Thursday

Holistic Approaches to Eating Disorders

Chaired by Inger Becker, Denmark

Preventing SEED

Chaired by Rasmus Isomaa, Finland

Many patients with eating disorders respond well to current treatment methods. However, approximately 20 % of all patients will not respond, and despite multiple treatment attempts, they will develop an severe and enduring eating disorder (SEED). Efforts have been made to define this patient group and to develop alternative treatment protocols. Studies focusing on prognostic factors have, at least not yet, been able to identify which patients are more likely to have a prolonged course of illness and which are more likely to respond well to treatment. One perspective which has gained very little attention is prevention of SEED, i.e. what can we as clinicians and as treatment providers do to prevent patients from developing a severe and enduring eating disorder.

This thematic seminar will include three presentations, each with a unique perspective on preventing SEED. The seminar will also include a panel discussion with the presenters and an open discussion with the audience.

Katarina Lindstedt & Elin Monell: A genetic perspective: Can polygenic risk help us understand illness experience and prevent SEED?

Emilia Kotilahti: A patient perspective: Can SEED patients’ treatment experiences help us improve treatment protocols and prevent SEED?

Ivan Ejdemyr: A clinician perspective: Can clinicians’ perceived challenges and rewards help us understand the treatment process and prevent SEED?

New Treatment Methods

Chaired by Therese Fostervold Mathisen, Norway

This seminar will present three novel treatment approaches that rethink who delivers therapy, where it takes place, how it is delivered, and what is essential for successful outcomes. The session aims to spark curiosity and broaden perspectives—reducing bottlenecks in specialized services, expanding access to care, and diversifying effective treatment options to improve outcomes.

“Radically Open DBT for EDs: From Adult Evidence to Adolescent Application”
Sweden, by Emelie Collin (Clinical psychologist at Akademiska sjukhuset and PhD student, Dept. of Medical sciences, Uppsala University) and Pia Rosling (Clinical psychologist at Akademiska sjukhuset and PhD student,  Dept. of Medical sciences, Uppsala University): Radically Open Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (RO-DBT) is a trans-diagnostic, relatively new treatment targeting maladaptive overcontrol, a trait commonly seen in eating disorder populations, particularly in restrictive anorexia nervosa. While evidence in adults is growing, research and clinical applications in adolescents remain limited.

“Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy for EDs: Translating Voices into Treatment”
Denmark, by Associate Professor Louise Birkedal Glenthøj and PhD student Nina Kappel Hansen, Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, and Virtu Research Group, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Capital Region of Denmark:
Virtual reality (VR)-based avatar therapy for eating disorders builds on advances in avatar-based interventions originally developed for psychotic disorders. This new promising direction for treatment aims to externalize and engage directly the intrusive inner “eating disorder voice”.

“PED-t for EDs: Long-Term Outcomes and Exploring How It Works”
Norway, by Professor Therese Fostervold Mathisen, Østfold University College, and Oslo Research Center for Women’s Sport, Physical Activity and Health; Norwegian School of Sport Sciences: Physical Exercise and Dietary Therapy (PED-t) has demonstrated strong short-term effects, and two-year outcomes comparable to CBT-E. Learn about preliminary 10-year effects, and plans to advance research into how and why it works.

15 min Q & A

Multi-family-therapy

Chaired by Raymond Waldes, Sweden

Friday

Prevention of Eating Disorders

Chaired by Ata Ghaderi, Sweden

This seminar includes three presentations that together highlight how eating disorder prevention can be strengthened through both targeted interventions and broader health‑promoting strategies. Together, they span specific programs and implementation in clinical settings and schools, as well as the optimization of protective factors at the population level. The seminar thus provides an integrated perspective on how preventive efforts can be advanced for different groups and across various healthcare and community contexts.

Body Project in Norway: Line Wisting will present experiences and results of ongoing Body Project work in Norway, including two randomized controlled trials (RCT’s) testing the effectiveness of i) standard Body Project for young women aged 16-30 with body image concerns; and ii) a diabetes-adapted version of the Body Project (Diabetes Body Project) among young women with type 1 diabetes and body image concerns. Additionally, initial experiences with implementation of the Body Project among young women and men at Norwegian high schools by school health nurses will be presented and discussed.

Lessons learned in clinical practice: Eating disorder prevention in the co-existence of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D): Caroline Bruun Abild and Loa Clausen will discuss strategies to strengthen prevention and early detection in type 1 diabetes (T1D) care, focusing on diabetes-specific screening and multidisciplinary collaboration. The presentation draws on several years of experience with systematic screening and intervention, integrating both clinical practice insights and research findings, including quantitative data and qualitative interviews with patients and clinicians.

Prevention of eating disorders through optimization of protective factors (short-term outcomes): Ata Ghaderi will describe short-term outcome of a randomized controlled trial focusing on optimization of protective factors. A total of 664 participants (15-20 years old) were randomized to prevention or a minimal credible intervention (expressive writing). Short-term effect on the buffering and risk factors will be described and discussed. 

