Mindfulness Yoga Therapy Training in Eating Disorders Certificate Program

When I brought yoga to the eating disorders community in 2003, I was inspired to offer an adjunct to eating disorders treatment. By incorporating yoga therapy into the eating disorders treatment program, Inner Door Center® that I formerly owned and operated, it offered patients the opportunity to get out of their head, begin to feel their body and express their feelings, along with open their hearts and become more aware of the purpose that their eating disorder served. 

Yoga is a mindful practice that helps to create awareness. The first step to change is awareness. In the Reconnect with Food yoga therapy system that I created for the treatment of eating disorders at the Inner Door Center®, boasting wonderful testimonials we were able to generate outcome data that showed significant improvement in the EAT-26 pre and post treatment along with significant improvement in quality-of-life indicators.

Because so many eating disorders professionals around the country and internationally were intrigued by what we were doing, they too wanted to learn our method in incorporating yoga therapy in the treatment of eating disorders. I created the mindfulness yoga therapy training in eating disorders for professionals boasting many graduates of this program.

I sold the Inner Door Center® in 2016 and retained the rights to the Inner Door Center® mindfulness yoga therapy training program in eating disorders for professionals. After leaving the Inner Door Center® in 2016, I continued to offer the mindfulness yoga therapy training program in eating disorders for professionals. Since COVID, it has transformed into an online, self-directed and interactive program. 

Reconnect with Food® Yoga Therapy combines the healing modalities of breath, movement, yoga philosophy, dialogue, along with a sequenced flow and meditation intertwined with traditional psychotherapy intervention models. The focus is not exclusively on the yoga postures. The chakras, along with the eight limbs of yoga are intertwined as themes in the healing process. The body’s chakras parallel two chains of nerve bundles located on each side of the spinal cord. Yoga involves spinal movements that activate the body’s chakras and can easily release a person’s physical tension and pain, which then in turn can help release stored emotions. 

A variety of conventional methods have been used to treat eating disorders including:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is based on the idea that thoughts can cause feelings.  Pure CBT involves thought stoppage, reframing and extinction of thoughts. 
• Dialectic behavior therapy (DBT), which emphasizes techniques for emotion regulation, concepts of distress tolerance, acceptance and mindful awareness.
• Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) a combination of CBT therapy and meditative practices.
• Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) which uses an approach to embrace the moment fully so clients can gain the skills to re-contextualize and accept their emotions.

The Mindfulness Yoga Therapy Training Program in Eating Disorders weaves these traditional methods into our training methodology with an emphasis on mindfulness. Mindfulness yoga incorporates awareness of the body’s functions and feelings. Mindfulness helps individuals understand their own thought processes. Mindful awareness, along with mindful eating and nutrition principles are also incorporated in this training program. Mindful awareness is about being in tune with how one feels and having an awareness of what is going on inside one’s body. Through yoga, meditation and practice, individuals who struggle with eating disorders learn to trust and understand the messages given by their own body and begin to focus on inner qualities verses, personal appearance.

Studies have shown that mindful yoga and meditation can affect the cerebral cortex, improving focus and awareness. The cerebral cortex is the center of the brain that is responsible for impulses, irrational thoughts, and behaviors. Activating the cerebral cortex can diminish the impulsivity along with irrational thoughts and behaviors involved in eating disorders, substance abuse and related addictions. 

Yoga is an ancient practice that has been in existence for thousands of years. Many countries have taken this practice, of eastern origin, and have turned it into yoga classes that are popular in studios and gyms. Yoga therapy differs from a yoga studio and gym class. 

Yoga therapy is the application of teachings and practices in a therapeutic context in order to support a consistent yoga practice that will increase self-awareness and engage the client’s energy in the direction of desired goals, such as eliminating, reducing, or managing symptoms, improving function, preventing the occurrence or reoccurrence of the underlying causes of illness, improving health and wellbeing, and helping clients change their relationship to and identification with their condition.

Yoga therapists are now certified through a governing and accrediting body, the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), based on evidenced-based practice and peer reviewed literature.

Yoga is a body-centered therapy that can be interwoven with traditional therapies. Yoga therapy also involves intertwining the yoga philosophy that often mirrors traditional therapies. Yoga therapy involves an assessment and development a client-centered recovery plan based on the assessment, along with implementation and evaluation of the yoga therapy treatment plan and communication with the treatment team including physicians, psychotherapists, dietitians, yoga practitioners and other healthcare professionals.

This program is for serious eating disorders professionals who want to take their healing work to the next level. Because this program is run by certified and licensed healthcare professionals and substantiated with evidence-based content, it is accredited by a variety of professional organizations thus offering CEU for registered dietitians, mental health professionals, yoga practitioners and a variety of other healthcare professionals.

The Continuing Education section below details credit hours office to respective accrediting bodies and professional governing bodies.

