Director of Business Development, Reasons, Fiona Larosa-Waters

What is your current position? 

I am the Director of Business Development at Reasons Eating Disorder Center in Los Angeles, CA.

How did you get started in your career? 

My first eating disorder job was as a counselor at a small eating disorder treatment program for adult women in the Boston area. I was milieu staff, helping clients with food prep, supervising the floor and meals, providing DBT skills coaching when needed, and co-running groups. From there I moved into a position doing recovery coaching in the community and treatment placements and case management for individuals living with eating disorders and substance use disorders. After a few years of building relationships with various programs and providers in the field as part of the case management work I was doing, I shifted into doing clinical outreach full time for treatment centers. I have now been leading the outreach team at Reasons since September of 2019.

What advice would you give to someone new to the field? 

Don’t think that you need to be a clinician or have an advanced degree to work in this field! I love working in outreach, it gives me an opportunity to engage with professionals from all over and to participate in wonderful educational opportunities that further my understanding of these disorders and the people they impact. My motto is “be a resource, not a sales pitch”. There is nothing I value more than connecting people to resources. That may be helping them learn more about my program, or it may be getting them set up with a local non-profit for support groups, or helping a family with some insight on how to advocate for themselves during the admissions process. This community is full of folks who are truly passionate about helping others, and I am so thankful for where I have landed in my career.

You can learn more about the clinic at:

https://www.facebook.com/ReasonsEatingDisorderCenter

@reasonsedc on instagram