Inpatient Eating Disorder Care: Necessary—yet as non-traumatising and recovery-supportive as possible

Chaired by Magnus Sjögren, Sweden

Inpatient care for eating disorders is sometimes crucial to save lives and halt a harmful trajectory, but it can also involve coercion and experiences that risk becoming traumatic. The seminar focuses on how inpatient treatment can be designed to be both humane and effective: strengthening the therapeutic alliance, reducing unnecessary coercion, and creating conditions for long-term recovery rather than repeated admissions.

This thematic seminar includes three presentations, each offering a distinct perspective on how inpatient eating disorder care can be improved. The presenters represent both research and clinical practice and highlight existing evidence. The seminar concludes with a panel discussion with the speakers and an open discussion with the audience.

Magnus Sjögren: A leadership and care-process perspective: When inpatient care is indicated, and how ward structure, care processes, creating dialogue between patient and staff, and choice of perspective can support recovery while minimising the need for coercion.

Øyvind Rø: A clinical research perspective: Lessons from Norwegian inpatient care on outcomes and follow-up, as well as reflections on who should receive hospital-based treatment, what the treatment goal should be during hospitalisation, and how to care for staff.

Jenny Bergvall: A dietetic and nutrition perspective: How clinical dietitians in inpatient care manage complex nutritional treatment in severe eating disorders – from assessing medical risk, energy needs, and refeeding syndrome to adapting meal structure, enteral and parenteral nutrition, working with food-related anxiety and exposure, and how a respectful approach around meals can reduce conflict and strengthen both patient involvement and team coherence.

The importance of lived experience in narrowing the gap between research and clinical care: Examples and perspectives from two user organizations

Chaired by Marianne Clementine Håheim, Norway

User knowledge and -involvement are key components of evidence-based practice —but are lived experiences given the same weight as professional expertise and clinical experience? How do we ensure that the user voice is truly heard?
In this session, the user organizations ROS – Resource Centre for Eating Disorders (Norway) and Frisk & Fri – Riksföreningen mot ätstörningar (Sweden) will share examples and perspectives from their work. Both organizations have extensive experience in collecting and communicating user experiences, participating in research projects, and more recently, conducting their own research.
The session will include two presentations of specific projects, followed by a panel discussion on the overarching theme.

Hungry for Answers: User Experiences with Weight-Loss Medications
Norway, by Sunniva Beeder Mollandsøy, psychologist and project manager at ROS

The use of weight-loss medications (WLM) has increased dramatically in recent years. However, concerns are now being raised about their potential impact on individuals’ relationships with food and body image, as well as on eating disorder symptoms. There is a significant group of individuals with higher body weight and disordered eating behaviours, and ROS is concerned about the extent to which this is being identified and followed up.

This project consists of an exploratory report based on insight work, as well as a qualitative study examining experiences related to the use of WLM among individuals who also struggle with their relationship to food and body.
Sunniva Beeder Mollandsøy is the project manager for Hungry for Answers and has extensive experience working with binge eating disorder at ROS. She will present preliminary insights and findings from the project.

Inner Problem, Outer Solution: What 96 Stories Can Teach Us About the Prevention of Eating Disorders
Norway, by Marianne Clementine Håheim, Head of Communications at ROS and with lived experience of eating disorders

In the qualitative report Inner Problem, Outer Solution, published this year, ROS has analysed 96 interviews from the 2023 project ONE IN TEN. The material consists of narratives from individuals with eating disorders, relatives, and professionals, offering unique insight into early stages and prevention. Marianne Clementine Håheim is one of the authors of the report and will present key findings, reflections, and recommendations, with a particular focus on what can actually help in the early stages—expressed in the words of those with lived experience.

Vårdrapporten 2026: Lived Experiences of Eating Disorder Care
Sweden, by Helena Forsman, Jacob Kosharis and Mathias Hougaard, Operations Managers at Frisk & Fri – Riksföreningen mot ätstörningar

Vårdrapporten 2026 is the fourth report of its kind and is based on survey data collected from individuals with lived experience of eating disorders and from relatives. The report examines patterns and recurring experiences within the collected material and includes a thematic focus on compulsive exercise. Vårdrapporten 2026 is authored by psychologist and researcher Johanna Levallius on behalf of Frisk & Fri. Helena Forsman, Mathias Hougaard and Jacob Kosharis invite to a conversation grounded in observations from the report, with a focus on the relevance of experience based knowledge in relation to research and clinical practice.

Panel Discussion: What role does the user voice play in bridging the gap between research and treatment? What happens at the intersection between user organizations and participants in a research context?
TBA
We will also take questions from the audience during this part.

Eating disorders and Trauma

Chaired by Gry Kjærsdam Telléus, Denmark