CTEDS 2026 Biannual Conference
The Biannual Central Texas Eating Disorder Specialists (CTEDS) Conference was held this past Friday at UT Austin. CTEDS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making recovery possible through education, support, and assistance for the complex mental, emotional, and physical challenges associated with disordered eating.
To advance this mission, CTEDS provides multiple educational opportunities throughout the year, allowing professionals to stay informed on the latest research and best practices in eating disorder treatment from leading experts in the field. Our owner, Maggie Stenson, MCN, RD, LD, CEDS-C, serves on the CTEDS Board as the Education Chair. In this role, she oversees the planning and coordination of monthly educational meetings and special events.
This year’s event featured 4 informative presentations from 5 amazing speakers. We started out hearing from Liz Brown MS, RD, LD and Sara Laird Weber, LPC-S, CEDS-C. Liz is a registered dietitian and owner of LB Nutrition which provides virtual and in-person in Austin, TX. Sara is a therapist and owner of Discovery Counseling, a group practice in Austin, TX. Their presentation, “Billing without the Burnout: A Therapist & RD Guide to Insurance,” provided vital information about how to navigate the world of insurance as providers.
Next, we heard from Dr. Devon Price. Dr. Price is a social psychologist, author, and professor who serves as a clinical associate faculty member at Loyola University Chicago. It’s presentation, “Harm Reductionist & Choice-Affirming Approaches to Eating Disorders among Autistics,” Devon provided suggested practices for providers who are hoping to support Autistic clients with eating disorders, and outline how an Autistic person can honor their own body autonomy and whatever benefits they do gain from their ED behaviors while also reducing possible damage those behaviors may cause in their life.
After a networking lunch, we had the privilege of hearing from Dr. Sabrina Strings, an author and coach. She is the author of the award-winning book Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia and The End of Love: Racism, Sexism & the Death of Romance which was just released in paperback. Dr. Strings presentation, “Fatphobia as Misogynoir: The Road from Scientific Racism to Body Liberation,” educated attendees on the cultural history of fatphobia, helped them better understand how the medical field encourages fatphobia, and invited audience to embrace principles of body liberation.
We finished out the day hearing from Dr. Tyler Wooten, a child psychiatrist and medical director at Eating Recovery Center of Plano. Dr. Wootens presentation, “The Developing Mind of the Cis and Trans Male Eating Disorder,” reviewed eating disorders in cisgender and transgender males, emphasizing developmental, psychological, and sociocultural influences on body image and risk.
It was such a wonderful event full of learning, connection, and collaboration. We’re so thankful for everyone who came and for the work CTEDS does to support professionals and improve access to quality care for those affected by eating disorders. If you are interested in learning more about CTEDS, go to the link below!