is dedicated to translating evidence into meaningful, practical impact.

How to Recognise and Support ED Presentations in the Perinatal Period - Zoe Burnett

The journey to parenthood can be uniquely challenging for those with a history of eating disorders. In this talk, Zoe shares her lived experience of infertility, pregnancy, and the postnatal period - from navigating triggers like morning sickness and heartburn to resisting the relentless “get your body back” messaging after birth. She will also reflect on her recent experiences of miscarriage, and how offers of weight-loss injections and bariatric surgery came despite it being eating disorder behaviours and weight loss that contributed to her infertility in the first place. With honesty and insight, Zoe will explore the emotions tied to each stage of the perinatal journey, and how hope, resilience, and professional understanding can better support those facing similar challenges.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Explore the unique challenges of infertility, pregnancy, and postpartum in the context of eating disorders
• Understand how weight stigma and medical interventions can create risks for relapse
• Reflect on how lived experience can inform more compassionate perinatal care

Zoe Burnett

Zoe is an international multi-award-winning and TEDx speaker, bestselling author, visiting lecturer, and counsellor specialising in eating difficulties. With both clinical expertise and her own lived experience, she brings passion, honesty, and energy to her work. Zoe’s mission is to challenge stigma, spark change, and inspire hope — fuelled by tea, hair dye, and plenty of ADHD energy.

Art Therapy to Support Identity and Embodiment in ED Care - Jessica Mackney BAAT, HCPC

This interactive session combines an introductory presentation with an experiential, art therapy-informed workshop. Jessica will introduce art therapy and its role in supporting identity formation, body reconnection, and emotional expression for those with eating disorders, particularly children and adolescents. Drawing on lived and professional experience across inpatient and community settings, she will explore how creative processes can complement other treatments, offering young people tools to navigate ambivalence or disconnection from their bodies.

Participants will then be invited into a gentle, experiential creative process using accessible materials and reflective prompts. The focus will be on exploration and meaning-making rather than artistic outcome, with space for optional sharing and group dialogue. The session is open to practitioners and those with lived experience, encouraging reflection, insight, and connection across disciplines.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Introduce art therapy as an approach in eating disorder support, with a focus on identity and embodiment
• Experience creativity as a reflective tool for both clinicians and those with lived experience
• Explore how art-making fosters dialogue and connection across disciplines

Jessica Mackney BAAT, HCPC

Jessica is a qualified Art Psychotherapist with a specialist interest in supporting children and young people with eating disorders in both community and inpatient settings. With BA and MA degrees in Theology and Art History, she began her career in museums and galleries before moving into mental health. Since qualifying, she has worked in education settings, community CAMHS, and specialist inpatient services, and most recently taught as a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire on eating disorders in adolescents. Jessica is passionate about the role of art in empowering mental health and wellbeing, grounding her practice in trauma-informed, biopsychosocial, and strengths-based approaches.

Early ED Intervention in Schools: Education, Relationships, Action - Gemma Fieldsend and Jessica Parker

Eating disorders often go unnoticed in their early stages, yet schools are uniquely placed to support prevention and early intervention. This session highlights the vital role of school communities, focusing on a three-pronged approach that recognises the contributions of staff, parents and carers, and young people themselves.

Through education, open dialogue, and the strength of relationships, Gemma and Jessica will explore how school communities can be equipped with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to respond effectively. The workshop will provide practical strategies to help foster a culture of early intervention, primary prevention, and compassionate care.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Understand the role schools play in early identification and prevention of eating disorders
• Explore how staff, families, and young people can work together to support early intervention
• Take away practical strategies to foster a culture of awareness and action in schools

Gemma Fieldsend

Gemma brings over 25 years’ experience in mental health, Gemma is a respected trainer and consultant specialising in workplace wellbeing, mental health education, and eating disorders. She spent 20 years working in NHS eating disorder services.

Jessica Parker

Jessica is a seasoned professional with a robust background in psychology and education. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Psychological Medicine at King's College London. In her previous role as Education Director at Creative Education, she led projects, developed training programs, and managed teams for initiatives under the Department of Health and the Department for Education.

