Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Please join us for: Body Dysmorphic Disorder Training

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition marked by preoccupation with an aspect of one’s appearance, repetitive behaviors, and significant impairment. There is a higher risk for BDD in LGBTQIA+ individuals relative to their peers, and BDD symptoms can be exacerbated by the effects of stigma, discrimination, and other forms of minority stress. Moreover, the way that BDD presents may be unique in sexual and gender minority communities. Because BDD is associated with low levels of insight and high levels of shame, few people with this concern actively seek mental health care to address their symptoms. However, they may end up in therapy for co-occurring concerns such as depression, OCD, or body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). Accurate assessment can be the first step toward successful remediation of symptoms. This talk will discuss how to identify and assess for BDD with an eye toward how LGBTQIA+ identity can affect both the prevalence and presentation of the disorder.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Participants will list the diagnostic criteria and common assessment tools for Body Dysmorphic Disorder.
2. Participants will discuss the prevalence rates and unique presentations of BDD within the LGBTQIA+ community.
3. Participants will distinguish BDD from other common concerns, such as other mental health disorders and gender dysphoria.

Presenter Bio:

Amy Mariaskin, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and founding director of the Nashville OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center in Brentwood, TN. She works with individuals with OCD, anxiety, and OC spectrum disorders across the lifespan. She is passionate about working with children, families, and couples as well as serving individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community. Dr. Mariaskin is the author of the book Thriving in Relationships with OCD, published in 2022. Additionally, she is active in training and serves as faculty for the International OCD Foundation’s BTTI and as adjunct faculty at Vanderbilt University.

Katie Boyer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing treatment for children, adolescents, and adults at the Nashville OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center in Nashville, TN.  Katie provides both individual and group treatment to those who experience OCD, anxiety related disorders, and other OC spectrum disorders. As part of the LGBTQIA+ community, Katie is passionate about providing support, engagement in advocacy, and treatment for individuals within the community. She started an adult LGBTQIA+ Anxiety and OCD Treatment Group in 2021 at NOATC. Katie is trained in and describes her therapeutic lens as often coming from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) rooted in values work. Katie is also trained in exposure response prevention (ERP) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), as well as mindfulness interventions and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills and the Family Well Being Approach.