Presentations, Trainings, Webinars, and Community Education for Providers, Schools, and Organizations
Shifting the conversation. Transforming care. Creating inclusive, trauma-informed spaces — one training at a time.
At Coastal Collaborative Care, we’re not just passionate about therapy — we’re passionate about education. Our clinicians regularly lead trainings for therapists, dietitians, students, healthcare professionals, and community organizations across Virginia and beyond.
We believe in meeting people where they are and moving the conversation forward with evidence-based, affirming, HAES®-aligned education on topics that matter.
Why We Offer Trainings
Whether we’re speaking to college students, clinical teams, high schoolers, or national organizations, our goal is the same: make healing more accessible, inclusive, and informed.
At Coastal Collaborative Care, we offer mental health and eating disorder trainings that translate evidence-based clinical knowledge into real-world application. Our trainings support therapists, dietitians, educators, organizations, and communities by:
- Bridging the gap between clinical knowledge and real-world practice
- Promoting early intervention and prevention by helping participants recognize warning signs and respond appropriately
- Increasing awareness and reducing stigma around eating disorders, body image, anxiety, trauma, and neurodivergence
- Empowering professionals and communities to respond with compassion, curiosity, and cultural humility
- Promoting trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming, and weight-inclusive care
- Challenging outdated, weight-centric approaches to treatment
Sample Topics & Focus Areas
Our offerings include suicide intervention education (such as safeTALK), general mental health topics, and specialized eating disorder trainings.
Our speaking engagements and trainings have covered a wide range of topics including eating disorder identification and treatment, weight stigma and body size acceptance, Health at Every Size® and diet culture, the connection between trauma and eating disorders, ARFID and picky eating, suicide intervention and safety training, compassion in ED recovery, navigating body image challenges, recognizing when higher levels of care are needed, and supporting teens, families, and multidisciplinary providers across clinical, school, and community settings.
Past Trainings & Presentations
Here’s a look at the presentations we’ve led — from classrooms to national conferences to Instagram Lives — all designed to advance education and spark meaningful change.
2024–2025
- 11/17/2025 & 04/21/2025 & 11/25/2024 & 04/08/2024: The “Norm” Isn’t Always Right – Diet Culture vs. Health at Every Size® & Fat-Positive Movements – Guest lecture by Gabby Katz for West Chester University ED Psychology Class
- 11/12/2025: Beyond Picky Eating: Understanding and Treating ARFID Training led by Gabby Katz for Lourie Center for Children’s Social Emotional Wellness
- 10/23/2025: Suicide Intervention – Training by Gabby Katz for outpatient RD group practice, Empathy Nutrition Therapy
- 10/15/2025: Let’s Talk About Body Image and Food Co-led by Gabby Katz and Taylor Merloni, RD for Lourie Center for Children’s Social Emotional Wellness
- 09/25/2025: Recognizing & Treating Eating Disorders: How to identify & Help – Co-led by Marissa Paraggio and Taylor Merloni, RD for University of Mary Washington Counseling Department and Medical Center
- 09/17/2025: Fat Phobia and Body Size Acceptance – Real Talk for Teens Podcast Guest Gabby Katz for the Healthy Teen Life Podcast
- 04/24/2025: Shopping with Confidence: Embracing Body Diversity and Navigating the Store – Webinar developed and led by Gabby Katz for NEDA
- 04/07/2025: The Connection Between Eating Disorders & Trauma – Co-led by Kelsey West & Emilee Wells, RD for Children’s Advocacy Centers of Virginia
- 02/27/2025: Weight Stigma, Racism, and Eating Disorders – Instagram Live Co-led by Gabby Katz for ANAD Day of Conversation
- 11/14/2024: Psychology of Eating Behavior and How to Treat Eating Disorders – Presented by Marissa Paraggio at the University of Mary Washington
- 09/25/2024: Weight Stigma Awareness Week Instagram Live – Gabby Katz & Rock Recovery
- 06/25/2024: The Dreaded “C” Word in Eating Disorder Treatment: Compassion – Cigna ED Awareness Series, co-led by Gabby Katz & Jenn Forbes
- 05/14 & 05/17/2024: Q&A with a Therapist: What Can You Do with a Psychology Degree? – Marissa Paraggio, Prince William County high schools
2021–2023
- 10/05/2023: Eating Disorders 101 – Training by Gabby Katz for Fairfax County Crisis Stabilization Unit
- 09/28/2023: Fighting Weight Stigma – Instagram Live with Gabby Katz & Rock Recovery
- 09/26/2023: Eating Disorder Basics – Training by Kelsey West for an outpatient practice
- 07/12 & 08/17/2023: Mandated Reporting – Training by Gabby Katz for outpatient RD group practices, Mood Balance Nutrition & Pinney Davenport Nutrition
- 05/19/2023: Eating Disorders 101: What They Are and How to Treat Them – Marissa Paraggio, Prince William County high school
