Therapeutic Approach
Katie Zweig is passionate about working collaboratively with clients to build self-compassion and self-acceptance. She operates from a Health at Every Size, non-diet model. Katie is also drawn to various therapeutic approaches such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), while incorporating mindfulness practices. She utilizes approaches from these modalities based upon her assessment of client needs. Katie strives to promote authenticity and create a safe space for clients to heal their relationship with food and exercise.
Background
Katie Zweig began her career as an eating disorders recovery coach, providing people who are struggling with disordered eating real-time support as they go about their daily lives. She thoroughly enjoyed this work, but felt that she wanted to have more skill and expertise in order to help her clients to make changes that are more lasting and sustainable.
To this end, Katie pursued her Master’s degree in counseling at Lewis & Clarke college, where she focused her studies on adult mental health where she also earned an Eating Disorder Certificate verifying her expertise in this area.
Previous to joining Monarch, Katie completed her clinical internship at Food is not the Enemy, an outpatient practice on the west coast that is also focused on the treatment of eating disorders. Katie provided outpatient therapy for people struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder and yo-yo dieting until she found herself needing to return to North Virginia.
Eating Disorders Treatment
Katie has worked at both the inpatient and outpatient level of care for eating disorders, both as a recovery coach and as an eating disorders therapist. She also completed a certificate in working with people who have Eating Disorders while earning her Master’s Degree at Lewis & Clarke College in Portland, Oregon. She has now returned to NOVA, where she originated, and is looking forward to resuming both virtual and in-person work with clients.
Work with Adolescents
Adolescence is a notoriously difficult stage of life. Katie has particular skill, experience and expertise in helping teens and families to navigate this period in a way that supports both autonomy and connectedness. She helps adolescents to figure out who they are, and assists families to adjusting to the often ever-shifting concept of how a teen’s identity fits in with the world around them.
Katie has particular skill, experience and interest in helping adolescent to navigate coming of age. She skillfully utilizes interventions that are developmentally appropriate, supportive of emerging adulthood, and address the unique challenges that this time of life presents. Katie includes families when appropriate, but she is clear about providing a therapeutic boundary that allows teenagers to let her know what is really happening for them and work through this time of life strengthening their sense of ability and autonomy.