Enhancing Counselor Trainee Preparedness for Treating Eating Disorders: Recommendations for Counselor Educators

Eating disorders (EDs) are increasingly prevalent and pose significant public health challenges. Yet, deficits exist in counselor education programs regarding ED assessment, conceptualization, and treatment. Consequently, counselors report feeling incompetent and distressed when working with ED clients. We propose a conceptual framework, the 3 Cs of ED Education and Training, to enhance trainee development. The 3 Cs are: (a) cultivating trainee self-awareness through reflexivity and deliberate skill practice, (b) capturing contextual and sociocultural factors with culturally responsive approaches, and (c) collaborating with interdisciplinary ED professionals while strengthening counselor professional identity. Implications for counselor educators include incorporating activities aligned with this framework into curriculum and experiential training in order to facilitate trainee competence in ED assessment and treatment.