Moving Through Resistance & Engaging Eating Disorder Recovery in Athletes

IAEDP Jacksonville is excited to announce our Spring CE on treating athletes with eating disorders! We are so thrilled to host Dr. Magin Day, PhD and Julie Holland, MHA, CEDS-C for this event.

This event will occur on Friday, March 7th, 2025 at the UNF John A. Delaney Student Union (Building 58). We will be on the 3rd floor in room 3703 A&B in the WEST Building. This event starts at 9:00 am, and breakfast will be served.

Presentation Description:

Athletes are often recognized for their discipline, resilience, dedication, and competitive spirit—qualities that contribute to their success in sports. However, these same traits can inadvertently become obstacles to recovery when they are misdirected into unhealthy behaviors, particularly in the realm of eating disorders. The widespread, yet misguided, belief that weight loss always enhances performance—especially in endurance sports, weight-class events, or those emphasizing aesthetics—remains pervasive. Well-intentioned coaches and healthcare providers may mistake signs like extremely low resting heart rates or minimal body fat as indicators of health or peak athleticism, rather than life-threatening symptoms of eating disordered behaviors. These factors may complicate the athlete’s understanding of their own condition and foster resistance among athletes in their journey of recovery.

For many, disordered eating serves as a means for managing emotional distress and anxiety, allowing individuals to regain a sense of control in overwhelming situations. This connection can be especially pronounced in those who have experienced trauma.

This presentation delves into the intricate relationship between the attributes that define athletic excellence, and the unique challenges athletes face when grappling with eating disorders. By examining the complex interaction of athletic identity, performance-related psychological traits, and the physiological effects of disordered eating, it aims to spark a conversation about creating environments that prioritize the holistic well-being of athletes. Participants will leave equipped with valuable insights and strategies to support athletes in their recovery journeys, while promoting healthy performance enhancement.

Objectives

1. Understand why resistance may develop during eating disorder recovery among athletes
2. Recognize the fluid nature of factors that may simultaneously make athletes great at their sport… as well as very stuck in their eating disorder
3. Identify key points to working through resistance of eating disorder recovery in athletes

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Magin Day is a Clinical Sports Psychologist, who is board certified in Clinical Psychology. She earned her PhD in Clinical Health Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where her research focused on the intricate relationship between physical and psychological health in military personnel. She completed her residency at the Wilford Hall Ambulatory and Surgical Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where she honed her expertise in treating complex trauma while serving as an active-duty Clinical Psychologist in the Air Force.

As a former Division I distance runner at North Carolina State University, she brings firsthand experience to her practice. She has also represented the United States Air Force in international competitions across various sports, including cross country, track and field, marathon running, and equestrian three-day eventing.

At McCallum Place, Dr. Day leverages her educational background, clinical expertise, and athletic experience to create compassionate, tailored interventions. Her work focuses on the unique challenges faced by athletes struggling with eating disorders, emphasizing the vital connection between physical and psychological health.

UNF STUDENT UNION DIRECTIONS:

Here's a few helpful details about parking and finding the room we are in.

This event is taking place on the campus of UNF in the John A. Delaney Student Union (Building 58). We will be on the 3rd floor in room 3703 AB in the WEST Building.

Please see below for a map for reference.

Parking Instructions:

• Enter through the main UNF entrance (from I-295, St. Johns Bluff Road, and Town Center Parkway).
• Continue on UNF Drive, and proceed straight through the traffic light.
• You will pass the Fine Arts Center Parking Garage (Building 44) and Tom and Betty Petway Hall (Building 57)
• The Arena Parking Garage (Building 38) will be on your right.
• Park on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th floor of the Arena Parking Garage.
• DO NOT back in, as your license plate must be visible.
• After parking, walk to a kiosk and pay for parking. You will need to enter your license plate number.
• Follow signs for the John A. Delaney Student Union (Building 58).
• WE WILL BE ON THE 3RD FLOOR, IN ROOM 3703 AB IN THE WEST BUILDING.

Printable UNF campus map:

https://www.unf.edu/housing/files/resources/Certified.msa.campusMap_Final.pdf

Interactive UNF campus map:

https://maps.unf.edu/

Thank you to our incredible sponsors for helping to make this event happen!

We are immensely grateful to the National Alliance for Eating Disorders for all of the work that they do, and for assisting with the CE Credits for this event!

Host or Publisher iaedp Jacksonville Chapter