Gemma and Jessica both collaborate with a number of national organisations. In 2024, they founded Cog-Spark Ltd to support and empower organisations across education, social care, and other sectors to cultivate environments where mental health and wellbeing can thrive.

From Story to Impact: Practical Activism for ED Change‑Makers - Rachel Egan, Hope Virgo, Jodie Goodacre & Debbie Taylor (Dump the Scales Team)

This workshop will explore how to turn passion into impact through effective eating disorder activism. Drawing on their collective experience leading national campaigns, the team behind Dump the Scales will share practical strategies for creating meaningful change — from local action to national advocacy.

Participants will learn how to campaign confidently for better services, dismantle stereotypes, and get decision-makers to listen. The session will provide accessible, real-world actions people can take — from social media advocacy to contacting MPs — and will include ready-to-use templates and campaign examples. The team will also share lessons learned from years of activism: what works, what doesn’t, and how to sustain motivation while protecting wellbeing.

Whether you’re a professional, person with lived experience, or supporter wanting to make a difference, this workshop will leave you inspired, equipped, and ready to act.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Understand how to campaign effectively for improved eating disorder support and services
• Learn accessible advocacy actions at low, medium, and high involvement levels
• Reflect on the importance of self-care and sustainability in activism
• Explore ways to get involved with Dump the Scales and the APPG on Eating Disorders

Dump the Scales Team

We're the team behind the #DumpTheScales campaign.

We campaign in Parliament for meaningful reforms to eating disorders services and are the Public Involvement Leads for the APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group) on Eating Disorders.

We work with the media to raise awareness of eating disorders, and the difficulties people face in getting support and treatment.

We run the annual Dump the Scales March to bring together supporters from across the UK to demand better services and put an end to the neglect faced by people struggling with eating disorders.

We run a network of people with lived experience, clinicians, researchers, parents and carers all united by a burning desire to create a more compassionate world for people with eating disorders.

We believe everyone deserves access to high quality, compassionate eating disorder treatment, and we're here to fight for it.

Rachel Egan

Rachel Egan leads on Strategic Communications and Marketing for Dump the Scales, advising on branding, messaging, reputation, and digital strategy, informed by over 15 years’ experience in the charity sector. She is also an experienced speaker and trainer with lived experience of mental illness, including eating disorders. Rachel regularly delivers talks across corporate, public, and charity sectors and is often featured in the media discussing the impact of diet culture on mental health. She has appeared on Sky News and BBC News and writes a regular column for the Huffington Post.

Hope Virgo

Hope Virgo is an author and multi-award-winning advocate for people with eating disorders. Through sharing her harrowing but inspiring story, she helps young people, employers, and organisations—including schools, hospitals, businesses, and government—to address the growing challenges of mental health. Described by broadcaster Jeff Stelling as “the indefatigable Hope Virgo,” she leads the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eating Disorders and works with government to ensure evidence-based services for all. Hope is also a recognised media spokesperson, appearing on BBC Newsnight, Good Morning Britain, Sky News, and more. She is the founder of the #DumpTheScales campaign.

Jodie Goodacre

Jodie Goodacre is an experienced campaigner, advocate, and speaker with a deep commitment to amplifying lived experience within mental health reform. As part of the Dump the Scales team, Jodie plays a key role in outreach, awareness, and campaign development. Drawing on both personal and professional insights, she works to bridge the gap between policy, practice, and the real-world experiences of those affected by eating disorders. Jodie is passionate about community building, youth engagement, and ensuring that the voices of those with lived experience remain at the centre of lasting change.

Debbie Taylor

Debbie Taylor is the Operations and Project Manager at Dump the Scales CIC, bringing together lived experience, organisational expertise, and campaign passion. As a parent and carer who has supported her daughter through an eating disorder for over a decade, Debbie is a dedicated advocate for better awareness, support, and systemic reform. She also serves on the UK FEAST Executive team and represents FEAST within the Wales Eating Disorders Clinical Implementation Network. At Dump the Scales, she oversees event coordination, project delivery, and operational compliance, ensuring campaigns are run with care, precision, and impact.

