The Body Image Therapy Center (TBITC) announced the hiring of Dr. Veronica Franklin as the new Clinical Director for its Washington, D.C., and Alexandria, VA offices. Dr. Franklin is tasked with expanding the DC office’s treatment options from Intensive Outpatient and Partial Hospitalization to include a wide array of outpatient services including individual therapy, nutrition counseling, and medical management of eating disorders. In addition, she is assisting with the opening of the Alexandria, VA office which will provide individual therapy, nutrition counseling, psychiatric services, and neuro feedback.

Dr. Franklin brings over 20 years’ experience in the mental health field as an educator, advocate, therapist, and clinical leader. “My behavioral health career has come full circle from health and wellness through 20 years as a mental health provider and now with the Body Image Center,” said Franklin.

Her initial experiences were as a Kinesiology professor at University of Minnesota and at Texas A & M University.While teaching in academia, she developed a passion for overall wellness and the search to improve behavioral health on college campuses. Over the next 20 years, Dr. Franklin incorporated body-mind wellness into her academic counseling courses, in her spiritual workshops and by utilizing nutritional education in her practice. She has served as a program director in Rockville Maryland, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has also served as a Fulbright scholar in Vienna, Austria.

“My motto has always been “How can I help serve and support those who would least likely seek help?,” Dr. Franklin shared.

She hopes to add her skills as a proven leader to the successful performance metric of the TBITC team. When she is not helping in the GBLTQIA community, she can be found volunteering as a PATH member for Maryland Therapeutic Riding Center.

“I am very excited to have Dr. Franklin on our team,” said Andrew Walen, Founder and Executive Director of the program. “As we continue to grow, her leadership and experience managing a multi-disciplinary program like ours that provides wrap-around services,will continue to serve our clients in the best possible way.”

About The Body Image Therapy Center: TBITC is a full-service eating disorders treatment program with four locations in Baltimore and Columbia, MD, Washington, D.C., and Alexandria, VA. Featuring multiple levels of care including partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and standard outpatient care, TBITC treats clients diagnosed with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive exercise, muscle dysmorphia, and other specific feeding and eating disorders (OSFED).

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, approximately 30 million Americans are dealing with some form of an eating disorder. Moreover, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. This statistic is why TBITC was established and why it continues to play a vital role in the health and wellness of today’s society.

To learn more about The Body Image Therapy Center and its wide range of services, please contact Elizabeth Mitchell, Operations Director, at 877-674-2843 or visit https://thebodyimagecenter.com/