Applying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Exercises to Nourish Clients Towards Recovery
December 10 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am PST
| This webinar equips eating disorder dietitians with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to apply three skills from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to enhance client care. Participants will learn to clarify values and apply to recovery, practice thought defusion techniques to reduce the power of intrusive thoughts, and apply “dropping anchor” exercises to build present-moment awareness. Through case examples and hands-on practice, dietitians will gain confidence in integrating these ACT strategies into nutrition sessions to support psychological flexibility, reduce avoidance behaviors, and foster recovery. |
Learning Objectives:
Following this presentation, participants will:
- Demonstrate at least two techniques for applying values clarification to nutrition goals.
- Apply at least one thought defusion strategy to help clients reduce the impact of intrusive thoughts about food or body.
- Describe the dropping anchor skill to increase present-moment awareness and emotional regulation during mealtime challenges.
- Identify at least one instance in which ACT might not be appropriate for a client
Rebecca Toutant, MA, RD, CSSD, LDN, CEDS, CDCES, cPT Bio:
Rebecca Toutant is a weight-inclusive dietitian and personal trainer specializing in sports nutrition as well as eating disorders and diabetes care. She has close to 20 years of experience helping folks of all ages discover how to work with their body and mind, while striving for health and performance goals.
Rebecca completed her undergraduate degree in Dietetics through the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has a Master of Arts in Health Communication from Emerson College and Tufts University School of Medicine. She spent the early years of her career supporting autism research, guideline development, and quality improvement. She then spent a decade in community care and employee wellness, supporting folks with diverse backgrounds navigate chronic physical and mental health conditions in culturally responsive ways. The last few years she dedicated more of her work to supporting athletes from recreational to elite navigate performance while supporting their physical and mental health. She now owns her own practice, where she helps clients pursue whole person, health and performance.
She is a published researcher in the Journal of Pediatrics and the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, has written two cookbooks. Rebecca’s passion for integrating movement and nutrition comes from her background as an endurance and multisport athlete where she competes in marathons, ultramarathons, and triathlon events up to the full iron distance.
