Eating Disorder Awareness Coach Certification

This opening module establishes the core language, principles, and scope of the certification. Learners are introduced to the major categories of eating disorders, the difference between eating disorders and broader disordered eating, and the public health importance of early recognition. It also clarifies the boundaries of awareness-level work, helping participants understand how to offer support, reduce stigma, and refer appropriately without stepping into diagnosis or treatment.

This module gives learners a practical overview of how eating disorders are classified in systems such as DSM-5-TR and ICD-11. You will explore anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, ARFID, OSFED, and less-recognized or atypical presentations, including those that are often missed because they do not match stereotypes. The focus is on understanding clinical language, recognizing meaningful patterns, and describing concerns accurately in real-world settings.

Here, learners examine who is affected by eating disorders and why risk cannot be understood through a single lens. The module covers epidemiology, genetic and temperamental vulnerability, trauma, ACEs, body dissatisfaction, food insecurity, social media pressure, and the influence of diet culture and white supremacy culture. Participants will learn how biological, psychological, and structural factors intersect—and how to identify modifiable risks within their own communities or professional environments.

This module explains why eating disorders can be medically serious and even life-threatening at any size. Learners will explore complications linked to restriction, bingeing, purging, compulsive exercise, and low energy availability, including cardiovascular risk, electrolyte imbalance, RED-S, cognitive disruption, mood changes, and suicidality. The emphasis is on recognizing red flags, understanding functional impairment, and communicating concern in ways that are clear, calm, and weight-inclusive.

Early intervention begins with noticing patterns, not waiting for a crisis. In this module, learners explore common early warning signs, ethical use of awareness-level screening processes, behaviour logs, and first concern conversations. You will also review tools such as SCOFF, EDE-Q, EAT-26, and BEDS-7 at a high level, while learning how to document concerns neutrally and support appropriate referral without overstepping your role.

This module introduces the broader treatment landscape so learners can better understand what happens after referral. You will review major evidence-based approaches such as FBT, CBT-E, DBT, ACT, and RO-DBT, alongside nutritional rehabilitation, stepped care models, and levels of care from outpatient to inpatient settings. Learners also gain a clearer picture of multidisciplinary roles and how non-clinical supporters can collaborate responsibly with therapists, physicians, dietitians, schools, families, and workplace systems.

Eating disorder awareness is incomplete without a serious understanding of bias, inequity, and culture. This module explores how racism, anti-fat bias, gender norms, body ideals, foodways, and structural exclusion shape risk, diagnosis, and access to care. Learners will strengthen their cultural humility, challenge racialized and size-based stereotypes, adapt language and materials more responsibly, and build awareness practices that are more inclusive of BIPOC communities, LGBTQ+ people, larger-bodied people, and others who are frequently overlooked.

This module shifts from identification to recovery-oriented support. Learners will explore what recovery can look like beyond symptom reduction or weight metrics, including personal, functional, and relational healing. It also covers peer support, safe storytelling, harm reduction, and the design of environments schools, studios, offices, teams, and community spaces that reduce shame, support autonomy, and make recovery feel more possible over time.

Awareness-level work still carries significant ethical responsibility. In this module, learners explore confidentiality, duty of care, scope of practice, mandatory reporting considerations, digital ethics, and the boundaries that protect both helper and participant. The module also invites important self-reflection around personal food, body, and bias histories, helping learners recognize triggers, reduce harm, and build a practice rooted in integrity rather than assumption or overreach.

The final module helps learners integrate everything they have studied into practical action. Participants develop role-specific plans for responding to concern, shaping safer policies, improving communication, and building ED-aware protocols in their own settings. The course concludes with a full-picture integration of ethics, referral, cultural responsiveness, recovery support, and sustainable practice so learners leave not just informed, but ready to apply what they know.