About Us

Who We Are

Eating Disorder Recovery Support

We are a nonprofit based in Northern California that is committed promoting recovery and wellness for those impacted by eating disorders by providing support, information, and education to individuals, families, professionals and the community at large regarding eating disorders and recovery resources.

Our Mission

The mission of EDRS, Inc. is to promote recovery and wellness for those impacted by eating disorders by providing support, information, and education to individuals, families, professionals, and the community at large regarding eating disorder recovery and resources.

Our History

EDRS, Inc. was co-founded by Michelle Minero, MFT and Haleh Kashani, PhD. as a grass roots response to the need for a community of professionals working with eating disorders. In 2000 the Mental Health Parity Law was approved in the State of California. To address the needs of the community, Petaluma Health Care district brought together local eating disorder providers to discuss eating disorder services in the area. Out of these professional gatherings and with support from PHCD Eating Disorders Recovery Support, EDRS was born.

This organization started with a small but dedicated number of professional and community volunteers meeting in Michelle’s Petaluma office. Over the years it has grown into a nationally recognized non profit organization.

EDRS Inc.‘s mission has been to promote community awareness and professional training through local annual conferences, and to increase access to treatment through fundraising for the Treatment Assistance Fund. We rely on the continued support, volunteerism and generosity of our community to fund this valuable assistance and to keep EDRS and its mission alive!

Our Goals

Prevention

Promote public awareness by providing community outreach and education regarding eating disorders prevention, identification, and treatment.

Referrals & Resources

Provide information and education to individuals, families, professionals, and the community at large regarding eating disorders and recovery resources.

Education

Provide opportunities for ongoing education and collaboration among professionals working with eating disorders and related conditions.

Treatment Funds

Provide assistance to individuals in need of financial support for pursuit of treatment through ongoing fundraising activities.

Board of Directors

Corinne Dobbas

President

Corinne Dobbas, MS, RD is a registered dietitian, nutrition therapist, and certified intuitive eating counselor with over a decade of experience in Marin County, California. Corinne works with adolescents, young adults, and adults. She specializes in eating disorder recovery, disordered eating, and body image concerns  – and helping clients break free from the mental, emotional, and physical toll of chronic dieting. Ultimately, she helps clients nurture a caring and compassionate relationship with food and their bodies through a non-weight focused, non-diet approach.

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Corinne works with clients individually and in groups. She is also the host of The Body Image Podcast.

Corinne began her work in body image, disordered eating, and eating disorders, after spending some time working with clients through the traditional weight-normative approach in the first few years of her career (where the emphasis is on weight and weight loss when defining health and wellbeing). It was here that Corinne realized something had to change, as this approach felt unethical, uncaring, and most of all, unhelpful for her clients. After all, even if we all ate and moved the same, different body shapes and sizes would still exist. With that shared, Corinne has spent the latter part of her career engaged in clinical supervision and various trainings to enable her to competently and successfully work with individuals struggling with food and body image concerns, disordered eating, chronic dieting, and eating disorders. Today, Corinne works from a weight-inclusive approach (where the emphasis is on viewing health and wellbeing as multifaceted and on reducing weight stigma). She is currently working towards certification to become a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) through the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp). In her work, Corinne uses a variety of tools, techniques, resources, and therapeutic approaches to help her clients nurture a healthy relationship with food, mind, and body.

Corinne graduated cum laude from Boston University’s Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences with a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences and completed her dietetic training at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. She received a Masters of Science from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. Further professional training was through the completion of Body Image Training for Clinicians, Nutrition Counseling for Eating Disorders, the Big-Hearted Embodiment Intensive Clinical Training for Eating Disorder Recovery, Clinical Approaches To Treating Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder, Eating Disorders Boot Camp Training and Advanced Training, and The Original Intuitive Eating Pros® certification process to become a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, among others. Adding to her unique background, Corinne completed a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training through h3 Yoga in Marin County, California and she has taught nutrition at the university level. Corinne frequently speaks on body image, embodiment, intuitive eating, Health at Every Size® (HAES), and eating disorder recovery.

Today, Corinne resides in Marin County, California with her husband, daughter, son, three dogs, and cat.

Emily Behrs

Vice President

Emily Behrs is a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice in Santa Cruz, Ca. She specializes in working with adolescents and adults with eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and trauma. Emily supports clients in cultivating a sense of ease, trust, and understanding within their mind and body so that they can have the freedom to live authentic and fulfilling lives. Over the years, Emily has worked extensively in different levels of eating disorder treatment. She is passionate about serving the ED community and believes in equitable access to care.

Azhar Sultanova

Board Member

Azhar Sultanova, LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist, who is passionate about ED recovery and fighting against diet culture. She believes that Eating Disorders are also a social justice issue, and that prevention and awareness raising are just as important as treatment. Over the years, Azhar has worked at different levels of care and currently leads the team of clinicians at LGTC Group in offering PHP/IOP for eating disorders.

