Equip

When a young patient presents with selective eating, it can be tough to tell: is it a normal developmental phase, or a diagnosable eating disorder requiring targeted intervention? Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) affects an estimated 3-5% of children, yet many clinicians feel uncertain about how to confidently identify it in patients, or what to do next if you suspect a patient has ARFID. Our upcoming Equip Academy webinar helps fill those gaps, giving providers the practical, evidence-based information they need to spot ARFID and support patients who are struggling. Join us for this free, CE-eligible session, presented by Jessie Menzel, Clinical Psychologist and SVP of Clinical Programs at Equip.  In this 90-minute session, you’ll learn: • Clear criteria to distinguish ARFID from developmentally typical picky eating • Defined treatment goals for patients with selective eating • Evidence-based strategies to support dietary expansion • Real-world applications to help translate knowledge into practice Event details: 📅 Date: May 15, 2026 ⏰ Time: 1pm PT / 4pm ET Duration: 90 minutes Equip Academy is built for busy clinicians looking for accessible, high-quality education on eating disorders. Through our partnership with TPN.health, eligible attendees can earn free CE or CME credits—whether attending live or on-demand. 👉 Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/gv7s6zFx  We hope to see you there!

Eight years of research, 26 studies, and over 6,000 young adults: a new meta-analysis in Health Communication finds that exposure to fitspiration WORSENS body image and pushes people toward restrictive eating and over-exercise. Turns out "fitspo" is not inspirational afterall. One limitation the authors flag is that 89% of participants were women, and that's the gap I want to highlight. Our Equip team has previously released data on how more than 1,000 MEN experience fitness culture, social media, and disordered eating, and the findings nearly mirror the females in the meta-analysis: 76% feel anxious about missing a workout 65% believe working out for hours a day is "discipline" 59% exercise to compensate for eating 38% have skipped meals to afford gym memberships or supplements 50% couldn't reliably tell when an image was photoshopped The controlled studies show that fitspiration makes people feel worse and pushes them toward restriction—something we've been seeing for quite some time. Men are also experiencing this, and they account for one in three eating disorders. The research is telling the same story, and the cultural conversation needs to catch up. https://lnkd.in/gs3zSBkv

We can’t talk about EDs without talking about mental health 👏 This month we’re excited to highlight how eating disorders affect both mental and physical wellbeing. We'll also be sharing daily videos on Instagram Stories featuring Equipsters and ED advocates sharing one thing they do to support their mental health. We hope these resources help you to feel more empowered in understanding your relationship with food and your body and inspire you to focus on one small thing you can do each day this month to support your mental health, too! Stay tuned and share this post with someone who needs to hear this 💗

“Atypical” anorexia is one of the most common eating disorder diagnoses—yet it remains misunderstood. Despite its name, atypical anorexia nervosa (AAN) is more prevalent than what’s considered “typical” anorexia. It affects nearly 5% of people in their lifetime, compared to 0.6% for anorexia nervosa (AN), and carries similar mental and physical health risks. The only difference: being underweight is not part of the diagnostic criteria for AAN. And because there's a lack of awareness that anorexia can present in ALL body sizes, many people with AAN go undiagnosed. Join Equip Academy for a free, CE-eligible webinar, hosted through TPN.health where we’ll take a deeper look at the clinical realities of atypical anorexia nervosa. This session presented by Shannon Patterson, Ph.D. will explore how AAN compares to AN, address common diagnostic misconceptions, and examine considerations for future diagnostic clarity. Event details: 📅 Date: Friday, April 24, 2026 ⏰ Time: 12:00pm PT / 3:00pm ET Duration: 60 minutes To register for this event, you’ll be redirected to TPN.health to create a free account. You can earn free CE credits by attending live or watching on-demand later with our new partner, TPN.health. We hope you’ll join us for this important conversation—and earn free CE credits in the process! 👉 Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/gHRmNAbC

