Nutrition & Mental Health - Integrating Nervous System Regulation and Intuitive Eating in Therapeutic Practice Training

Tuesday, March 17, 2026
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Online via Zoom

Join the Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® of Minnesota Center for Rural Behavioral Health for a 3-hour training featuring two complementary sessions designed to deepen clinical understanding of how biology, behavior, and nutrition intersect in health and healing!  

Cost: $65

Training Summary:

Part 1 explores how nervous system dysregulation—shaped by trauma, stress, and lived experience—affects eating patterns, body awareness, and emotional responses to food. Understanding the neurophysiological and behavioral processes that contribute to restrictive eating, emotional eating, and other dysregulated patterns equips clinicians to approach care with greater empathy, clarity, and precision.

Part 2 focuses on Intuitive Eating as an evidence-informed, person-centered framework that supports chronic disease management. Participants will learn how Intuitive Eating principles differ from traditional restriction-based models, how they align with metabolic and psychosocial health goals, and how these principles can be thoughtfully integrated into practice to foster sustainable habits and improved well-being.

Because nutrition influences physical, emotional, and mental health across settings, all clinicians—including nurses, clinical social workers, counselors, and other providers—can benefit from understanding how eating behaviors develop and affect health outcomes. Nutrition intersects with multiple scopes of practice, and collaborative, interdisciplinary care enhances patient assessment, treatment planning, and long-term outcomes. 

Learning Objectives:

Part 1:

• Explain how nervous system dysregulation influences eating behaviors such as restriction, emotional eating, and food avoidance.
• Describe how trauma and chronic stress disrupt interoception and hunger cues, contributing to maladaptive eating behaviors and dysregulated food relationships. 
• Identify signs of nervous system dysregulation relevant to eating behavior to enhance assessment and patient communication.

Part 2:

• Summarize key principles of Intuitive Eating and distinguish them from traditional restrictive, rule-based nutrition models in chronic disease care.
• Describe how Intuitive Eating can support sustainable food habits, reduce diet-related distress, and align with evidence-based chronic disease management goals.
• Outline at least two strategies for incorporating Intuitive Eating principles into clinical practice with individuals living with chronic disease.

Meet Your Presenter:

Erin Gonzalez, MS, RDN, LD, CEDS, is a registered dietitian nutritionist with over 18 years of experience dedicated to helping individuals develop a balanced, compassionate relationship with food that supports optimal living. Erin blends evidence-based science with person-centered care, empowering people to make sustainable changes that honor both their bodies and their health goals. Erin’s work focuses on translating complex research into actionable strategies that reduce chronic disease risk, improve metabolic health, and dismantle harmful diet culture messages.

As an Assistant Professor of Nutrition at Minnesota State University, Mankato, she trains emerging dietitians and health professionals to support clients with empathy, curiosity, and skill, especially those navigating disordered eating, chronic conditions, or food-related anxiety. Whether speaking in the classroom, presenting at professional conferences, or leading community workshops, Erin’s message is clear: true wellness grows from a foundation of self-trust, interoceptive awareness, and joyful engagement with food.

Register Today

Not able to attend March 17th?
No problem. Register for the recorded session and a link to view it will be emailed to you after the March 17th training.

Registration Questions: Email workforce@mnsu.edu or call 507-389-1094
Training Questions: Email elizabeth.harstad.3@mnsu.edu