ABOUT CCEBT
Helping Adolescents and Young Adults Who Suffer from Eating Disorders, Anxiety and Related Disorders
Our experienced therapists deliver evidence-based treatments to adolescents and adults suffering from eating disorders, anxiety, and related disorders. Our approach is largely behavioral and we offer tailored treatment approaches based on a thorough assessment of client’s presenting concerns.
Kristen Anderson, LCSW
Co-Founder & Therapist
Kristen Anderson, MA, LCSW, CEDS-S is a licensed clinical social worker with twenty years experience in the field of eating disorders. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the Honors College at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and moved to Chicago to begin working with Daniel Le Grange, PhD, FAED on treatment studies for adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Kristen obtained her Master’s degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. Kristen has provided FBT in a multitude of clinical treatment trials. She is the former Clinical Director at the University of Chicago Eating Disorders Program. Her current research focuses on the use of telemedicine to deliver Family-Based Treatment and the use of Multi Family Therapy for the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa. Kristen’s primary interests include family based treatment for adolescents and young adults as well as the treatment of Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). She is a faculty member and Managing Director of the Training Institute for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders where she provides consultation and presents nationally and internationally on the topic of eating disorder treatment. She is a certified Family Based Treatment provider and certified Family Based Treatment Supervisor. View Kristen’s Curriculum Vitae
Sara Desai, LCSW
Co-Founder & Therapist
Sara Glassford Desai, MA, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience treating children and young adults with eating disorders. She earned her bachelor of arts degree from Emory University and her Master’s degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. Sara has provided FBT to adolescents and their families as well as young adults suffering from Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. She is a certified Family Based Treatment provider. Sara is also trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Adolescent Focused Therapy for eating disorders. Sara’s primary interests include family based treatment and cognitive behavioral treatment for adolescents and young adults. View Sara’s Resume
Katharine L. Loeb, PhD
EXPERT IN RESIDENCE
Katharine L. Loeb, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist who has devoted her three-decade career to the research and treatment of eating and feeding disorders and related weight concerns. She has also played an integral role in training future scientists and clinicians in this field. In 2020, Dr. Loeb retired as Professor of Psychology in the PhD Program in Clinical Psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) and joined the team at CCEBT. Dr. Loeb received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons. She was the founding Director of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine’s Eating and Weight Disorders Program; at FDU, Dr. Loeb was Director of both the Eating, Feeding, and Weight Disorders Lab and Clinical Practicum. She has also been a faculty member, trainer, and certified therapist of the Training Institute for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders since its inception. She is on the medical advisory board of Relief Resources, an international referral service for the Orthodox Jewish Community. Dr. Loeb has been inducted as a Fellow in the Academy for Eating Disorders and in the Association for Psychological Science, and she is a recipient of the FDU Distinguished Faculty Award for Research and Scholarship. Dr. Loeb’s research involves improving case identification of and parenting capacities in managing child and adolescent eating disorders, and systems-level strategies, including applied behavioral economics, to improve children’s eating behaviors. View Dr. Loeb’s Curriculum Vitae
Our Therapists
Melissa Mello, LMFT
Director of Anxiety Services
Melissa Mello is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in the evidence-based treatment of anxiety disorders, OCD, and eating disorders. Melissa received her BS in psychology from the University of Washington and her Masters in Marital and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego. Melissa completed her training at UC San Diego in an outpatient setting and went on to contribute to clinical research and provide services for eating disorders on multidisciplinary teams. She was also a program therapist for the UCSD Intensive Family Treatment (IFT) program- a week-long intensive program for teens with eating disorders and their families. She has been trained in and utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Family Based Treatment (FBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy( ACT). Her primary interests include working with children, teens, and young adults with anxiety disorders, OCD, and eating disorders. She is a member of the International OCD Foundation and a certified Family Based Treatment provider.
Alex Bayer, LCSW, CADC
Alex is a licensed social worker and certified alcohol & drug counselor with extensive training working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the Honors College at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and her Master’s in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. She began her career providing school-based counseling to teens, and she would describe her approach to therapy as strength-based and trauma-responsive. She is passionate about creating a warm, empathetic, and non-judgmental environment to support individuals in processing their emotions.
