Contributors

Authors

Bridget Clerkin

Bridget has more than 10 years of professional writing experience, with roles in journalism and content creation. She built her background in health and wellness-related knowledge working for a variety of medical websites and has been published by WebMD, Princeton University, and Duquesne School of Nursing, among others. She has also written research pieces for several medical or nursing magazines on topics spanning addiction recovery, mental health, holistic nursing, and prenatal health.

Danielle Kelvis, Medical Reviewer

Danielle Kelvis, MD

Dr. Danielle Kelvas, MD, earned her medical degree from East Tennessee State University and specialized in Emergency Medicine. She later switched to primary care and became passionate about treating eating disorders while volunteering for an anti-sex trafficking agency. She has traveled, lived, and volunteered medically in over 40 countries, giving her a unique perspective on how geographic and sociocultural determinants impact EDs.

Dr. Kelvas served a term as the National Chair of Global Health for the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) and published a global health program for medical students that is used by New York Medical College and AMSA, placing a heavy emphasis on food, water, and maternal/baby health. She now writes full-time and is currently funded to write a novel.

Laura Jaramillo, LCPC

Laura Jaramillo, LCPC, is a compassionate therapist specializing in eating disorders, anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, and trauma. At her practice, Laura Listens, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, she integrates traditional psychotherapy with mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. Laura’s holistic approach nurtures mind, body, and spirit, empowering clients to heal and cultivate resilience in a supportive, heart-centered environment.

Avatar photo

Margot Rittenhouse, MS, PLPC, NCC

Margot Rittenhouse, MS, PLPC, NCC is a therapist who is passionate about providing mental health support to all in need and has worked with clients with substance abuse issues, eating disorders, domestic violence victims, and offenders, and severely mentally ill youth.

As a freelance writer for Eating Disorder Hope and Addiction Hope and a mentor with MentorConnect, Margot is a passionate eating disorder advocate, committed to de-stigmatizing these illnesses while showing support for those struggling through mentoring, writing, and volunteering. Margot has a Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.

Linkedin

Michael Vallejo, LCSW

Michael is a licensed clinical social worker with a private therapy practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He specializes in helping children and teens with mental health concerns. He is passionate about providing effective and compassionate care.

He is an advocate for mental health awareness, and is the founder of Mental Health Center Kids, a website that provides resources and support for parents, teachers, and mental health professionals who care for children and teens.

Reviewers

Danielle Kelvis, Medical Reviewer

Danielle Kelvis, MD

Dr. Danielle Kelvas, MD, earned her medical degree from East Tennessee State University and specialized in Emergency Medicine. She later switched to primary care and became passionate about treating eating disorders while volunteering for an anti-sex trafficking agency. She has traveled, lived, and volunteered medically in over 40 countries, giving her a unique perspective on how geographic and sociocultural determinants impact EDs.

Dr. Kelvas served a term as the National Chair of Global Health for the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) and published a global health program for medical students that is used by New York Medical College and AMSA, placing a heavy emphasis on food, water, and maternal/baby health. She now writes full-time and is currently funded to write a novel.

Eric Patterson, LPC

Eric Patterson, LPC, is a professional counselor working to improve the mental health of western Pennsylvanians since 2006. Along the way, he began offering clinical supervision to other therapists hoping to develop their skills. In 2014, Eric started writing mental health and addiction content in hopes of reaching a wider audience with accurate and actionable information.

Avatar photo

Margot Rittenhouse, MS, PLPC, NCC

Margot Rittenhouse, MS, PLPC, NCC is a therapist who is passionate about providing mental health support to all in need and has worked with clients with substance abuse issues, eating disorders, domestic violence victims, and offenders, and severely mentally ill youth.

As a freelance writer for Eating Disorder Hope and Addiction Hope and a mentor with MentorConnect, Margot is a passionate eating disorder advocate, committed to de-stigmatizing these illnesses while showing support for those struggling through mentoring, writing, and volunteering. Margot has a Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.

Linkedin