- 02/28/2023: Eating Disorders Through a Trauma-Informed Lens – Cigna ED Awareness Series, co-led by Gabby Katz & Kelsey West
- 11/18/2022: safeTALK Training – Gabby Katz for local ED-specialized dietitians
- 07/14/2022: Eating Disorders and Domestic Violence – Info session by Kelsey West
- 04/19/2022: Stress Management – Training by Gabby Katz for Hexagon US Federal
- 03/22/2022: Understanding Eating Disorders: Maladaptive to Adaptive Coping Skills – Gabby Katz & Kelsey West, Cigna ED Awareness Series
- 07/27/2021: Counter-Cultural Eating Disorder Recovery: Implementing Health at Every Size® – Gabby Katz, Cigna ED Awareness Series
- 02/05/2021: Weight Inclusivity: Practical Implementations – CEU training by Gabby Katz & Kelsey West, co-hosted with Center for Discovery and Rock Recovery
2019–2020
- 10/02/2020: Weight Inclusivity: Our Paradigm Shift in Treating EDs – Gabby, co-led with Center for Discovery & Rock Recovery
- 08/25/2020: Assessing Level of Care for ED Treatment – Cigna ED Awareness Series
- 05/08/2020: What Level of Care Does This Client Need? – Training for outpatient practice
- 03/07/2020: Extreme Picky Eating Explained: Treating ARFID – CEU for RDN Day, Northern Virginia
- 03/2020: Understanding ED Treatment Basics – Discovery Behavioral Health, Virginia programs
- 04/23/2019: Mental Health & Emotional Treatment of EDs – Cigna ED Awareness Series
- 02/23/2019: Treating Eating Disorders – CEU for Northern Virginia Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics
- 02/21/2019:Treating ARFID – Center for Discovery Inspiration Call (national)
Feedback from Speaking & Training Partners
“Gabby is a dynamic and inspiring presenter who consistently tackles challenging and important topics with clarity and compassion. Over the past three years, she has been a valued guest in my eating disorder psychology course, and the student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive each time.
What sets Gabby apart is her ability to thoughtfully weave together her lived experience—both personally and professionally—with evidence-based research and cultural analysis. She brings concepts such as Health at Every Size, diet culture, and fat phobia to life by integrating pop culture references, academic insights, and engaging conversations that resonate deeply with students.
Her presentations are not only educational but transformative, encouraging critical reflection and fostering inclusive dialogue. Gabby’s unique blend of authenticity, expertise, and creativity makes her an exceptional educator whose contributions leave a lasting impact on her audience.”
TAMIE GANGLOFF MA MFT, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, WCU OF PA, AUTHOR CHRONIC ILLNESS AND EATING DISORDERS
“Gabby provided a fantastic training for our team of clincians who work with young children and families! She shared information about healthy body image development, picky eating and ARFID in a dynamic and engaging way. Gabby was responsive to our training request, team feedback and we are so glad to have connected with her. We would highly recommend her trainings to all!”
JULIA WESSEL, LCSW-C, ECMH-E®, LOURIE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELLNESS
Organizations, Schools, and Professionals We Work With
We partner with a wide range of professionals, schools, and organizations seeking high-quality mental health education, eating disorder trainings, and community-focused presentations.
Our speaking engagements are tailored to meet the needs of both clinical and non-clinical audiences—whether you’re looking to support your staff, enhance professional development, or bring accessible mental health education to your community or workplace.
Looking to bring one of our trainings to your team, campus, classroom, or community? We offer customizable presentations for:
- Mental health and medical professionals
- Dietitians and eating disorder providers
- Colleges, universities, Student Life, and Student Affairs
- Undergraduate and graduate courses, including psychology, social work, counseling, nursing, and eating disorder–specific classes
- Schools, educators, and youth programs
- Community-based organizations and nonprofits
- Corporate wellness programs and general businesses seeking mental health or stress management trainings
- Mental health and lifestyle podcasts or Instagram Live hosts
Training Formats & Delivery Options
Available in-person throughout Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, and virtually nationwide.
Our presentations and professional trainings are designed to be flexible and accessible. We provide in-person presentations and trainings throughout Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, as well as virtual trainings and speaking engagements nationwide. Offerings include single-session presentations, multi-part training series, professional development trainings, and customized programs tailored to your organization’s goals.
To book a training or inquire about upcoming availability, contact us.
We’ll work with you to build a presentation tailored to your audience and goals — grounded in empathy, expertise, and practical tools you can use right away.