Alex has been trained and utilizes approaches in Family Based Treatment (FBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for ARFID (CBT-AR), Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI). Her primary interests include supporting individuals with anxiety disorders, OCD, eating disorders, substance use, and body image concerns.
Christine Daemicke, MSW, LCSW
Christine Daemicke, MSW, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker in Illinois and Indiana with specialized training working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Marquette University and earned her Masters in Social Work from Dominican University. Christine began her eating disorders career at the University of Chicago’s Eating Disorder Program where she provided FBT to adolescents and their families as well as young adults suffering from Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. She is a certified Family Based Treatment provider. Christine is also trained in Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Eating Disorders and Anxiety Disorders. Christine’s primary interests include FBT and CBT for adolescents and young adults, as well as assessment and pre/post-operative guidance/counseling for bariatric surgery patients. She also specializes in anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and teens.
Laura DuFour, LCSW
Laura DuFour is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over ten years of experience working with children and families. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA and her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. Laura began her career serving adolescents in the foster care system in New York City. Laura also worked as a social worker and department supervisor at Marillac St. Vincent Family Services. She was a early intervention specialists and provided in-home services to children with developmental delays. Laura has been trained in Family Based Treatment. Her primary interests include Family Based Treatment with adolescents and their families.
Lily Friske, LCPC, CEDS
Lily Friske is a licensed clinical professional counselor and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist providing telehealth to clients located in Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana. She earned her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health from Roosevelt University in downtown Chicago. During graduate school, Lily worked for two years as an inpatient Mental Health Counselor at the Chicago Children’s Center for Behavioral Health. She completed her internship at The Awakening Center treating adults with Eating, Mood, and Trauma Disorders. After graduate school, Lily turned her focus to children and families as the School Counselor at The British International School of Chicago, Lincoln Park. Lily joined CCEBT in 2020 and has received extensive specialized training to treat Eating Disorders and Anxiety Disorders. She enjoys providing Family Based Treatment (FBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and supportive psychotherapy. Additionally, Lily is passionate about providing supportive psychotherapy to teens, men, and women interested in improving body image and returning to thriving living after recovery from an eating disorder. She is a certified Family Based Treatment provider.
Julianna Gorder, PsyD
Julianna Gorder, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist who is licensed in both Illinois and California and has extensive experience providing evidence-based treatment for eating disorders to individuals of all ages. Julianna is particularly passionate about understanding the role of temperament in complex, comorbid eating disorder presentations, and using temperament-informed treatment approaches to support individuals and their loved ones throughout the recovery process. Julianna is recognized internationally for her expertise in Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO DBT), an evidence-based treatment for disorders of overcontrol, which is a temperament-based coping style characterized by “excessive self-control.” Julianna is currently an accredited RO DBT trainer and senior clinician, receiving ongoing mentorship from the treatment developer, Dr. Thomas Lynch, and has provided consultation and training in RO DBT to clinicians both nationally and internationally.
Julianna earned her BA in Psychology from the University of St. Thomas and her PsyD in Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. After receiving her doctorate in 2018, Julianna completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center (UCSD EDC) and worked as a staff psychologist at UCSD EDC until 2022, during which time she developed and managed an RO DBT track within the adult PHP and IOP programs. From 2022 to 2024, Julianna was a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Keck School of Medicine at University of Southern California (USC), where she worked within the Eating Disorders Program, and also served as a member of the departmental Suicide Prevention Task Force. Julianna has extensive training in Family Based Treatment (FBT), standard Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD, and has received intensive training in both the adult and adolescent adaptations of Temperament Based Treatment with Support (TBT-S) for Anorexia Nervosa. When she is not working, Julianna enjoys traveling and spending time with her friends, family, and two rescue cats, Lily and Luna.