Exciting news! Our campaign video with theSkimm featuring Erin Parks, Ph.D. has been shortlisted for The 2026 People's Telly Awards! We're asking for your support to vote for the video and help spread the word. ▶️ Watch and vote here: https://lnkd.in/eHiAVZAS Voting is open until April 17th. Here's how to vote: 1. Click the link (wait for it to load) 2. Give it 5 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 3. Login to make your vote count 4. Confirm your vote via email (check your spam folder) We're so glad this video is getting the recognition it deserves. 💛

When I was 10, my parents spent years driving me from appointment to appointment, acting as the go-between for providers who never quite saw the whole picture. That experience is a big reason I co-founded Equip Mental health care has long been built around one clinician, one hour a week. For conditions that span medical, psychological, and nutritional domains, that structure falls short — not because providers aren't skilled, but because they're working in silos. We built something different: a coordinated team around every patient — therapist, dietitian, physician, and mentors — so no family has to play care coordinator. I wrote about what that looks like, and why virtual care is what finally makes it scalable, for Fast Company https://lnkd.in/gCD-xC6Z

When you’re in recovery or supporting a loved one through eating disorder recovery, feelings of isolation and hopelessness can rise to the surface. Both Equip co-founders, Kristina Saffran and Erin Parks, Ph.D. were featured guests on podcasts discussing eating disorder recovery and treatment. We hope these episodes help you feel less alone, and remember that recovery is possible and you don’t need to do it alone. ⭐️  Erin Parks joined F.E.A.S.T. on this week’s episode, “Facing the Toughest Moments in Eating Disorder Caregiving,” a conversation relevant for every caregiver supporting someone through eating disorder recovery. We discuss some of the most challenging situations a caregiver can face:  🍽️Mealtime meltdowns  ☁️Supporting a loved one with severe depression  ❤️🩹Concerns about self-harm or suicide 🔗Listen to the Erin’s episode here https://lnkd.in/gXxAJusQ ⭐️  Kristina Saffran sat down with Omkar Kulkarni, MPH, Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) first Chief Innovation Officer on his podcast, A Dose of Optimism. They explore why traditional treatment fails those with eating disorders and spotlight the work Equip is doing to help fix it. What the episode covers: ⭐️Why eating disorders are a public health crisis that doesn't discriminate 🧩The massive access gap in ED treatment and why so few people receive evidence-based care ❤️How Equip is filling that gap, to make treatment more accessible for those who need it 🔗 Listen to Kristina’s episode here:https://lnkd.in/gVJyv9tM

We’re thrilled to announce that starting April 2026, we’re expanding Equip Academy. Going forward: ◾ Continuing Education (CE) credits can be earned live or on-demand—at your convenience (playbacks will be posted within 2 weeks of live events). ◾ More CE’s will be offered to eligible providers (see full list below). ◾ All of this will continue to be free, as our mission is to provide education for  the clinical community at no cost to you. We’ve partnered with TPN.health to make this all possible. Here’s how it will work: 1️⃣ Register for an Equip Academy event and you’ll be redirected to TPN’s site, where you’ll create a free account. 2️⃣ Attend a live session by registering with your TPN login. 3️⃣ Watch past events anytime on our TPN profile page. Events are available within two weeks after they go live. You can also register in advance to be notified when they’re posted. 4️⃣ After you view a live or on-demand event, you’ll receive an email from TPN.health prompting you to complete an evaluation. You’ll then receive your CE credit, which will live in your ‘CE Wallet’ in your TPN portal. The following types of providers will be eligible to receive CE or CME credit for attending an Equip Academy event (both live or via playback): Physicians, Nurses, Dietitians, Nutritionists, Psychologists, Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Addiction Counselors, and Counselors We’re so excited that this partnership with TPN will expand our ability to come together as a clinical community and advance care for patients struggling with eating disorders. Browse upcoming events here: https://lnkd.in/gBz-va3h We hope to see you soon!