214 The Professional Counselor | Volume 14, Issue 2 EDs. Conversely, clients in this study felt empowered when providers were empathic and provided individualized approaches to treatment. These participants noted that “being seen as an individual” facilitated motivation for treatment, with the therapeutic alliance as an essential factor in this process (Babb et al., 2022, p. 1289). These client perspectives provide valuable insights that should inform the development of CE training programs to better prepare CITs for working with individuals with EDs. Training Recommendations for Counselor Education Programs Collectively, the findings cited above underscore the importance of comprehensive ED training for counselors to be able to effectively and compassionately serve diverse clients with EDs. However, accessibility to such education and training remains a challenge to both the graduate students and practitioners (Biang et al., 2024; Labarta et al., 2023). Furthermore, despite the efficiency of manualized approaches, Babb et al.’s (2022) study emphasized the need for both flexibility and avoiding a one-sizefits-all approach to ED treatment, particularly given the diversity of clients with EDs, including those from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds (Schaumberg et al., 2017). Clients’ lived experiences corroborate these gaps, reporting instances of stereotyping, rigid adherence to theoretical frameworks, and a lack of empathy stemming from inadequate specialized training (Babb et al., 2022). These findings highlight the pressing need for training strategies that ensure competence and uphold ethical standards within the treatment of EDs, including ongoing education for new practitioners entering the field. The following section offers competency-based recommendations for CE programs to incorporate into their curricula and experiential training. We propose a conceptual model that we call the 3 Cs of ED Education and Training. The 3 Cs are: (a) cultivating trainee self-awareness, (b) capturing contextual and sociocultural factors, and (c) collaborating with interdisciplinary professionals (see Figure 1). We also provide an overview of recommended activities and associated reflective prompts that can be used in a special topics course on EDs (see Appendix A), as well as suggested adaptations for integration across counseling curricula. By integrating these teaching strategies, CE programs can enhance competency-based education for EDs (Williams & Haverkamp, 2010), which may empower CITs to provide compassionate, empirically supported services to this vulnerable population. Figure 1 The 3 Cs of ED Education and Training Cultivating Trainee Self-Awareness • Encouraging Reflexivity and Deliberate Practice Capturing Contextual and Sociocultural Factors • Centering Culturally Responsive Approaches Collaborating With Interdisciplinary Professionals • Strengthening Counselor Professional Identity
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