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Fall 2025 Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice Workshops
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F25-902 The Intersection of Eating Disorders, Weight Stigma, Diet Culture and Bias

Total Credits: 3 Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practices CEs

Bundle(s):
Fall 2025 Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice Workshops
Categories:
200 Adults, Couples & Families |  700 Professional Growth & Development |  900 Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice |  DC Public Health Priorities
Instructors:
Carolyn Karoll, LCSW-C, CEDS-C |  Adina Silverman, MS, RD, LDN
Course Levels:
Intermediate
Duration:
3 Hours 15 Minutes
Target Audience:
Social Workers, LCPCs, and Psychologists
Dates
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Description

This workshop provides a comprehensive perspective on the complex interplay between eating disorders, weight stigma, and diet culture. Drawing from psychology, sociology, and nutrition, it explores the societal constructs that shape harmful narratives around body image and weight. Participants will have opportunities to reflect on their own weight biases and the influence of diet culture on their beliefs and professional practices. Practical strategies for addressing weight stigma and diet culture in professional settings will also be introduced, along with guidance on recognizing when to refer individuals to an eating disorder specialist. 

 

This workshop is in accordance with and compliance with the NASW Standards with a focus on service, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, competence, and social workers’ ethical responsibilities to clients, in practice settings, as professionals, to the social work profession, to the broader society. 

This workshop is in compliance with the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners’ COMAR 10.42.03.06.A(5) and with the District of Columbia Board of Social Work 17-70-7008.4.

Maryland: This workshop meets the license renewal requirement for Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice for Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners’ COMAR 10.42.06.03.A.(1)(d) with a focus on implicit bias.    

District of Columbia: This workshop meets the continuing education requirement for DC Public Health Priorities in the following topic: 10. Implicit bias, cultural competence and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in health and health care.   

Instructor

Carolyn Karoll, LCSW-C, CEDS-C Related Seminars and Products

Carolyn Karoll, LCSW-C, CEDS-C, is a highly regarded therapist specializing in eating disorder treatment. As a certified eating disorder specialist and approved consultant through the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP), she brings extensive expertise in individual, family, and group therapy. Carolyn holds a Master of Social Work from University of Maryland and is a member of the Academy for Eating Disorders. Co-author of Eating Disorder Group Therapy: A Collaborative Approach, she is deeply committed to addressing weight stigma, promoting body acceptance, and educating clients on societal influences that affect body image and self-worth. Carolyn also writes a blog for Psychology Today titled Eating Disorder Recovery: Understanding and Overcoming Eating Disorders, where she shares insights on recovery and challenges of diet culture.  

Adina Silverman, MS, RD, LDN Related Seminars and Products

Adina Silverman, MS, RD, LDN, is a registered dietitian specializing in the treatment of eating disorders and disordered eating. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s in nutrition and wellness from Benedictine University. Adina is the co-author of Eating Disorder Group Therapy: A Collaborative Approach, reflecting her commitment to promoting collaborative and effective treatments for eating disorders. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Academy for Eating Disorders. Adina empowers her clients to cultivate a relationship with food that feels authentic to them, while rejecting harmful diet culture narratives. Her compassionate, individualized approach has positively affected numerous individuals and families, establishing her as a leader in the field.   

Agenda & Learning Objectives

AGENDA:

12:50 – 1:00 Log on   

1:00 – 2:15 PM  
Welcome & Introduction  

  • Presenter introductions  

  • How we began collaborating on this topic  

  • Scope and disclaimer  

  • Emphasis on sensitivity, inclusion, and diversity  

Learning Objectives  

Section I: Understanding the Interplay (~40 mins)  

  • Overview of Eating Disorders (EDs)  

  • Definitions & Key Terms: Fatphobia, weight stigma, diet culture, BMI, thin ideal, "obesity"  

  • Theoretical Lenses & Historical Context  

  • Impact on Diagnosis and Treatment  

  • Intersectionality & Systems of Oppression  

Large Group Discussion & Reflection (~15 mins)  

