Rachel Kramer, PhD
- Pediatric Psychologist, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology
- Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
About
Biography
As a pediatric psychologist, I specialize in providing evidence-based treatment to teens and young adults diagnosed with eating disorders including anorexia nervosa and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). I provide family-based therapy (FBT) and have completed training with the developers of FBT through Train2Treat. I also have extensive experience providing therapy to youth with anxiety disorders and employ cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) depending on their presenting concerns.
Having also trained in motivational interviewing, I enjoy collaborating with families and working to enhance the many strengths they possess to support their child or sibling in recovering from their eating disorder.
My research focuses on understanding the impact of eating disorders on parents, siblings and other caregivers. I'm also examining how awareness of body cues (interoceptive awareness) is impacted as a result of anorexia nervosa, and I hope to evaluate what interventions may eventually improve body awareness and reduce anxiety related to body cues.
I like to spend my free time traveling, doing yoga and spending time with my cat.
PhD: Clinical Psychology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, 2018.
Internship: University of Denver, Graduate School for Professional Psychology (GSPP), Kaiser Permanente, Eating Disorders Track, Denver, CO, 2018.
MA: American University, Washington, DC, 2014.
BA: Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, 2011.
Postdoctoral Fellowship: Eating Disorders Track, Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.
Interests
Anorexia Nervosa; Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID); Family Based Therapy (FBT); Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT); Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Services and Specialties
Interests
Effectiveness of eating disorder treatment (FBT); yoga and various protective factors against eating disorder pathology; impact of eating disorders on caregivers and siblings; eating disorders and interoceptive awareness
Research Areas
Publications
Weight Stigma in the Development, Maintenance, and Treatment of Eating Disorders: A Case Series Informing Implications for Research and Practice. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. 2025; 53:747-760.
Response to a letter to the editor about eating disorder (ED) symptoms among transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth seeking gender-affirming care. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2025; 30:189-194.
Eating disorder symptoms among transgender and gender diverse youth. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2024; 29:30-44.
Modification of an inpatient medical management protocol for pediatric Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: improving the standard of care. Journal of Eating Disorders. 2023; 11:165.
Predictors of caregiver burden before starting family-based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa and associations with weight gain during treatment. Eating and Weight Disorders: studies on anorexia, bulimia and obesity. 2023; 28:21.
An exploration of the association between premorbid weight status on patient and caregiver factors at pre and post-treatment among youth with anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa. Eating Behaviors. 2023; 50:101786.
Clinical characteristics of medically hospitalized youth with anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa and premorbid overweight/obesity. Eating Disorders. 2023; 31:201-211.
Considerations in Evidence-Based Treatment of Adolescents With Atypical Anorexia Nervosa. 2023; 49:41-51.
Intermittent fasting implementation and association with eating disorder symptomatology. Eating Disorders. 2022; 30:471-491.
Yoga practice in a college sample: associated changes in eating disorder, b ody image, and related f actors over time. Yoga for Positive Embodiment in Eating Disorder Prevention and Treatment. : Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis; 2022.
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