Clinical Intervention Trainings (CIT)

Presented by:

Kamryn T. Eddy, Ph.D.,
Associate Chief, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, AMC Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Brigham
Co-Director, Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital
Cable-Rubenstein Professor of Psychology in the Field of Eating Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Jennifer J. Thomas, Ph.D.,
Co-Director, Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital
Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Participants earn 7 continuing education credits

Category: Symptoms / Disorders – Eating Disorder

Keywords: Symptoms / Disorders – Eating Disorders

Basic to moderate level of familiarity with the material.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is established as the first-line treatment for binge-spectrum eating disorders, but its application to restrictive eating disorders, including avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and anorexia nervosa (AN) is more novel. This training is designed to give clinicians who have familiarity with CBT an opportunity to bring existing competencies up-to-date through training in two new treatments for restrictive eating disorders, namely, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (CBT-AR) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (CBT-AN-20). Both CBT-AR and CBT-AN-20 emphasize early behavior change and strategic exposures.

In ARFID, where the core problem is food restriction due to sensory sensitivity, lack of interest in eating or food, and/or fear of aversive consequences, exposures are designed to offer new food-related learning opportunities to increase volume or variety. By contrast, in AN and atypical AN, where restriction is typically motivated by fear of weight gain, exposures are designed to challenge broken cognitions about eating and weight change. Participants can expect an in-depth primer on both interventions delivered in an evidence-based framework supported by new neurobiological findings. We will use a combination of didactic training, integration of case examples, and role play across the training day to enhance learning.

Outline:

1. Introduction to CBT for eating disorders and definition of the restrictive eating disorders

2. Neurobiology of restrictive eating disorders as a framework for novel CBT approaches

3. Meta-competencies needed in delivery of CBT for eating disorders

4. Deep dive into cognitive-behavioral therapy for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (CBT-AR)

5. Deep dive into cognitive-behavioral therapy for anorexia nervosa and atypical anorexia nervosa (CBT-AN-20)

6. Review of preliminary findings from our team’s recent randomized clinical trials for restrictive eating disorders

7. Case review and discussion

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

• Describe recent advances in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for restrictive eating disorders
• Identify how recent advances in the neurobiology of restrictive eating disorders set the stage for novel interventions
• Implement the stages of CBT for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (CBT-AR)
• Implement the phases of CBT-AN-20 for anorexia nervosa and atypical anorexia nervosa
• Compare and contrast techniques applied in CBT-AR and CBT-AN-20

Long-Term Goal:

Update CBT practice for restrictive eating disorders to incorporate early behavior change and exposure strategies

Recommended Readings:

Duggan HC, Hardy G, Waller G. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for outpatients with anorexia nervosa: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical effectiveness. Cogn Behav Ther. 2026;55(2):139-184. doi:10.1080/16506073.2025.2465745

Duggan HC, Rose C, Turner H, et al. How Do Outpatients Experience 20-Session Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (CBT-AN-20)? A Qualitative Exploration. Int J Eat Disord. 2025;58(11):2182-2193. doi:10.1002/eat.24528

Kambanis PE, Cai K, Thomas JJ, Eddy KT, Freestone D, Baker J, Menzel J, Boucher E. Effectiveness of Virtually Delivered Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. Int J Eat Disord. Published online April 8, 2026. doi:10.1002/eat.70098.

Thomas JJ, Becker, KR, Eddy KT. The Picky Eater’s Recovery Book: Overcoming Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press; 2021.

Thomas JJ, Eddy KT. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Children, Adolescents, and Adults. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press; 2019.

Thomas JJ, Holsen L, Van De Water AL, Becker KR, Breithaupt L, Burton-Murray H, Asanza E, Gydus J, Palmer LP, Stern CM, Freizinger M, Shrier LA, Bern EM, Deckersbach T, Misra M, Eddy KT, Micali N, Lawson EA. Neural response to food cues in avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. JAMA-Netw Open. 2025 Feb 3; 8(2): e2460101.

Waller G, Eddy KT, Rose CL, Thomas JJ, Turner HM, Wade TD. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa: A Clinician’s Guide to CBT-AN-20. Routledge Press: 2025.