  • Reflection prompts  

  • Optional sharing  

2:15 – 2:30 PM Break  

2:30 – 4:15 PM  

Section II: Identifying Personal & Professional Bias  

  • Guided reflection on personal weight biases  

  • Recognizing diet culture in professional roles  

  • Overview of Health at Every Size® (HAES)  

  • Inclusive care strategies and case examples  

Large Group Discussion & Reflection  

Section III: Strategies for Practice & Systems Change  

  • Practical strategies for everyday practice  

  • Challenging assumptions about weight and health  

  • Navigating difficult conversations  

  • When and how to refer  

Applied Discussion: Real-Life Examples  

  • Presenter case examples  

  • Participant questions or stories   

Wrap-Up & Integration  

  • Personal action planning  

  • Summary of key takeaways  

  • Resources for further learning  

Q&A   

4:15 PM Adjournment  

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Upon the completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Recognize how insights from psychology, sociology, and nutrition perpetuate harmful narratives and societal expectations related to body image and weight.   

  • Recognize personal weight biases and evaluate how diet culture has influenced personal beliefs and professional practices.   

  • Implement practical strategies for addressing weight stigma and diet culture in participants’ professional contexts, including when to refer individuals to specialized eating disorder services.   

Bibliography & References

BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCES

Alberga, A. S., et al. (2019). Weight stigma and health behaviors: Evidence from the Eating in America Study. Primary Health Care Research & Development, 20, 1499–1509. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-00814-5

AMA Journal of Ethics. (2023). The ethics of using body mass index in clinical settings. AMA Journal of Ethics, 25(7), E550-558. https://doi.org/10.1001/amajethics.2023.550

Arterburn, D. E., & Courcoulas, A. P. (2014). Bariatric surgery for obesity and metabolic conditions in adults. BMJ, 349, g3961. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g3961

Bacon, L. (2014). Health at every size: The surprising truth about your weight. BenBella Books.

Bacon, L., & Aphramor, L. (2011). Weight science: Evaluating the evidence for a paradigm shift. Nutrition Journal, 10(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-10-9

Balducci, S., Zanuso, S., Cardelli, P., et al. (2012). Changes in physical fitness predict improvements in modifiable cardiovascular risk factors independently of body weight loss in subjects with type 2 diabetes participating in the Italian Diabetes and Exercise Study (IDES). Diabetes Care, 35(6), 1347-1354. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc11-2427

Bordo, S. (1993). Unbearable weight: Feminism, Western culture, and the body. University of California Press.

Braveman, P., & Gottlieb, L. (2014). The social determinants of health: It’s time to consider the causes of the causes. Public Health Reports, 129(2), 19-31. https://doi.org/10.1177/00333549141291S206

Brumberg, J. J. (1997). Fasting girls: The history of anorexia nervosa. Vintage Books.

Carels, R. A., Burmeister, J., Oehlhof, M. W., Hinman, N., LeRoy, M., Bannon, E., Koball, A., & Ashrafloun, L. (2013). Internalized weight bias: Ratings of the self, normal weight, and obese individuals and psychological maladjustment. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 36(1), 86-94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-012-9402-8

Deloitte Access Economics. (2020). The social and economic cost of eating disorders in the United States of America: A report for the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders and the Academy for Eating Disorders.https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/ report-economic-costs-of-eating-disorders/

De Brun, A., McCarthy, M., McKenzie, K., & McGloin, A. (2013). “Fat is your fault”: Gatekeepers to health, attributions of responsibility, and the portrayal of gender in the Irish media representation of obesity. Appetite, 62, 17-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2012.11.005

Fildes, A., Charlton, J., Rudisill, C., Littlejohns, T. J., Prevost, A. T., & Gulliford, M. C. (2015). Probability of an obese person attaining normal body weight: Cohort study using electronic health records. American Journal of Public Health, 105(9), e54–e59. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302773

Flegal, K. M., Kit, B. K., Orpana, H., & Graubard, B. I. (2013). Association of all-cause mortality with overweight and obesity using standard body mass index categories: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA, 309(1), 71-82. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.113905

Gaudiani, J. L. (2021). Sick enough: A guide to the medical complications of eating disorders. Routledge.

