Get Top Eating Disorder Medical Care with Gaudiani Clinic's Dr. Sarah-Ashley Robbins, MD

It can feel nearly impossible to find quality eating disorder medical care in San Diego and elsewhere. You tell your medical doctor that you have an eating disorder, and they still weigh you, they still talk about what you should or should not eat, and they make judgments about your BMI. It discourages you so much that you avoid going to the physician until your health worsens and you end up in urgent care or the ER. There is hope. Gaudiani Clinic, founded by Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani, MD, is the top eating disorder medical outpatient clinic in the United States. They embrace a Health at Every Size (HAES) approach, and they can treat patients either in person in Denver, Colorado, or virtually in most states in the U.S. Regardless whether you live in San Diego like me or somewhere else in the U.S. or even the world, it is worth knowing about Gaudiani Clinic and the amazing work that their team does.

For my San Diego eating disorder blog, I interviewed Dr. Sarah-Ashley Robbins, MD, who has a fascinating background and an unwavering passion for treating medical complications of eating disorders and co-occurring issues. I’m so excited for you to get to know her!

How did you choose to become an eating disorder specialist?
My journey to the ED field began long before I even became aware of it. My undergraduate degree was in nutrition and food science. Most of my classmates became dietitians and, even though I knew I wanted to go to medical school, I always had a soft place in my heart for dietitians. I thought it would be awesome to work alongside dietitians in a primary care medical practice in the future. I didn’t learn a ton about eating disorders in undergrad, med school or residency (which, unfortunately, is par for the course).

Fast forward to right after I graduated residency and was about to start my first job as a physician in primary care, I was serendipitously introduced to a local dietitian looking to connect with primary care doctors. Of course, this piqued my interest given my history with aspiring dietitians. She happened to be an eating disorder dietitian and opened my eyes to the eating disorder treatment world. I began seeing her clients as well as getting referrals from dietitians and therapists all over Denver.

I loved these patients, quickly realized the need for my medical expertise, was able to recognize the harms that are done in the medical system towards individuals with eating disorders and really enjoyed learning about how to support these individuals on their journey to recovery. Joining the Gaudiani Clinic allowed me to work with this wonderful population fulltime and without many of the challenges (such as short patient visits and lack of time available for team coordination) that exist in traditional primary care settings.

What kind of treatment do you provide at the Gaudiani Clinic?
We provide outpatient expert medical care for patients with eating disorders or disordered eating of all types. Our patients are in many stages of recovery ranging from active treatment to those with a long history of remission seeking a doctor with ED knowledge. Although we are not a hospital-based treatment center, we collaborate with treatment centers all over the United States to provide care as needed for our patients whether that involves receiving a patient from treatment or coordinating admission to a program while they are under our care. We pride ourselves on being HAES-informed and providing weight neutral primary care to help address the weight discrimination many face in the traditional medical system.

Besides eating disorders, what other co-occurring issues do you treat?
Eating disorders do not exist in a vacuum and are often accompanied by many other medical and psychiatric diagnoses. I see and treat a lot of gastrointestinal issues, as they prominently overlap with eating disorders or are worsened by malnutrition. Similar to other primary care providers, we can assess for and address all the bodily systems to determine how a person’s eating disorder is or is not affecting each part of their body including the heart, lungs, bones, skin, pelvic floor, reproductive system, musculoskeletal system, etc. We also see and manage many co-occurring psychiatric illnesses such as but not limited to depression, anxiety, OCD and PTSD.

What are some examples of the types of eating disorder patients you treat?
Our patients include males and females as well as those identifying as non-binary and transgender. Ages range from early adolescence to age 60+. We see people via telehealth living all over the United States.

How do you integrate the Health at Every Size (HAES) approach in your eating disorder treatment?
We practice using a weight neutral approach and never recommend weight loss as a strategy for gaining health. Everybody regardless of body size deserves sound medical care without fear of discrimination.

What do you wish people knew about getting medical treatment for eating disorders?
I believe the majority of those living with eating disorders have gone through the challenges of finding medical providers with ED experience and knowledge. Often, patients or family members of those living with eating disorders must be fierce advocates for their care. While this is unfair and exhausting, it is often required. I would like to change this question a little to what I wish medical providers knew about getting medical treatment for eating disorders. Medical providers need more training in eating disorders including recognizing how we harm and perpetuate these illnesses. Even without ED expert knowledge, physicians can be open, non-judgmental, and compassionate towards those with eating disorders which goes a long way.

How can people learn more about and contact you?

You can visit the Gaudiani Clinic website at www.gaudianiclinic.com or reach out to us at 720.515.2140 | info@gaudianiclinic.com.

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Hey everyone, I really appreciate you reading my blog!  Have a wonderful day. :)  

Marianne 

If you are struggling to find online eating disorder treatment with help with bulimia, binge eating or other eating disorders in San Diego, schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation using the online scheduler (just click on the orange button), and I will help you get where you need to be! 

I am also offering a class called Binge Eating 101: Redefining Your Relationship with Food and with Your Body. Registration deadline is April 5th, and it begins Tuesday, April 19th. Spots are limited so register today!

You can find more information about me on Instagram @drmariannemiller or on my Facebook page.