Julie Westlin-Naigus

What is an eating disorder?

Disordered eating often exists on a spectrum, and struggles with food may vary greatly from one person to another. People struggling with disordered eating find themselves pre-occupied with thoughts and behaviors related to food, body, weight, diet or exercise.

Eating disorders involve serious disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating, as well as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or weight. The four most common eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, and Feeding or Eating Disorders Not Elsewhere Classified. Eating disorders currently affect approximately 25 million Americans, in which approximately 25% are male. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate among all psychological disorders (The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness, 2013).

What if I or someone I know has an eating disorder?

The sooner you or someone you know seeks treatment, the closer that person is to recovery. There are many options in treatment and with my extended knowledge of eating disorders, I can help you evaluate the next course of treatment. You can also go onto the NEDA website for more information.

Please call or email to schedule an intake/evaluation appointment. At our first appointment we will look over your treatment goals and look at how we might best work together. After our first meeting, I will give you a clinical recommendations based on what I feel is in your best interest. Individual therapy may be effective on an outpatient basis, or I may recommend a higher level of care. At this point, it is ultimately your choice to enter into any form of treatment. It is my mission to help you find the treatment that will be most beneficial for you, whether that is with me or elsewhere.

Specialization in Eating Disorder Treatment

Julie is an eating disorder therapist and specialist in Portland, Oregon. She offers two years of experience in PHP and IOP level of care as the lead therapist at the Eating Disorder Center of Portland (Monte Nido) which allowed her to work with an array of eating disorder symptoms and to effectively evaluate, asses, and treat all types of eating disorders.

In addition, Julie has worked alongside and was trained by Hilary Kinavey and Dana Sturtevant at Be Nourished as both an individual and group therapist. In this setting, Julie has become adept at working with Intuitive Eating, Binge Eating Disorder, Health at Every Size®, and Body Trust®.

Julie has been on the board of the Columbia River Eating Disorder Network (CREDN) as the Outreach Coordinator. In addition, Julie has taught at Lewis and Clark College for the Eating Disorder Certificate program. She has given talks and workshops on eating disorders, Health at Every Size® and body image to providers, students and the medical field all around the Portland region.

If you or a loved one is suffering from body hatred, disordered eating and/or destructive behaviors please contact me to begin the journey towards a more fulfilled and healed life.

what is health at every size®?

Health At Every Size® believe’s healthy people come in all shapes and sizes. Rather than focusing on weight loss, we focus on improved quality of life, on reduced health risks, on emotional and physical well-being, internally regulated, non-restrictive eating (no more dieting), on joyful activity and movement, and on size-acceptance. (Weight is seen as one single measurement that may or may not have a direct bearing on a person’s health.)

I recognize my own thin-white privilege and acknowledge that my body affords itself cultural benefits that I did not earn. It is my mission to hold space for all bodies and to listen and give space for your bodies story.