Current Environment: Production

Medical Services

Specialties

Programs & Services

Languages

  • English

Professional History

Dr. Freizinger has a 20-year background in clinical psychology with special expertise the treatment of eating disorders. She is currently the Associate Director of the Eating Disorder Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, where she provides consultation, evaluation, and/or behavioral therapy to children, adolescents and young adults. She specializes in Family Based Treatment and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Dr. Freizinger has also been involved in program development at three Boston-based eating-disorder treatment centers. She is a nationally known speaker and trainer in the areas of eating disorders, family-based treatment, and dialectical behavioral therapy approaches to individuals with eating disorders.

Her interest in eating disorders developed while working as a researcher and group clinician with women experiencing infertility at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. It became evident to her that in order to work with women, she needed to understand eating disorders both clinically and emotionally from the patient’s experience. She began working at an eating disorder inpatient unit. Her work with women experiencing infertility and my interest in eating disorders resulted in my dissertation research, “The Prevalence of Eating Disorders in Infertile Women." Dr. Freizinger's work was published and has contributed to the knowledge in both the reproductive endocrinology and eating disorder fields.

Publications

  1. Frequency and Predictors of Shape/Weight Concerns and Objective Binge Eating in Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). Int J Eat Disord. 2025 May; 58(5):986-992. View Abstract

  2. Neural Response to Food Cues in Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Feb 03; 8(2):e2460101. View Abstract

  3. Caregiver-Youth Agreement on the Nine-Item Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Survey. Int J Eat Disord. 2025 Apr; 58(4):770-777. View Abstract

  4. Growing up in a larger body: youth- and parent-reported triggers for illness and barriers to recovery from anorexia nervosa. J Eat Disord. 2024 Nov 23; 12(1):192. View Abstract

  5. Weight/Shape concerns in youth with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). Eat Disord. 2024 Sep 21; 1-15. View Abstract

  6. Treatment adherence and nasogastric tube use in hospitalized youth with anorexia nervosa and premorbid overweight/obesity. Eat Disord. 2024 Jul 26; 1-9. View Abstract

  7. Prospective 2-Year Course and Predictors of Outcome in Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2025 Feb; 64(2):262-275. View Abstract

  8. Associations between presenting weight and premorbid weight and the medical sequelae in hospitalized youth with anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa. J Pediatr Nurs. 2024 Jul-Aug; 77:125-130. View Abstract

  9. Triggers for eating disorder onset in youth with anorexia nervosa across the weight spectrum. Eat Disord. 2023 Nov 02; 31(6):553-572. View Abstract

  10. Assessment of Patients With ARFID Presenting to Multi-Disciplinary Tertiary Care Program. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2023 06 01; 76(6):743-748. View Abstract

  11. Adolescents with anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa with premorbid overweight/obesity: What should we do about their weight loss? J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs. 2023 02; 36(1):55-58. View Abstract

  12. Binge-eating behaviors in adolescents and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Eat Disord. 2022 Aug 24; 10(1):125. View Abstract

  13. Elevated Fasting Satiety-Promoting Cholecystokinin (CCK) in Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Compared to Healthy Controls. J Clin Psychiatry. 2022 07 11; 83(5). View Abstract

  14. Atypical Anorexia in Youth: Cautiously Bridging the Treatment Gap. Children (Basel). 2022 Jun 05; 9(6). View Abstract

  15. COVID-19 and eating disorder and mental health concerns in patients with eating disorders. J Eat Disord. 2021 Jul 02; 9(1):80. View Abstract

  16. Access to care and worsening eating disorder symptomatology in youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Eat Disord. 2021 Jun 10; 9(1):69. View Abstract

  17. Integrating Family-Based Treatment Principles in the Acute Inpatient Treatment of Adolescents with Restrictive Eating Disorders. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2021; 14:449-454. View Abstract

  18. Pediatric Nonsuicidal Self-Injury: A Call to Action for Inpatient Staff Training. J Psychiatr Pract. 2019 Sep; 25(5):395-401. View Abstract

  19. Medical Education: Guidelines for Effective Teaching of Managing Challenging Patient Encounters. Med Sci Educ. 2019 Sep; 29(3):855-861. View Abstract

  20. Medically Hospitalized Patients With Eating Disorders and Somatoform Disorders in Pediatrics: What Are Their Similarities and Differences and How Can We Improve Their Care? Hosp Pediatr. 2016 12; 6(12):730-737. View Abstract

  21. Binge-eating disorder: emerging treatments for a new diagnosis. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2016 08; 28(4):415-20. View Abstract

  22. Self-report of eating disorder symptoms among women with and without infertility. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2015 May-Jun; 44(3):380-8. View Abstract

  23. The prevalence of eating disorders in infertile women. Fertil Steril. 2010 Jan; 93(1):72-8. View Abstract

  24. The impact of group psychological interventions on distress in infertile women. Health Psychol. 2000 Nov; 19(6):568-75. View Abstract

  25. Impact of group psychological interventions on pregnancy rates in infertile women. Fertil Steril. 2000 Apr; 73(4):805-11. View Abstract

As I continued to work in the field of eating disorders, I realized the importance and urgency of treating patients who are newly diagnosed. As a result, I have shifted the focus of my work to the treatment of younger patients using Family Based Treatment. It is my belief that early intervention is key in the fight against eating disorders. We can help and empower families to attain the skills necessary to help their child fully recover. Through behavioral therapy, we can help patients and families see that full recovery is possible.

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