Gremillion, H. (2003). Fat talk: What girls and their parents say about dieting. University of California Press.

Hebebrand, J., Albayrak, Ö., Adan, R., Antel, J., Dieguez, C., de Jong, J., Leng, G., Menzies, J., Mercer, J., Murphy, M., van der Plasse, G., & Dickson, S. (2014). “Eating addiction,” rather than “food addiction,” better captures addictive-like eating behavior. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 47, 295-306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.08.016

Heuer, C. A., McClure, K. J., & Puhl, R. M. (2011). Obesity stigma in online news: A visual content analysis. Journal of Health Communication, 16(9), 976-987. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2011.561915

Henderson, Z. B., Fox, J. R. E., Trayner, P., & Wittkowski, A. (2019). Emotional development in eating disorders: A qualitative metasynthesis. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 26(4), 440– 457. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2365

Lavie, C. J., De Schutter, A., & Milani, R. V. (2015). Healthy obese versus unhealthy lean: The obesity paradox. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 11(1), 55-62. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2014.165

Lavie, C. J., Laddu, D., Arena, R., Ortega, F. B., Alpert, M. A., & Kushner, R. F. (2018). “Healthy weight” and “obesity paradox” in cardiovascular diseases. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 61(2), 126-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2018.07.005

Lee, K. M., Hunger, J. M., & Tomiyama, A. J. (2021). Weight stigma and health behaviors: Evidence from the Eating in America Study. International Journal of Obesity, 45(7), 1499–1509. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-00814-5

McAuley, P. A., Blaha, M. J., Keteyian, S. J., et al. (2016). Fitness, fatness, and mortality: The FIT (Henry Ford Exercise Testing) project. American Journal of Medicine, 129(9), 960-965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2016.03.032

Montani, J. P., Schutz, Y., & Dulloo, A. G. (2015). Dieting and weight cycling as risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases: Who is really at risk? Obesity Reviews, 16(7), 7-18. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12251

Mortimer, R. (2019). Pride before a fall: Shame, diagnostic crossover, and eating disorders. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 16(3), 365–374. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11673-019-09923-3

Murschetz, P. C., & Fischer, M. (2021). The impact of media on body image and weight stigma. Media Psychology, 24(2), 217-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2019.1696517

Oliver, J. E. (2006). Fat politics: The real story behind America’s obesity epidemic. Oxford University Press.

Orbach, S. (2009). Fat is a feminist issue: A self-help guide for compulsive eaters. Penguin Books.

Puhl, R. M., & Heuer, C. A. (2010). Obesity stigma: Important considerations for public health. American Journal of Public Health, 100(6), 1019-1028. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2009.159491

Puhl, R. M., & Heuer, C. A. (2010). The stigma of obesity: A review and update. Obesity, 18(5), 899-915. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2009.231

Puhl, R. M., Lessard, L. M., Himmelstein, M. S., & Foster, G. D. (2021). The roles of experienced and internalized weight stigma in healthcare experiences: Perspectives of adults engaged in weight management across

Course Completion & CE Information

Category I Maryland BSWE Requirement

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners in Maryland to sponsor social work continuing education programs. This workshop qualifies for 3 Category I Continuing Education Units for anti-oppressive social work practices. The Office of Continuing Professional Education is also authorized by the Maryland Board of Psychologists and the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors to sponsor Category A continuing professional education. 

 

ASWB Information 

University of Maryland School of Social Work Office of Continuing Professional Education, #1611, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 2/11/2024-2/11/2027.  

To receive ACE credit, full attendance is required; no partial credits will be given for partial attendance. 