Theresa Carpinito Kira

Board Member & Treasurer

Theresa Carpinito Kira, PsyD is a licensed psychologist in private practice in San Francisco and Corte Madera. Theresa served as the Staff Psychologist at Marin Vista Health & Wellness Center’s Intensive Outpatient (IOP) and Partial Hospitalization (PHP) eating disorder program. Prior to this, she served on the Eating Disorder Treatment Team at Portland State University’s Student Health & Counseling Center, where she completed her pre- and post-doctorate training.
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Theresa Carpinito Kira, PsyD is a licensed psychologist in private practice in San Francisco and Corte Madera. Theresa served as the Staff Psychologist at Marin Vista Health & Wellness Center’s Intensive Outpatient (IOP) and Partial Hospitalization (PHP) eating disorder program. Prior to this, she served on the Eating Disorder Treatment Team at Portland State University’s Student Health & Counseling Center, where she completed her pre- and post-doctorate training.

Theresa earned her doctorate in clinical psychology at the Georgia School of Professional Psychology in Atlanta. She received training in college counseling and eating disorder settings as well as conducting ADHD, learning disability, and other psychological evaluations.

Theresa is seeking certification in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and is excited about the ways that this modality can be a helpful tool in treating eating disorders and trauma.

Theresa has a background in media studies and is passionate about investigating the ways in which various media formats can negatively influence body image, writing her dissertation on the potential for Facebook to have an impact on body image dissatisfaction in young women. She aims to help people view social and traditional media images with a more discerning eye, to find ways to celebrate body positivity and size diversity online, and to ultimately find joy, meaning, and fulfillment in their real lives offline.

Maren Hunt

 Board Member & Marketing

Maren Hunt is  a Certified Binge Eating Recovery Counselor, as well as a Health and Body Image Coach, Nutrition Coach, Intuitive Eating Coach, and Mind and Body Eating Coach.  She helps women break free from binge-eating and make peace with their bodies so they can discover their amazing life on the other side of recovery.

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Maren Hunt is  a Certified Binge Eating Recovery Counselor, as well as a Health and Body Image Coach, Nutrition Coach, Intuitive Eating Coach, and Mind and Body Eating Coach.  She helps women break free from binge-eating and make peace with their bodies so they can discover their amazing life on the other side of recovery.

 Mind & Body Reconnected was created through a desire to pass on the life-changing transformation she had experienced through her  journey to food freedom and body acceptance. 

 Working with her  clients looks like unpacking the layers of their past that has created core limiting beliefs about their body. Women have become conditioned to see their bodies as something that needs to be fixed due to our society’s fatphobic belief systems, trauma, and past experiences that have caused core wounds. 

 Maren supports her clients by getting to the root issue(s) as to why they are struggling with binge eating and body image. This requires deconiditong the mind from toxic nutritional and beauty standard beliefs so they can start a brand new foundation of facing their fears and breaking the binge cycle. She helps her clients implement the  Intuitive Eating framework as well as educates them around Health at Every Size, Diet Culture, and Fatphobia. 

 Maren’s role as a recovery counselor is to be a source of support, guidance, and accountability as her clients navigate the road to food and body liberation.

Advisory Board

Haleh Kashani

Co-Founder &
Advisory Board Member

Haleh Kashani, Ph.D. is the Co-founder and Past-President of the EDRS, Inc. and currently sits on the Advisory Board. She is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders with adults and adolescents.
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Dr. Kashani has been in clinical practice for over 30 years and is currently in private practice in Marin County. She created and directed the Outpatient Eating Disorders Program at Kaiser Permanente in San Rafael. In addition to her clinical work, she was a clinical faculty for an APA approved Post Doctoral Fellowship Program at San RafaelKP for over 25 years. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Minnesota with Cum Laude honors in 1983 and her Doctoral degree in clinical psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology in Berkeley in 1988.

In addition to her practice, Dr. Kashani has been actively involved in training professionals in the field of eating disorders as well as providing support and education to parents and community groups on this topic. For more information regarding her private practice, speaking engagements, or professional training, please contact her at http://www.halehkashaniphd.com

Michelle Minero

Co-Founder &
Advisory Board Member

Michelle Minero is a licensed marriage and family therapist who has helped people transform their relationships with food and their bodies since 1989. Michelle created an intensive outpatient eating disorder program in 2000, and in 2005 cofounded EDRS to provide scholarships for people in California who need financial help to receive treatment for eating disorder recovery as well as eating disorder education for professionals and the community at large.

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Michelle is the author of the book: Self-Love Diet: The Only Diet That Works. Her book has been credited with helping readers in their recovery from eating disorders as well as positively impacting our culture by highlighting the definition of diet as: “things regularly offered.” By regularly offering self-love, the Self-Love Diet was born.

 

Michelle is also the co-creator of a 17-week online course titled, Building the Foundation for Self-Love, as well as a 9 week e-course titled, The Self-Love Diet Food & Eating guidelines. She is the co-founder of the online Love Warrior Community as well as the 31-Day Self-Love Diet Writing Challenge. Michelle is a SoulCollage facilitator and a sought after trainer, presenter and workshop facilitator. Her dream is to see a world filled with people who love themselves and their bodies.