_______________________________________________

Beyond Awareness: Inclusive, Safer Ways to Talk About EDs - Phoebe Webb

Public discussion and awareness campaigns around eating disorders has never been higher — but how much progress is being made? This session explores the limitations and unintended harms of current awareness and advocacy approaches, from before-and-after photos and narrow stereotypes to the overuse of “palatable” recovery stories. Phoebe will examine how well-intentioned campaigns can unintentionally reinforce stigma, exclude diverse experiences, and oversimplify recovery. Attendees will be invited to reflect on their own practice and advocacy, and to explore ways of promoting understanding that is both inclusive and impactful.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Identify common pitfalls and unintended harms in ED awareness and advocacy

• Recognise how stereotypes and limited narratives affect public understanding and support

• Explore alternative, more inclusive approaches to awareness and storytelling

Phoebe Webb

Phoebe is an eating disorder clinician, educator, researcher, and integrative psychological therapist. They bring a blend of professional expertise and lived experience to their work, combining clinical insight with a commitment to challenging stigma and improving care. Alongside therapeutic practice, Phoebe delivers training, speaks at events, and contributes to campaigns that promote more nuanced and inclusive understandings of eating disorders. They are passionate about creating change that goes beyond surface-level awareness to drive meaningful, systemic impact.

_______________________________________________

Lived Experience at the Heart of Eating Disorders Research: Insights from EDCRN & EDGI UK - Anna Carnegie Research Associate EDCRN Study Coordinator

In this presentation, Anna will share the different ways EDCRN and EDGI UK are working alongside people with lived and living experience of eating disorders to deliver groundbreaking initiatives that aim to improve treatment and outcomes. She will highlight the codesign efforts that have helped shape the work, her experience of promoting peer research, and the unique perspective of those who occupy dual experience positions. This will not be a “perfect picture” but an honest reflection on the challenges encountered, how they have been addressed, and the areas where further progress is needed.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Learn how lived experience is embedded in large-scale ED research

• Understand the value and challenges of codesign in research

• Gain insights into dual experience roles and peer research practice

Anna Carnegie Research Associate EDCRN Study Coordinator

Anna is a researcher and project manager with lived experience of anorexia nervosa and OCD. After benefiting from high-quality, compassionate treatment, she is now in stable recovery and passionate about ensuring others have access to the care they need. Anna is the Study Coordinator for the Eating Disorders Clinical Research Network (EDCRN) at King’s College London, which works with services across the UK to collect standardised data on presentations, treatments, and outcomes, with the aim of improving trajectories for all those affected by eating disorders.

_______________________________________________

Words for What’s Hard to Say: Creative Tools for Body Image Work - Matilda (Tilly) Wiggins

This workshop investigates how creative writing can be used to help process and discover emotions surrounding body image and disordered eating behaviours. Bringing the complexity of verse into a safe and simple space, Tilly invites participants to explore how words can be used to better understand themselves. As an autistic person, they have always found it hard to express emotions — creativity saved their life, and in this session they will share how it became a vital way to navigate identity, mental health, and recovery.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Experience how creative writing can be used to process emotions around body image and eating distress

• Explore the role of creativity in supporting recovery, identity, and self-understanding

• Reflect on how words can offer new ways of making sense of lived experience

Matilda (Tilly) Wiggins

From being a youth headline for Verve Poetry Festival to the Young Producer for Derby Poetry Festival, Tilly is a young poet with a very busy schedule. They bring the reality of growing up undiagnosed autistic to the stage, narrating their experiences of queer identity and mental health difficulties through, often rambling, verse. Diagnosed with anorexia nervosa in 2022 and now in recovery, Tilly has dedicated a lot of their time to educating the public, supporting young people who are struggling, and raising awareness around mental health conditions.