 

Certificate Access

To access the evaluation and certificate, click on the orange certificate button in your CPE account. Once you complete the evaluation, access to the certificate will be available.  

Live Interactive Webinars (Cat I) and Live Webinars (Cat II) - Allow up to 30 minutes post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

In Person Trainings - Please allow five (5) business days post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

 

Please refer to the tab "Live Interactive Webinar Policies & FAQs" for UMSSW Office of CPE policies regarding all live interactive webinar related matters. Contact our office at cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu for more information.  

Evaluation

Participants will have access to the evaluation after attendance has been verified. Evaluations will be available for one (1) week after the workshop has ended.  

After one (1) week, participants will no longer have access to the evaluation and will have to contact CPE about reactivation.

Target Audience

Social Workers, LCPCs, and Psychologists

We welcome anyone interested in the topic!

 

Live Interactive Webinar Platforms

LIVE INTERACTIVE WEBINAR PLATFORMS

The Office of Continuing Professional Education hosts Live Interactive Webinars through Zoom. This platform offers a high quality and user-friendly webinar platform for our registrants.

System Requirements:

  • Operating Systems: Windows XP or higher; MacOS 9 or higher; Android 4.0 or higher.
  • Internet Browser: Google Chrome; Firefox 10.0 or higher.

Our system is not compatible with the Safari web browser.

  • Broadband Internet Connection: Cable, High-speed DSL and any other medium that is internet accessible.

**Please have your device charging at all times to ensure that your device does not lose power during the webinar.

Course Interaction Requirements:

To participate in Live Interactive Webinars, you MUST have a device that allows you to view the presentation on screen and hear the instructor at all times. We do not allow participants to call-in from their phones or mobile devices and solely listen to the presentation. Participation in Live Interactive Webinars is mandatory.

Our webinar policies can be found on our website by clicking here.

Webinar Policies & FAQs

Click The Link to View The Webinar Policies & FAQs

https://umbsswcpe.ce21.com/Page/live-interactive-webinar-procedures-policies-4129

 

 

Code of Conduct

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work adheres to the NASW Code of Ethics. This policy is to ensure that the training environment for social work professionals remains respectful, productive, and conducive to learning. Disruptive behavior that interferes with the learning process, disrupts the training experience for others, or undermines the integrity of the program will not be tolerated.

 

Expectations for Participant Engagement:

In alignment with the NASW Code of Ethics and the University of Maryland Baltimore Code of Conduct, participants are expected to demonstrate professionalism, which includes respecting confidentiality, maintaining a collaborative and respectful tone, and contributing positively to the group dynamic. Disclosures made during the training (e.g., case studies or personal reflections) must be handled with care and in accordance with ethical and legal guidelines.

All participants in the training program are expected to:

  • Engage actively in the learning process and show respect for the opinions and contributions of others.
  • Demonstrate professionalism in both attitude and behavior, maintaining respect for instructors, peers, and the training environment.
  • Maintain open communication by expressing concerns or disagreements constructively and respectfully.
  • Follow the guidelines and expectations provided by instructors and facilitators.
  • Support a collaborative learning environment where all participants feel valued and safe to contribute.

 

Instructors and CPE staff reserve the right to dismiss participants who do not adhere to ethical/professional principles and standards. If removed, CEs will be adjusted to reflect the time attended, unless otherwise specified. 

ADA Accommodations

If you are requesting ADA accommodations, please contact our office via email at least two weeks prior to the workshop date. Requests after that date may not be fulfilled.  

Our email address is cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu.  

Late Fees and Refunds

The base price is $70, which includes CE credit.  

Late Fee: On 09/16/25, a non-refundable late fee of $20 is added to the base price. Late fees cannot be refunded or applied to account credit.  

Cancellations: **ALL cancellations will be subjected to a $35.00 administration fee.**  To be eligible for a refund or CPE account credit, cancellations must be made at least 24 hours before the workshop. 

For more information, please read the general policies on our website.  

 

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