International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation

The International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation (iaedp) is a professional organization, not a treatment provider. The organization is a 501(c)3 non-profit that certifies eating disorder specialists, offers continuing education and professional training, and maintains a public directory of practitioners who specialize in eating disorder care. It exists to support professionals who treat eating disorders, advancing the field through credentialing standards, training programs, and professional community.

What iaedp Foundation is and does

The iaedp Foundation's stated mission is to "advance international excellence in eating disorder care by educating, certifying, and supporting professionals." The organization fulfills this mission through four main activities: a certification program, member education and events, a practitioner directory, and professional support and community.

The certification program is the organization's core offering. Iaedp administers the CEDS (Certified Eating Disorder Specialist) credential and the CEDS-C (Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Candidate) designation, as well as an Associate Designee credential. These credentials signal that a professional has met the iaedp Foundation's standards for training, experience, and competence in eating disorder care. The organization sets ethical and professional treatment standards through its certification process.

The organization offers member benefits including access to education resources, research opportunities, professional networking, and access to the Eating Disorders Review Journal, described as a peer-reviewed publication. Iaedp maintains membership at multiple levels and provides benefits to members including job listing access through a Career Center, opportunities to participate in Special Interest Groups, and the ability to join or start local chapters in the United States.

Iaedp hosts major annual conferences called the Symposium (with events planned for 2026 and 2027), bringing together eating disorder professionals for keynote sessions, multidisciplinary panels, workshops, and networking. The organization also runs a Podcast called "iaedp Voices," with episodes addressing topics relevant to professionals in the field.

The Find a Practitioner directory

Iaedp maintains a public "Find a Practitioner" search tool that allows anyone to search for professionals who are iaedp members or certification holders in their area. The directory is not exclusive to CEDS-certified specialists; it includes iaedp members and professionals with various designations. This directory functions as a specialty registry, similar to other professional membership directories, allowing patients and referral sources to find practitioners with demonstrated commitment to eating disorder care.

The site emphasizes that iaedp Foundation itself does not provide direct clinical services and does not treat patients. Instead, it certifies, educates, and supports the professionals who treat eating disorders. The organization explicitly directs people seeking eating disorder treatment to the finder tool and to partner organizations that can connect them with care.

Professional standards and training

Iaedp sets training and credentialing standards for eating disorder professionals through its certification and educational offerings. The organization works to establish what it calls "ethical and professional treatment standards," and describes this as fulfilling its mission. The site states that the organization is committed to offering accessible education and training in the eating disorder field, promoting awareness of eating disorders, and assisting in prevention efforts.

The organization supports professionals across disciplines, not just therapists. The multidisciplinary nature of eating disorder care is reflected in the fact that CEDS and CEDS-C certifications are open to therapists, dietitians, medical professionals, psychiatrists, and other specialists who treat eating disorders. This reflects the reality that eating disorders require coordinated care involving mental health professionals, nutritional counseling, and medical monitoring for physical complications.

The iaedp Foundation organizes its membership around geographic chapters and special interest groups. Chapters are organized by location and allow professionals in a region to connect, share resources, and access local continuing education. The organization supports professionals who want to start new chapters in their area. Special Interest Groups allow members to focus on specific topics within eating disorder care, connecting professionals who share particular research or clinical interests.

What the pages do not cover

The iaedp site does not list specific requirements for CEDS or CEDS-C certification, such as minimum education, clinical hours, or examination details. It does not state how many practitioners hold CEDS certification or how many are listed in the Find a Practitioner directory. The captured page does not describe the content or focus of the Eating Disorders Review Journal beyond naming it.

The site does not explain the differences between CEDS and CEDS-C, or what the Associate Designee entails. It does not state the cost of membership, membership renewal, or certification fees. The site does not describe how to apply for certification or the timeline for the certification process.

It does not list which Special Interest Groups exist or describe what they focus on. The site mentions chapters but does not list existing chapters by location. The captured page does not provide membership statistics or details about active members.

Who this resource fits

The iaedp Foundation is a resource for professionals in the eating disorder field, not for patients seeking treatment. Therapists, dietitians, psychiatrists, physicians, nurses, and other professionals working with eating disorder patients may use the iaedp Foundation to become certified, access continuing education, network with colleagues, or stay current with research and professional standards. The organization serves professionals across the spectrum of eating disorder care disciplines, making it relevant to anyone in the field, not just therapists.

The Find a Practitioner directory is useful for patients and referral sources (like primary care doctors) seeking to locate professionals who specialize in eating disorder care. Someone looking for a therapist, dietitian, or doctor with specific eating disorder expertise could search this directory to find iaedp members or certified specialists in their area. Referral sources appreciate certified directories because CEDS and CEDS-C credentials signal a level of training and commitment to eating disorder treatment standards.

The directory does not indicate which professionals are actively taking new patients, what their specific areas of specialty within eating disorder treatment are (such as adolescent versus adult, residential versus outpatient, or specific diagnostic focuses), their practice locations, their treatment modalities, or their insurance acceptance. That information would require contacting practitioners directly. The directory is a starting point for identifying potential providers with eating disorder expertise, not a platform that streamlines booking or that displays availability and pricing like clinical telehealth platforms do.

Iaedp is not appropriate for someone seeking immediate treatment or in crisis. The site explicitly directs people in psychiatric emergency to contact local emergency services, and refers seekers to partner organizations and the World Eating Disorders Action Organization for crisis support and treatment resources. The organization does not provide treatment itself and explicitly clarifies that point for visitors seeking care. It is a professional membership and credentialing body, designed to support the infrastructure of eating disorder treatment through training and certification, not to deliver treatment directly or serve as a treatment gateway.