Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Understanding Nutritional, Medical and Psychiatric Aspects of Treating Eating Disorders is Module Two of the 4-course Eating Disorder Training Certificate Program (EDTC). For more information on the EDTC and discounted enrollment in the full program, please visit this page.
Behind every eating disorder is a life at risk—not only from the disorder itself, but from fragmented care and missed warning signs. Clinicians are often the first—and sometimes only—line of defense, yet few are trained to recognize the medical red flags, challenge nutrition misinformation, or navigate the complexities of interdisciplinary treatment.
In this course, you’ll learn how to move beyond siloed treatment by stepping into your vital role within a coordinated, multidisciplinary team. This isn’t just about referrals—it’s about understanding the interconnected medical, nutritional, and psychiatric aspects of eating disorders so you can make informed decisions that protect and empower your clients.
Dr. Melanie Smith, PhD, LMHC, CEDS-C, is a seasoned clinician, consultant, and educator with deep expertise in eating disorder treatment and emotional disorders. She is a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist and Approved Consultant, and co-author of The Renfrew Unified Treatment Model for Eating Disorders and Comorbidity (Oxford University Press). Her clinical work and national training focus on integrative, evidence-based care and collaborative treatment planning.
With a practical, systems-based approach, Dr. Smith equips clinicians to become active participants in multidisciplinary teams. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of team roles, credentialing standards, and collaboration strategies—while exploring how to identify life-threatening complications, weigh competing clinical priorities, and advocate for your clients with clarity and confidence.
Topics include the qualifications and roles of dietitians and medical professionals, common and emergent medical complications, nutrition-focused physical exams, psychiatric co-morbidities, ethical concerns with undertrained providers, the risks of dietary restriction and refeeding syndrome, and how weight stigma can derail care. The course also examines traditional versus HAES-aligned nutritional models, and includes case examples of complex team coordination in high-acuity scenarios.
Key Takeaways:
Master interdisciplinary communication: Learn how to collaborate with dietitians, physicians, and psychiatric providers for integrated treatment planning.
Recognize medical red flags: Identify and monitor medical complications that may require urgent attention or specialist coordination.
Compare nutrition treatment models: Understand the pros and cons of different nutritional approaches and how to align them with clinical goals.
Why this course?
Real-world application: Led by a certified eating disorders specialist with extensive experience training multidisciplinary teams and treating complex cases.
Trusted education provider: Offered by Telehealth Certification Institute, a leader in behavioral health CE committed to clinical excellence and ethical practice.
Comprehensive insight: Covers the full scope of collaborative care—medical, nutritional, and psychiatric—so you can meet your ethical obligations and clinical potential.
Learning Objectives:
Implement strategies for collaborating with multidisciplinary professionals including nutrition, medical and psychiatric professionals.
List at least two medical complications that require ongoing monitoring in individuals with eating disorders.
Discuss two varied approaches to the nutritional treatment of eating disorders and be able to explain the benefits and challenges of each approach.
Eating disorder treatment can’t be done in isolation. This course offers the essential training to help you collaborate more effectively, advocate more powerfully, and contribute more meaningfully to recovery. Take the next step toward becoming a more informed, connected, and impactful clinician.
Add this course to your cart to begin learning instantly.
This is a non-interactive, self-study course that offers over 6 hours of recorded video instruction and a post-test.
Availability: From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.
Who Should Attend: This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.
Teaching Methods: This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.
How to Attend: Instructions for attending and completing a course can be found here.
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Melanie Smith, PhD, LMHC, CEDS-C
Melanie Smith, PhD, LMHC, CEDS-C (she/her) is a therapist in private practice at CBT of Central & South Florida (https://cbtcentralflorida.com) and a Consulting Clinical Training Specialist for the Renfrew Center. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Qualified Supervisor in the State of Florida. Additionally, she is a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist and Approved Consultant (CEDS-C) and is a Certified Therapist & Trainer of the Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP). Special treatment interests include Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction such as Rumination Syndrome, OCD, phobias including emetophobia, health-related anxiety, and coping with chronic pain & chronic illness.
Dr. Smith is passionate about the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based treatments, clinical supervision, and clinical training and has presented numerous lectures, workshops, and Keynote presentations at academic and professional conferences nationally and internationally. She has co-authored publications in peer-reviewed journals and is co-author of the peer-reviewed treatment manual and patient workbook, The Renfrew Unified Treatment Model for Eating Disorders and Comorbidity, published by Oxford University Press.
Disclosure Statement: The instructor for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.
Credit Hours: This course consists of 6 continuing education hours of credit.
Counselors:
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Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
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This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.
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Other Professionals: This course qualifies for 360 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.
This is a non-interactive, self-study course.