Julia Moss, MSW
Julia Moss, MSW is a clinical social worker who specializes in the evidence-based treatment of eating disorders with children, adolescents, and young adults. Julia earned her Master’s of Social Work from the University of Michigan. She began her clinical career at Michigan Medicine’s Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program, where she provided Family-Based Treatment to patients with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and ARFID, and facilitated group therapy based on CBT, DBT, body neutrality, and caregiver education. She has also provided supportive psychotherapy to teens and young adults struggling with a wide variety of mental health challenges including anxiety and depression, relationship struggles, identity exploration, and life transitions. Her approach to therapy is emotionally attuned, playful, and non-judgmental, and incorporates principles of mindfulness, self-compassion, and radical acceptance. She is passionate about providing care through a Health at Every Size and LGBTQ+-affirming lens.
Pam Oberlie, AM, LCSW
Pam is a graduate of The University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice and she joined CCEBT in 2023. She has an extensive background treating individuals and families coping with complex medical conditions and acute and chronic mental health challenges.
Her training and clinical background are in Contextual Behaviorism and Family Systems, utilizing clinical applications such as Functional Analytic Psychotherapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and general narrative approaches. She brings this background to her work with people challenged by disordered eating patterns and is FBT trained.
Pam is passionate about psychological flexibility, and promotes a pragmatic, non-judgmental, mindfulness-based approach in her support of individuals and families. She is also a consultant and lecturer with The Crown Family School at The University of Chicago and mentors graduate students in direct practice and clinical intervention.
Annie Schrayer, PsyD
Dr. Annie Schrayer is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Annie received her BA in psychology from the University of Michigan and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Roosevelt University with a clinical focus in Child and Family Psychology. She completed her post-doctoral fellowship at the Depression and Anxiety Speciality Clinic of Chicago (DASC). Annie has been extensively trained in and utilizes a variety of evidence based treatments, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy(ACT). In addition, she is trained in Supportive Parenting of Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), a parent-based treatment program for children and adolescents with anxiety, OCD, and related disorders. Her clinical expertise include working with children (age 5 and up), adolescents, young adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders, and phobias, as well as educating and collaborating with parents to support their child’s progress without accommodating their behaviors. Annie prioritizes building a genuine and authentic relationship with her clients using curiosity, empathy, and humor. Annie is part of PsyPact and is able to practice in the following states.
Trainees
Sarah Broner
Sarah Broner is a clinical psychology PhD student at Loyola University Chicago. She is pursuing a clinical-child subspecialty and is particularly interested in evidence-based treatment for eating disorders and anxiety disorders. Sarah’s research takes a developmental psychopathology approach to understanding the onset and treatment of mental health symptoms in youth and young adults. Sarah is dedicated to improving the lives of those with whom she works.
Sarah Coates, BS
Sarah received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Exercise Science with a minor in Philosophy from Western Michigan University. She is currently a fourth year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Illinois Institute of Technology. Sarah’s current research interest centers around the use of wearable fitness tracking technology and its relation to eating disorders and maladaptive exercise behaviors. One of her main training goals is to further develop clinical skills in working with individuals with eating disorders.
Jordan Nielsen
Jordan Nielsen is a Clinical Mental Health Counseling student at Northwestern University on the Child and Adolescent specialty track. She is also a graduate research assistant for the Perfectly Imperfect Lab, examining the features and implications of maladaptive perfectionism. Jordan has 7 years of experience as a PHP and IOP counselor and as a school liaison at a pediatric eating disorder clinic in Portland, Oregon. Jordan is interested in evolutionary psychology and studying the origins of anxiety, OCD, and eating disorder behaviors in children, adolescents and emerging adults. Jordan is passionate about creating meaningful change and providing a supportive and empathetic environment for all.
Administrative team
Maria Weiss
BILLING coordinator
Maria Weiss has spent most of her career in finance and banking. She spent six years in Investment Banking for JP Morgan Chase, supporting the Midwest Corporate banking team. She then spent five years in the private sector, selling mortgages. Maria attended DePaul University where she earned a degree in both Finance and Marketing.
Claire Zawa
clinic coordinator
Claire Zawa is a Mindfulness-Based Childbirth & Parenting teacher, with many years of administrative experience from past careers. With over six years as the Care Manager for a Chicago doula company and over 14 years as a labor support and postpartum doula, Claire enjoys supporting families through life’s transitions. Claire spent over 12 years as a stage manager in theatre and has a Bachelors of Arts in Theatre from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN
OUR LOCATIONS
