Resume and Recent Activity
Abigail H. Natenshon MA, LCSW, GCFP
Psychotherapist, specializing in the treatment of individuals and families with eating disorders

Book Publications:
Author of When Your Child Has an Eating Disorder: A Step-by-Step Workbook for Parents and Other Caregivers (Jossey Bass Publishers, 1999) Second Printing

Book "When Your Child Has an Eating Disorder" in its third printing in English, also newly released a translation into Orthodox Chinese (Wiley and Sons, Publishers 2004)

2004 E-book
Author of Doing What Works: The Professionals’ Guide to Treating Eating Disorders
The “Nuts and Bolts” of Developing Skills and Techniques for Specialized Eating Disorder Treatment

The Health of Adolescents, American Medical Association, 1991. Co-authored a chapter entitled, Difficulties in Recognizing Adolescent Health Issues.


Television:
Greek National TV; Alter Channel, Athens Greece "The not seen people" Produced by Kostas Hardavelas, February 2005.

May, 2003: Guest appearance as eating disorder expert on The John Walsh Show.

Oprah Winfrey Show; October 4 2001. "Girls Who Don't Eat" Eating Disorder Expert
May, 2003: Guest appearance as eating disorder expert on The John Walsh Show.

May, 2004. Appeared as an expert and life coach to “Josie” on NBC’s reality show Starting Over, filmed live in Chicago.

“Voices in the Crowd” cable television May, 2004

May, 2003: Guest appearance as eating disorder expert on The John Walsh Show.

MSNBC NEWS; The 5:00 News. Newsfront with Lester Holt. Interview
about body image disturbances in young children; July 23, 2001

WICU Channel 26, Chicago, Illinois; The Stock Market Observer; interview with Linda Marshall; July 28, 2000

WNBC; Today in New York; interview with Jane Hanson; June 29, 2000; www.newschannel4.com

News 12 Westchester; Yonkers, New York; June 30, 2000; Brides with Anorexia; Interview

CLTV Chicagoland Television, 24 hour news; subsidiary of the The Chicago Tribune; Interview April 25, 2000.

Highland Park, Illinois; TCI Cable Interview with Gilda Lesser, When Your Child Has an Eating Disorder; November, 1999.


National and Local Radio:
Family Talk Radio, Jan 2, 2004, as the featured guest on the Dr. Mike Riera Show

"Apparently" in 2003, a live radio talk show

WRUF AM 850 Gainesville, Florida Jeff Butera, Live Interview on the subject of Males with Eating Disorders

KIXI-AM, Seattle. "The Bridge to a Healthier Tomorrow" interview with Jolene Anderson. August 24, 2001.

630 CHED Radio, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The Leslie Primeau Show; Eating Disorders and Young People May 1, 2001

WBEZ, National Public Radio, Chicago. "Eight Forty-Eight" with Victoria Lautman; December 12, 2000

The Torah Radio Network WNWI 1080AM October 2, 2000. Interview; The Rabbi Eli Samber Show

The Parents Journal with Bobbi Conner; National syndication

99.5 WUSN-FM Chicago; Chicago Up Close with Leann Trotter; April, 2000

"51%" WAMC, Albany; February 23, 2000 voice transcript posted http://www.wamc.org/audio/51/51.ram

Issues Today Radio Network with Bob Gourley
December 18 and 19, 1999. National syndication

CJAD (Montreal) interview with audience participation; Tommy Shunmaker Show; November 15, 1999


Documentaries and Videos:
July, 2003, Featured expert in a documentary by Marisa Merkl entitled A Sense of Disquiet; this film on DVD is about the impact of the Barbie doll on American culture and is to be first shown in March, 2004 at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, in a festival called “Heroines & Hellions, the Second Celebration of Women in Art, Music, and Literature.”

“Best Practices in the Treatment of Eating Disorders” April 2004, Documentary video

Madill School of Journalism, Northwestern University; May 2004, Documentary video


The Internet:
Creation of www.TreatingEatingDisorders.com, a web site devoted to educating health professionals, educators and graduate students about how to recognize, address, and treat eating disorders in their client, patient or student population. Communications have been established with health professionals from UK, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, and Israel.

www.empoweredparents.com offers over 100 informative articles about eating disorders, body image concerns and healthy eating and weight management;

www.empoweredkidZ.com is a wholesome alternative to the pro-anorexic sites for children between the ages of 7 and 17. Viewed by over 13,000 visitors per month, these sites provide an opportunity to communicate and consult personally with children, parents and professionals from all over the world.

I have also offered expert advice in the form of featured articles on other Internet parenting and health sites, including www.realmagazine.com, www.women’sweb.ca, www.Parents-Talk.com, www.BabyZone.com, wwww.child.com, and www.Selfhelpmagazine.com. Internet articles including personal quotes appear in www.healthatoz.com and http://teenagerstoday.com, among others.

I am also participating on the advisory board and as the eating disorder expert for Real Magazine.


Print Media
Commentary for Newsweek Magazine February 2005 "Anorexia in Young Children" by Peg Tyre.

Commentary for The Wall Street Journal February 2005 "PANDAS Connection to Anorexia" by Heather Tesoriero.

2003, Quoted in 16 hard copy newspaper and magazine articles, these including the Washington Times, along with a full-length feature article about me and my work in the Pioneer Press, a local Chicago north shore newspaper.


Feldenkrais Method
During the years 2003 and 2004, I became a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner as a graduate of the Anat Baniel Method Based on the Work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, and obtained a Masters certification in the treatment of infants and children and in work with high performers.

The Feldenkrais Method has been shown to be of benefit as an adjunct form of treatment for eating disorders, body image distortion, self mutilation, sexual abuse and mood disorders. Through gentle movement and directed attention, the method heightens body awareness and accuracy of body imaging, reduces anxiety and depression, and creates wider options for learning and problem-solving. As an expert in both eating disorder psychotherapy and the Feldenkrais Method, I am at the forefront of a pioneering effort to combine traditional cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic treatment approaches with this cutting edge holistic technique. My clinical research is in the area of group work as well as individual treatment.


Public Speaking
Professional Conferences:

• Fighting disordered eating; Anorexia to Obesity February 25, 2005 Mission Hills Country Club, Northbrook, IL  Sponsored by ANAD 3:00-4:30pm Empowering Parents to become Effective Recovery Advocates
   
• Keynote Address to take place in Billings, Montana September 2005
   
• The International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals in Washington, D.C, August 2003
  
• National Eating Disorders Organization conference in Illinois, October 2003
  
• Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Illinois, December 2002 and March 2003
   

To view a description of the empowering new one or two day workshops that I am currently offering parents, educators, students, and health professionals as part of a 2004-2005 speaking tour, click on the link, “Need a Speaker?” posted on http://www.empoweredparents.com.
Workshops will include a format combining experiential groups and didactic content.


Teaching
Ida Crown Jewish Academy: March 2004
Northwestern University: The Counseling Psychology Masters Program, May 2003
December 7, 1999