In speaking with many eating disorders treatment professionals, they too feel that missing link in their work with their clients who struggle with eating disorders. Wouldn’t it be rewarding to feel fulfilled in your healing work? Through an online and self-paced environment, this is also a great avenue to earn continuing education units in your respective discipline that we can award to you through our co-sponsor, R Cassidy Seminars.

By completing the Mindfulness Yoga Therapy Training in Eating Disorders Certificate Program, you will learn how to:

• Integrate yoga into your existing eating disorders treatment work
• Develop tools to create new yoga-based eating disorder recovery program
• Incorporate evidence-based treatment techniques
• Gain insight to powerfully impact your clients’ recovery

In addition, this training offers personal development to strengthen your professional practice in eating disorders.

• 40 CEUs Introductory Training and 40 CEUs Advanced Training for registered dietitians and dietetic technicians, psychologists, psychoanalysts, social workers, counselors, marriage & family therapists, creative arts therapists, chemical dependency counselors (CAADC, CCAPP), dentists, nurses, educators: Co-sponsored by R. Cassidy Seminars. Check with your licensing board to obtain final ruling. (Note: CDR now offers CEU for RDs and DTRs through IPCE. This training meets these requirements through R. Cassidy Seminars)
•  6 clock hours in body image towards iaedp Eating Disorder Specialist
• 20 hours CEU toward iaedp Eating Disorders Specialist renewal requirement
• 40 CEUs Introductory Training and 40 CEUs Advanced Training by Yoga Alliance (YACEP) and International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) Approved Professional Development (APD) Course 
• Up to 20 CEUs Mentoring Program by Yoga Alliance (YACEP) and International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) Approved Professional Development (APD) Course
• Up to 100 hours towards the Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy (PRYT) IAYT accredited yoga therapy certification program along with a 300-hour bridge. 

Beverly Price, RD, MA, E-RYT 200, C-IAYT, CEDRD-S, Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian and Certified Yoga Therapist

Beverly S. Price, CEDRD-S, MA, E-200 RYT, C-IAYT is a certified eating disorders registered dietitian and iaedp supervisor, experienced registered yoga teacher and IAYT Certified Yoga therapist, known for her work with yoga and eating disorders and recognized for bringing mindfulness yoga to the eating disorders treatment community, along with yoga therapy training programs in eating disorders for professionals. more...

Sandee S. Nebel, MS, LMHC, CEDS-S, E-RYT 200, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist

Sandee is the owner of White Picket Fence Counseling Center in Florida. As a licensed mental health counselor and certified eating disorder specialist and supervisor, Sandee incorporates yoga into her private practice individual therapy and group workshop sessions. She created and facilitated yoga-based therapy programs in residential treatment centers with a focus on eating disorders, co-occurring substance use disorders, and mood disorders. She is extensively trained in yin yoga, restorative yoga, therapeutic yoga, yoga for osteoporosis, mindfulness, and guided imagery. Sandee supervises and trains clinicians across the country seeking certification through IAEDP in treatment of eating disorders. 

Jackie Mucaria, E-RYT 200, C-IAYT, Experienced 200-hour yoga teacher, C-IAYT yoga therapist, Recovery Coach and TIR trauma resolution therapist 

Jackie obtained her IAYT yoga therapy certification through the Inner Door Center® in Royal Oak, Michigan. She has worked diligently using yoga therapy as a healing practice for those recovering from eating disorders and has trained professionals around the country in the integration of yoga philosophy and practices into their treatment for eating disorders. She currently works one-on-one to assist and empower those in recovery from eating disorders and trauma.

The following videos are just snippets of what you will experience in the trainings. The introductory training sample shows a group yoga therapy experience, while the advanced training sample shows a yoga therapy treatment plan implementation.

Introductory training sample

Advanced training sample

"Pretty sure I can't remember the last time I found a course that matched my interests so well and delivered such a lovely personal experience. Beverly made herself readily available and answered all my questions quickly and thoroughly - she wanted to make sure my experience was thorough and effective. The online course is set up efficiently and smooth. I have been incorporating the concepts into my own private practice with clients and am seeing very positive results. Grateful!"

 JEN RABUNG, RD, RYT, Clinical Pediatric Dietitian, Private Practice Dietitian and Yoga Instructor, Mechanicsville, VA

"I feel more knowledgeable about subject, especially how to weave together. Found this more valuable than conferences offering individual/multiple sessions. Material built on a concrete plan with lots of ideas, experientials, and practice with case study for a solid plan. Training materials relevant and well organized."

 MARILYN DAHL, RDN, MBA, CEDRD - GEORGE  Jacksonville Beach, FL

"Beverly is the most knowledgeable and compassionate people I have ever known. Her work with eating disorders is truly inspiring. I highly recommend her training program for anyone interested in working with this population."

 ANALENA LAVERTY, MA, LPC, NCC, C-IAYT, Private Practice, Detroit, MI

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