Today, Kathy is joined by Dr. Mary Tantillo and Dr. Jennifer Sanftner McGraw, and they have a conversation on the new book Multifamily Therapy Group for Young Adults with Anorexia Nervosa: Reconnecting for Recovery.
Mary Tantillo is widely recognized for her clinical work and research related to the treatment of eating disorders. She has devoted more than 30 years to providing care and support to patients and families coping with eating disorders across the spectrum of clinical settings.
She has conducted research to evaluate an innovative relational/motivational approach to understanding and treating adults with anorexia nervosa through the use of multifamily therapy group. She has also implemented prevention approaches that encourage partnerships among parents and school personnel to create home and school environments that foster wellness and reinforce positive body image.
Tantillo directs the Western New York Comprehensive Care Center for Eating Disorders (WNYCCCED), one of three comprehensive care centers in New York State, which works to better coordinate care and services for patients and families and improve outcomes.
She is the founder and former CEO and president of a non-profit eating disorders partial hospitalization program for adults and adolescents, The Healing Connection, Inc., an affiliate of the WNYCCCED. She is a fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) and past AED board member. Her special interests include women’s mental health, family-based treatment, and group treatment, especially multifamily therapy group treatment for eating disorders.
Dr. Jennifer Sanftner McGraw is professor of psychology and department chair at Slippery Rock University. She is a clinical psychologist, who has been teaching and conducting research in body image and eating disorders throughout her career. She is founder and director of the Reflections Body Image Program on the Slippery Rock University Campus. Her research interests focus on application of Relational Cultural Theory to understanding the etiology and treatment of eating disorders, and the use of intervention programs to prevent disordered eating in college students, including women, men, and those with diverse sexualities and gender identities.