Marcella Raimondo

Advisory Board Member

Marcella Raimondo, PhD, MPH is a passionate and spirited clinical trainer speaking from her heart on multicultural issues in eating disorders since 1995. Marcella herself recovered from anorexia nervosa over 20 years ago. 

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Marcella received her B.A. from UC Berkeley, and Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan. Marcella’s desire to address eating disorders drove her to pursue her doctorate in clinical psychology, receiving her PhD in 2012. She completed her post-doc internships at an eating disorder outpatient program and an eating disorder residential program for adolescents.

Marcella currently serves as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PSY # 27037) in Kaiser Permanente’s eating disorder clinic in Oakland. Marcella also serves as adjunct faculty at UC Berkeley Extension Program.

In 1997, Marcella worked with About-Face, a nonprofit organization that addresses media impact on body image serving as the Director of Media Literacy until 2005. Today she is on the About-Face Board of Founders and a consultant. She is also on the Advisory Board for the Association of Size Health and Diversity (ASDAH), on the Board of Eating Disorder Recovery Support (EDRS) as Past President and serves as Co-Chair of the Academy of Eating Disorders Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee.

Marcella trains in Kajukenbo at Hand to Hand Kajukenbo Self Defense Center in Oakland. She holds a second degree black belt and enjoys the exploratory path her training gives her. Her recovery and her martial arts training inspires her dedication to multicultural body nurturance and community celebration. For more information about Marcella’s trainings, go to marcellaedtraining.com

Paula Edwards-Gayfield

Advisory Board Member

Paula Edwards-Gayfield, LCMHCS, LPC, CEDS-S, is a Regional Assistant Vice President at The Renfrew Centers, overseeing clinical and administrative operations of several locations. A Licensed Professional Counselor in Oklahoma and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor in North Carolina, she received her Master’s degree in Counseling from UNC at Charlotte. Paula is an experienced presenter addressing eating disorders and diversity, as well as a contributor to the book, Treating Black Women with Eating Disorders: A Clinician’s Guide. She is a certified member and approved supervisor (CEDS-S) of iaedpTM and currently serves a Co-Chair of the African American Eating Disorder Professionals – Black, Indigenous and People of Color Committee (AAEDP-BIPOC).

Adrienne Ressler

Advisory Board Member

Adrienne Ressler, LMSW, CEDS-S, Fellow of iaedp, is Vice President, Professional Development, The Renfrew Center Foundation, and has served as senior staff since 1990. Adrienne attended the University of Michigan for both her Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees an received a faculty appointment as a Lecturer in the School of Education.

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Adrienne Ressler, LMSW, CEDS-S, Fellow of iaedp, is Vice President, Professional Development, The Renfrew Center Foundation, and has served as senior staff since 1990. Adrienne attended the University of Michigan for both her Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees an received a faculty appointment as a Lecturer in the School of Education.

 A body image specialist, her trainings reflect her background in body-focused/somatic methods to treat eating disorders and body image.

 Past-President of the Board of Directors of iaedp, she is Co-founder and former Co-chairperson of the Somatic and Somatically Oriented Therapies Special Interest Group of the Academy of Eating Disorders. She serves on the Advisory Board of Eating Disorders Resource and Support based in Petaluma, CA.

 Adrienne was selected as the inaugural recipient of Eating Disorder Hope’s Seal of Excellence award for her ‘’empowering work as a body image specialist”. Author of chapters on the use of experiential and body-based therapies for eating disorders in three textbooks, Effective Clinical Practice in the Treatment of Eating Disorders: The Heart of the Matter, Treatment of Eating of Eating Disorders: Bridging the Research-Practice Gap,  and Embodiment & Eating Disorders: Theory, Research, Prevention and Treatment, her work has also been included in the first Encyclopedia of Body Image and Human Appearance.

 In addition, she is published in Social Work Today and Pulse, the journal of the International Spa  Association. A frequent contributor to the popular media, she has appeared on the TODAY show and Good Morning America Sunday. Adrienne has lived in Fort Lauderdale, FL, since 1985 and is an avid baseball and hockey fan.

To get involved or learn more, please contact us!

Past EDRS CONFERENCE 2021

Critical
Conversations

Addressing the Needs of our Trans Communities with Eating Disorders

“EDRS has been an exceptional foundation that provided funds to help me recover from my eating disorder and severe trauma as a child and teen. EDRS held me when I had no family or outside support. I have been able to give back to EDRS through my recovery and years of volunteering. My life has forever been changed by these wonderful leaders and women, and with their support I am now a licensed therapist specializing in eating disorders and trauma. EDRS holds a legacy of community, grassroots and love. I am forever grateful. I owe it much of my recovery and life. With love and heart.”

Lindsey Wert, LMFT

Board Member & Treatment Fund Recipient

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