Fragiscos Gonidakis – DBT in Eating Disorders

Name: Fragiscos Gonidakis – DBT in Eating Disorders
Start: 2025-08-03T19:00:00+02:00
End: 2025-08-03T20:30:00+02:00

Date & Time:

August 3 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

MD, PhD Fragiskos Gonidakis is the Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, based at Eginition University Hospital. He leads both the Eating Disorders Unit and the DBT Outpatient Service, with his clinical and academic focus firmly rooted in eating disorders and DBT. Fragiskos’ interest in DBT began over 15 years ago when treating clients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and co-occurring anorexia nervosa. Conventional approaches such as CBT and systemic family therapy had limited success. He describes his shift to DBT as a transformative experience. Not only in its impact on his clients, but also in how the skills affected his own life and team dynamics. Since then, he has dedicated his work to adapting DBT for broader clinical contexts, mentoring new therapists, and destigmatizing BPD in the community.

In his webinar Fragiskos will focus on practical strategies for clinicians. He will explore how to adjust standard DBT protocols when working with clients who present with serious eating disorder symptoms. Session will offer insight into how to meet the needs of this high-risk, hard-to-treat population using DBT’s flexible, principle-based approach.

While standard DBT was originally developed for chronic suicidality and BPD, growing evidence supports its effectiveness for individuals with comorbid eating disorders, particularly when emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and interpersonal difficulties are central features. These clients often struggle with high ambivalence about change, intense shame, and difficulties with body image and identity. Factors that can undermine traditional ED treatments. DBT offers a structured framework to build motivation, reduce life-threatening behaviors (such as severe restriction or binge-purge cycles), and target the emotional and cognitive patterns that maintain disordered eating.

Fragiskos will address how to prioritize treatment targets, modify skills training to address ED-specific behaviors, and support clients in tolerating distress without using food-related coping. His experience working at the intersection of BPD and eating disorders makes this a valuable session for clinicians seeking guidance on one of the most challenging dual-diagnosis presentations.