Lauren Muhlheim, Psy.D., FAED, CEDS-S (PSY15045), is a clinical psychologist who specializes in providing evidence-based cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy for a variety of problems experienced by adults and adolescents, including depression, anxiety, stress, and eating disorders. She has a B.A. from Princeton University and a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University. She has been providing psychological counseling since 1991.
Eating Disorders
Dr. Muhlheim is a Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders. During graduate school, she trained in the Rutgers Eating Disorder Research Clinic under the mentorship of internationally renowned eating disorders expert, G. Terence Wilson, Ph.D. There she was trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for bulimia; eating disorders have been a primary focus and interest of study for her ever since. More recently, Dr. Muhlheim obtained training in Maudsley Family-based treatment (FBT) for adolescent eating disorders and was certified in FBT by the Training Institute for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders. She is also trained in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (CBT-AR for ARFID).
Dr. Muhlheim is certified as an eating disorder specialist (CEDS) through the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP), and is also an IAEDP Approved Consultant (-C). The Consultant qualification allows her to provide consultation for therapists and other mental health professionals who are pursuing their own certification as eating disorder specialists. She is additionally a Certified Body Trust® Provider. Dr. Muhlheim has recently co-authored a peer-reviewed paper on “Eating Disorders and Scope of Competence for Outpatient Psychotherapists.” She is the author of the book When Your Teen Has an Eating Disorder: Practical Strategies to Help Your Teen Recover from Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge Eating (New Harbinger, Sept, 2018). This book has been translated into Russian, Spanish, and Turkish.
Work Experience
Dr. Muhlheim has worked in a variety of settings – including inpatient hospitals, outpatient clinics, group homes, and private practice – with clients having many different issues. For nearly ten years she was a staff psychologist at Los Angeles County Jail, where she gained expertise in diagnostic assessment and crisis intervention. She spent 3 years in Shanghai, China working as a clinical psychologist treating expatriate foreigners in two different settings, including a primary care clinic at Parkway Health, the largest international healthcare provider in Asia. Dr. Muhlheim has experience supervising and training psychology interns and other mental health professionals and provides training in eating disorder specialization through her group practice.
Diversity
Dr. Muhlheim has a special interest in and appreciation for cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity. In her work in both Shanghai and Los Angeles, she gained experience working with clients of many different nationalities as well as varied cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds. Dr. Muhlheim works with clients of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Dr. Muhlheim is fat-positive and neurodiversity-affirming.
Professional Organizations
Dr. Muhlheim spearheaded the establishment of the Shanghai International Mental Health Association (SIMHA) and served as its first president. Dr. Muhlheim is active in the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) and previously served on the Academy’s Board of Directors as Director for Outreach. Currently, she serves as a co-chair of the Private Practice SIG. Previous AED positions include co-chair of the Membership Recruitment and Retention Committee, co-chair of the Social Media Committee, co-chair of the Research-Practice Committee, Co-Chair of the SIG Oversight Committee, and founding co-chair of the Family-Based Treatment Special Interest Group.
Dr. Muhlheim previously served as president of the Los Angeles County Psychological Association (LACPA). Additional roles for LACPA have included board director of the Special Interest Groups and Chair of the Ethics Committee. She was also a past chair of LACPA’s Eating Disorder Special Interest Group and a Co-editor of LACPA’s The Los Angeles Psychologist.
She is a professional advisor to Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders (F.E.A.S.T.) and was previously a member of the IAEDP Advisory Committee for Certification Core Course Revisions as well as a past certification chair for the IAEDP LA Chapter.
Dr. Muhlheim presents to other professionals and professionals in training at the local level as well as nationally. Dr. Muhlheim is active professionally on social media.
Dr. Muhlheim is frequently interviewed as a subject matter expert on eating disorders. View her press page.