We are excited to introduce you to EDRD Pro member Kia’ikai Iguchi, MSc/MS, RD/CD (they/them/theirs) of @recovery.comes.in.waves!
Keep reading to learn more about Kia’ikai and their incredible work!
What’s your favorite meal?
I don’t have a favorite – I eat most of the things.
If you could choose to have dinner with anyone, who would it be and why?
My long-term friends that I haven’t seen in-person for a long time. It’d be nice to catch up.
What is a piece of career advice that you would share with someone starting off in the eating disorder field?
You aren’t better than your patients & you can’t work harder than your patients. Meaning, there’s no one thing that you can do to change their life positively.
What’s something that’s brought you joy recently?
A coloring gift by a patient which said, “Cinnamon Rolls, not Gender Rolls”. This patient was right in the middle of working on tackling cinnamon rolls as their fear food. So not only was it fitting for me as a nonbinary clinician, it was also very relevant to the patient.
What’s something you’ve learned recently?
Folks who are from WI call a water/drinking fountain, a “Bubbler”. And so does some of the Australian folks. I lived in Australia for a month, and I’ve been living in WI for 4 years and it wasn’t until now that I learned this. It’s like how Brits call a vacuum “Hoover”.
Why eating disorder treatment? What drives you to do this work?
Because not everyone can do it. It takes certain kinds of people to do well and last long in the field. I like a good challenge. Plus, the ED field is so white, cis, and hetero – I’m tired of that. When I’m tired of something, I like to be in the middle of it to be the force of change; I’m an INTJ and innately a change-maker.
Do you have specific areas of interest or special populations with whom you work?
ED + OCD combination in general & LGBTQ+ folks with ED or disordered eating. I’m also a big fan of incorporating RO-DBT skills.
What’s your favorite part about being involved in EDRD Pro?
Insightful webinars, Facebook group with likeminded clinicians, accessibility, social justice-oriented leadership, etc. EDRD Pro is honestly the only professional organization I recommend to my interns.
What projects, products, or services do you offer that you want to share with our audience?
My online course on ED Treatment for LGBTQ+ folks will hopefully be available soon. Other than that… I’m just working on staying in the country at this time – gathering funds via Go Fund Me.