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PRESENTATION INFO
Breakout Session One
The Befriending Your Body Program, An Introduction
SPEAKER: Alex Kurauskas, LMHC
The Befriending Your Body Program (BFYB)™® is a unique trauma-informed Somatic Self-Compassion Recovery program teaching the skills of embodiment and self-compassion for disordered eating and making peace with your body, food and self. Different from a traditional support group or therapy group, the BFYB Program is a psycho-educational program that offers teachings about the brain, nervous system, and the inner communication our bodies have lost along the way. This presentation will highlight the most impactful components of the program and offer experiential elements to help attendees understand how it can support them or their clients.
Breakout Session Three
BE REAL: Creating Body Confident Kids
SPEAKER: Diane Hudson, MSEd, LMHC, CYT200
Today’s explosion of social media use has created an epidemic of body image problems for young people. Body dissatisfaction affects upwards of 70% of adolescent girls and 40% of adolescent boys. Research ties body dissatisfaction to a host of adolescent mental health problems from eating disorders to depression and isolation, to suicidal ideation. This presentation will share ways the adults in children's lives can set better examples and provide support for the growing children in their lives. It will also provide content updates for all the BE REAL materials, including the BodyKind Body Image Curriculum and the Let's Eat Nutrition Lessons. Whether you are a parent, guardian, community leader, educator, dietitian, counselor, or nurse, there will be valuable information to receive on how you can better support the children and adolescents in your life!
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Alex Kurauskas, LMHC
Alex is a licensed mental health therapist with experience in a variety of clinical settings. She uses evidence-based approaches, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to support and empower clients. Because each person is unique, Alex enjoys creating individualized treatment plans tailored to meet her clients' needs. She is also a certified instructor for the Befriending Your Body Program™® and is pursuing certification as a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS).
Alex is the lead therapist for the Eating Disorders Intensive Outpatient Program at the Robert Young Center, based in Davenport Iowa, where she integrates the Befriending Your Body Program lessons and practices as a foundation for healing.
In her free time, she enjoys exploring new places and has visited nearly all 50 states and a few foreign counties.
Diane Hudson, MSEd, LMHC, CYT200
Diane is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC), a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA), Certified Yoga Teacher, and a BE REAL Ambassador. She has completed iaedp (International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals) Core Course Training and is working towards her iaedp Educational Designation. Diane is the owner of New Moon Wellness QC, supporting clients across the state of Iowa via telehealth and in-person in Bettendorf, Iowa.
Diane attended Western Illinois University where she graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration, 2010 with her Master of Science degree in Educational Studies, and 2019 with her Master of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Her professional experience includes Life Connections Mental Health, Davenport Police Department, American Red Cross, internships at the Robert Young Mental Health Center, and The Abbey Addiction Treatment Center; as well as many volunteer opportunities including the Quad Cities Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), and Amy’s Gift (QC Eating Disorder Consortium).
Diane specializes in treating clients who present with concerns related to eating disorders, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, adjustment-related stressors, anxiety, depression, and other trauma related stressors. She works primarily with individuals aged 14 and up. Her main treatment modalities are rooted in the theory of Somatic Experiencing ®, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques: a skills-based approach including mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. She has been presenting for over a decade at local and regional conferences on the topic of using yoga and mindfulness as a tool for supporting emotional health.
“My goal is to provide a safe, supportive, and empowering space where, together, we can slow things down and untangle the stressors of life.” - Diane