ROCK ISLAND, IL–Amy’s Gift, a Quad Cities Eating Disorders Consortium, is excited to announce the Quad Cities Eating Disorders Conference on Oct. 8. This full-day conference offers in-person presentations aimed at promoting awareness, understanding, diagnosis, and treatment for eating disorders. Presentation offerings will be geared toward healthcare professionals, those experiencing eating disorders, their caregivers, and advocates.
“We cannot wait to connect and share these resources with the community in-person again,” says Stephanie Burrough, Community Relations Specialist, UnityPoint Health – Robert Young Center. “It is our ongoing mission to make these life changing resources available for all in order to improve the health and wellbeing of our community.”
This conference features keynote speaker Denise Hamburger, founder and director of BE REAL., a nonprofit that envisions a world where each and every student can grow up with a healthy relationship to food and their body. Research shows children who grow up body confident have better physical and mental health, perform better in and out of school, and are more likely to fulfill their unique potential. During her keynote, Hamburger will discuss the success she has experienced with her Body Confident Schools workshops, her new high school body image curriculum, BodyKind, and how we can all become advocates for body kindness in a world that is ready for the dialogue to change.
Additional sessions will feature 16 eating disorder specialists from around the country. The conference offers two tracks, one for providers and one for the public. The provider track will be offered for those requesting educational credits and includes topics around best practices in specialized treatment groups from assessment on through eating disorder recovery. Fee is $75. The public track will focus on topics such as community advocacy, starting a successful support group, and integrating one’s mental, emotional, and physical body for self-healing during recovery. The event is free to the public and freewill donations will be accepted.
Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be covered by conference sponsors for all attendees. Ticket proceeds will go towards future training opportunities and efforts to improve care for those with eating disorders in our region.
- What: Quad Cities Eating Disorders Conference
- When: Saturday, Oct. 8, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Where: Isle Hotel and Conference Center 1777 Isle Pkwy Bettendorf, IA 52722
- Cost: Registration is $75 for providers looking to receive credit. Free to the general public.
Register online at www.qcedconference.com or contact Stephanie Burrough at 563-742-2455 or email [email protected].
Event sponsors include: UnityPoint Health – Robert Young Center, UnityPoint Health – Trinity, Genesis Medical Centers, Eating Recovery Center, ED Care, Monte Nido & Affiliates, Rosewood Centers Eating Disorders, Eating Disorder Coalition of Iowa, McCallum Place Eating Disorder Centers, Laureate Eating Disorders Program, Reasons Eating Disorder Center, Rogers Behavioral Health, Food Freedom Nutrition Therapy, Alsana, the Renfrew Center, Health Hope Harmony Counseling Services, and Brandis McFarland Mental Health Counseling PLLC.
