Our Staff

Our treatment team is composed of a combination of highly qualified professionals in the area of eating disorders. We work with psychiatrists, physicians, registered dietitians, licensed social workers, licensed counselors and psychiatric technicians.

We also provide combinations of:

• Eating Disorder Coaching
• 24-hour phone access
• 24-hour monitored supportive message forum
• Art therapy
• Exercise physiology with movement therapy
• Counseling with specialization in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Shame and Cognitive Therapy based in both Affect Theory & Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Counseling with specialization in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DRT)

Frank Ashall, MD

Frank Ashall, MD is a board certified Internist and sees a majority of our clients.  He possesses such a gentle quality of care with our clients that they immediately feel comfortable communicating any concerns with him.  Those qualities of understanding and caring together with his knowledge of eating disorders are an unbeatable combination contributing to the recovery process.

Sandy Schmieg, RD, LD

Sandy is our Licensed Registered Dietitian who provides dietary assistance for all of our clients. She works with the clients to move them from disordered eating patterns to normalized eating. She provides very caring support and supervision along with coping strategies to assist each client toward successes.

The “Katies” – Katie & Cadey

Our ‘Katies’ are invaluable to the EDRC as well as our clients. They provide the meal/snack structures for our clients, provide the Eating Disorder/Life Coaching, participate in Group Therapies, Support Groups and monitor the Message Forum, our MySpace Page, and our YouTube Videos.

They are generally the first people clients have contact with for treatment and information. Both ‘Katies’ have career objectives to work with eating disorders and are currently attaining their master’s in social work and counseling. Their caring follow-up and involvement with our clients is immeasurable and much valued.

Mike Niehaus, MA, LPC

Mr. Niehaus brings an element of humor to our programming that allows our clients to feel quite at home during their treatment. He is highly experienced with family therapies and dual diagnosis concerns. He facilitates some group therapies, family education and support, and often assists in supervising meals with clients. He is our ‘go to’ for insurance information and the attainment of authorizations for clients.

The Kevin

Kevin is part of our medical team. He is an extremely experienced paramedic and also currently works in one of St. Louis’ finest fire protection districts as well. He brings with him to our facility the ability to handle any emergencies with extreme ease, knowledge and proficiency. He works wonderfully with the medical doctors involved with our facility. His thoroughness, gentleness and humorous personality allows clients to feel at ease instantly. He also provides our clients with the information they need in order to help themselves to begin taking better care of their physical health and well being.

Deborah & Ralph Kuehnel

Deborah Kuehnel, LCSW is the Director and owner of the Eating Disorder Recovery Center and brings 27 years of experience treating eating disorders to all programming. Some additional contributions to the treatment of eating disorders Deborah has developed include:

• The development of an eating disorder website (1990) that has provided information and support to millions across our world.
• The publishing of an Eating Disorder Treatment Workbook that includes over 200 exercises, booklets on eating disorder recovery, shame, body image, and alternatives to relapse, and the production of a CD with autogenic hypnosis for body imagery and relaxation.
• The development of an eating disorder prevention program for at risk girls 13-18 years of age.
• She conducted a 6-year research study that included over 600 participants on the core affect fueling eating disorder behavior.
• Deborah is currently authoring a research article for the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
• National Speaker on Topics of: Eating Disorders and the Treatment of Shame, Eating Disorders and Self-injurious Behavior and The Treatment of Shame.

Ralph has directed a significant portion of the business-end of our treatment facility including the publishing of materials utilized, the initiation of the website, marketing, and all around technical support required by our facility.

Sean Kuehnel

Sean has subsequently taken over all aspects of the website and its maintenance.