_______________________________________________

Compassion‑Led Ways to Support ED Recovery - Sarah Parker

When working with eating disorders, it is easy for the focus to gravitate towards symptoms and risks. While necessary, this can unintentionally nourish the illness more than the person. In this workshop, Sarah invites participants to shift the lens towards health, hope, and humanity. Through the lens of compassion and ACT, she will explore how to notice and nurture the flickers of life that exist beyond the disorder. Drawing on her clinical work and her own recovery journey, Sarah will reflect on the healing power of being truly seen and how therapists, clinicians, and carers can support the person, not just the diagnosis. This session will be experiential and reflective, combining personal story, clinical insight, and values-based exercises.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Understand the impact of focusing on health rather than solely on symptoms

• Learn ways to hold both risk and possibility in therapeutic conversations

• Gain insight into using compassion and values as tools for connection and growth

• Take away practical strategies for seeing and empowering the person beyond the eating disorder

Sarah Parker

Sarah is a psychotherapist based in West Yorkshire with a special interest in eating disorders, disordered eating, and neurodivergence. Her approach is shaped by training in relational counselling, EMDR, Compassion-Focused Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, as well as her own lived experience of an eating disorder. Sarah has worked across NHS mental health teams, a specialist eating disorder service, and the third sector, and is also an experienced trainer and educator. She is passionate about creating hopeful, compassionate, and collaborative spaces where clients can move toward meaningful change.

_______________________________________________

Removing the Mask: Neurodiversity, Anorexia & Hopeful Practice - Emily Nuttall

In this workshop, Emily shares her story of living with anorexia, neurodiversity, and mental health challenges, and how removing the “mask” of silence transformed her recovery journey. She will explore the links between autism, eating disorders, and co-occurring difficulties such as anxiety, self-harm, and trauma, highlighting how these experiences inform both recovery and professional practice. The session will offer practical examples and demonstrations on creating welcoming, supportive spaces for neurodivergent people with eating disorders. With honesty and hope, Emily will reflect on how her lived experience now shapes her work to empower others, inspire change, and equip professionals to work collaboratively.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Explore the intersections of neurodiversity, anorexia, and recovery

• Understand the role of masking and silence in eating disorders

• Learn practical ways to create supportive spaces for neurodivergent people with EDs

Emily Nuttall

Emily is a trainee counsellor, inspirational speaker, trainer, and project worker, with lived experience of anorexia, autism, and multiple mental health challenges. She has turned her journey of recovery into a commitment to empower others and improve professional practice. Emily is the Lived Experience Lead for King’s Transitions Eating Disorders Youth Intervention Project, serves on advisory boards, and collaborates with organisations including Beat, the NHS, and universities across the UK. She also delivers training independently through her initiative, Motivate the Mind. A published co-author and volunteer coach, Emily shares her story widely to create lasting change.

_______________________________________________

From Gaps to Collaboration: Practical Ways to Join Up ED Support - Jennifer Pitt

When someone is living with an eating disorder, the best outcomes often rely on different stakeholders working effectively together, but this doesn’t always happen. In some settings, individuals can find themselves unintentionally excluded from vital support. This interactive session will explore why these gaps occur, how they affect recovery, and what can be done to bridge them. Focusing on GP and medical settings, therapy, and family contexts, Jennifer will facilitate a meaningful discussion on what collaborative, joined-up care could look like in practice.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Recognise common barriers to effective collaboration between professionals, families, and clients

• Understand the impact of exclusion or miscommunication on those with eating disorders • Explore strategies for creating more joined-up, inclusive support systems

Jennifer Pitt

Jennifer is an accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist with over two decades’ experience, including managing a counselling team in educational settings until 2021. Her decision to undertake formal eating disorder training came after an excruciating therapy session with a student showing early signs of anorexia, who, following a clumsy intervention, completely disengaged and left the room, never to be seen again. Since gaining Eating Disorder Practitioner status in 2015, Jennifer has run a private practice working with young people and families affected by disordered eating. She also delivers training, writes for therapy-based publications, and campaigns to improve understanding and support for those affected by eating disorders.

