Introduction to Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating

Ricardo Despradel, LMHC-D, LPC, is a licensed psychotherapist with over a decade of experience providing evidence-based care to clients across New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. He currently runs a private practice specializing in care for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals, with a clinical focus on OCD, eating disorders (including ARFID), and PTSD, using exposure and behavioral interventions tailored to each client's needs. Ricardo's clinical expertise is grounded in a strong foundation in training and education. He served as Director of Training for Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens, where he delivered evidence-based practice trainings across all of the organization's CCBHC programs, and previously trained substance abuse treatment programs throughout NYC at the New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI). He earned his Bachelor's in Psychology from Universidad Católica Santo Domingo, his Master's in Psychology from Adelphi University, and an advanced certification in mental health counseling from Alfred University. Today, Ricardo continues this commitment to clinical education by training fellow mental health professionals in these specialty areas through CEU-eligible webinars and workshops.