_______________________________________________

PMDD & Disordered Eating: What People Need to Know - Relindis Nkeng & Julie Riddell

This session explores the often-overlooked connection between Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and disordered eating. PMDD is a severe hormone-based mood disorder that causes debilitating psychological symptoms in the latter half of the menstrual cycle, affecting around one in twenty women and people who menstruate and carrying a high risk of suicidality. Attendees will hear from two speakers whose work highlights PMDD’s strong links with disordered eating and the importance of considering the menstrual cycle in eating disorder support. Dr Relindis Nkeng will share insights from people living with PMDD and disordered eating, while Julie Riddell will present findings from recent research that deepen our understanding of these links and how they can inform improved clinical and therapeutic support.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Increase understanding of PMDD and its impact on mood, eating behaviours, and recovery.

• Recognise the importance of menstrual-cycle awareness in eating-disorder care.

• Explore current research and implications for clinical and therapeutic practice.

Relindis Nkeng

Dr Relindis Nkeng is a physician and public-health specialist dedicated to improving women’s healthcare. She draws on her background in clinical medicine, health policy, and research to translate evidence into practical, person-centred interventions. Committed to equity, her work focuses on community partnerships that strengthen health systems across diverse global settings. While studying at the University of Glasgow, Relindis interviewed 14 women with PMDD, revealing how distress and emotional dysregulation associated with the condition influence eating behaviours consistent with bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and, for some, anorexic traits.

Julie Riddell

Julie Riddell holds an MA (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Aberdeen and an MRes from the University of Strathclyde. She has worked in education research and at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit. In July 2025, she joined the University of St Andrews as a Research Fellow on a project supporting emotionally demanding research. Julie’s interests include translating research into policy and practice; she co-coordinates the Scottish Emotionally Demanding Research Network and co-authored the UK’s first PMDD Research Agenda. She will share findings from a recent systematic review identifying that people with PMDD are seven times more likely to have an eating disorder than those without—a finding with major implications for clinical practice and support provision.

_______________________________________________

How Childhood Weight Programmes Shape Later Disordered Eating - Dr Kamila Irvine

What happens when children are enrolled in weight management programmes? While these initiatives claim to promote health, their long-term psychological impact has been largely overlooked. Drawing on findings from a qualitative study with adults who attended such programmes in childhood, this session explores how these interventions shaped participants’ relationships with food, movement, and body image. Kamila will present the study’s key themes, reflect on the urgent need to re-evaluate such programmes, and open discussion on what safer, more compassionate approaches could look like for children and families.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Understand participants’ experiences of childhood weight management programmes

• Explore long-term impacts on body image, food, and movement

• Reflect on implications for policy, prevention, and support

Dr Kamila Irvine

Kamila is a Senior Lecturer and Research Psychologist at the University of Lincoln, specialising in body image and eating disorders. She teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate psychology programmes, including a specialist module on body image and eating disorders. Her research spans topics such as virtual reality interventions for body image, as well as school-based projects with The Body Happy Organisation.

_______________________________________________

Oral Signs of Eating Disorders: What Dentists & Therapists Should Know - Samanta Pereira de Souza Stebbings MSc.

Eating disorders can present with distinct oral signs that offer valuable insight into illness progression and overall health. Dentists play a vital role in recognising these signs early and contributing to effective treatment. This session will explore oral health indicators linked to eating disorders and the importance of including dental professionals in multidisciplinary ED care. Drawing on research and clinical expertise, Samanta will show how oral assessments can support diagnosis, monitor progression, contribute to treatment strategies, and become an important part of client care.

Aims / Outcomes:

• Recognise oral health indicators associated with different ED presentations

• Understand how oral assessments can inform diagnosis and monitor progression

• Identify ways to strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration in ED care

Samanta Pereira de Souza Stebbings MSc.

Samanta is a Brazilian-licensed dentist specialising in Hospital Dentistry, with extensive experience in public healthcare service management. She holds a Master’s degree in Eating Disorders and has been an active researcher in the field since 2010. Currently serving as Research Leader at NUPE – the Research and Teaching Center on Eating Disorders at AMBULIM, University of São Paulo – Samanta also collaborates with the Dentistry Team at the Institute of Psychiatry, Hospital das Clínicas. Now based in Scotland, she continues to champion the integration of dentistry into multidisciplinary eating disorder care.

_______________________________________________