Joy Jacobs, J.D., Ph.D.
Specializing in eating disorders, weight management and healthy lifestyles
Dr. Jacobs is a clinical psychologist and published author who provides individual, family and group therapy for adults, adolescents, and children with eating disorders (including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder). She has trained in multiple treatment modalities, including Maudsley family therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy. Dr. Jacobs is one of the few officially certified providers of Maudsley family-based treatment nationwide and internationally.
Dr. Jacobs helped develop an innovative intensive family therapy program at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and is its lead family therapist. She was on the founding team of the clinic, where she completed a postdoctoral fellowship under the mentorship of internationally renowned eating disorders expert, Dr. Walter Kaye. Dr. Jacobs designed the DBT program for the UCSD Intensive Outpatient Eating Disorder Program and facilitates group skills training groups as well as providing individual and family-based psychotherapy. Dr. Jacobs has extensive experience in utilizing family-based treatments for adolescent anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, as well as for pediatric overweight and obesity. In addition, she has facilitated internet-based discussion groups for college-age women at high risk for the development of eating disorders.
Dr. Jacobs serves on the Professional Advisory Panel for Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders (F.E.A.S.T). She serves on the panel of expert advisers for the Beacon Street Girls. The Beacon Street Girls, whether online or in the widely popular book series, are shaped by leading experts in adolescent development and current research on how to positively impact girls' self-esteem. Dr. Jacobs is also the author of One More Bite, a blog sponsored by Gurze books on Maudsley family based therapy. She is a member of the Academy for Eating Disorders and serves on its Media Affairs Committee. Dr. Jacobs also supports the American Dietetic Association, the Eating Disorders Coalition, and the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).
Dr. Jacobs obtained her doctoral training in clinical psychology at the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. She completed her undergraduate work at Duke University, graduating summa cum laude and completed her juris doctorate at Harvard Law School. Among her activities prior to pursuing a career in psychology, Dr. Jacobs worked in New York as an intellectual property attorney and on the editorial staff of Vogue magazine.
Professional Publications:
Jacobs, M.J., Roesch, Wonderlich, Crosby, Thornton, et.al. (2008). Anorexia nervosa trios: Behavioral profiles of individuals with anorexia nervosa and their families. Psychological Medicine. In press.
Jacobs-Pilipski, M.J., Wilfley, D.E., Crow, S.J., Walsh, B.T., Lilenfeld, L.R., West, D.S., Berkowitz, R.I., & Fairburn, C.G. (2007). Placebo response in binge eating disorder. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 40, 204-211.
Jacobs-Pilipski, M.J., Winzelberg, A., Wilfley, D.E., Bryson, S.W., & Taylor, B.T. (2005). Spirituality among young women at risk for eating disorders. Eating Behaviors, 6, 293-300.
Jacobs, M.J., Welch, R.R., & Wilfley, D.E. (2004). Interpersonal psychotherapy for the treatment of eating disorders: Science and practice. In T. Brewerton (Ed.), Eating Disorders. New York: Marcel Dekker.
Zabinski, M., Celio, A., Jacobs, M.J., Manwaring, J., & Wilfley, D.E. (2003). Internet-based prevention of eating disorders. European Eating Disorders Review, 11, 183-197.
Jacobs, M.J., Welch, RR, & Wilfley, D.E. (2002, August). Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Eating Disorders. TEN: Trends in Evidence-Based Neuropsychiatry.
Professional Presentations:
Jacobs, M.J., Kaye, W.H., Collins, L., & Brown, H. (2007, October). New understandings of the causes and treatment of eating disorders: What parents want to know. Presented at the annual meeting of the National Eating Disorders Association, San Diego.
Goldschmidt, A., Stein, R., Saelens, B., Jacobs, M.J., Epstein, L., & Wilfley, D.E. (2007, May). The impact of child eating disorder psychopathology on outcome in a pediatric weight loss intervention. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Academy for Eating Disorders, Baltimore.
Jacobs, M.J. (2007, February). Treatment for Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa: The Maudsley Approach. Invited workshop for UCSD/VA Psychology Internship Consortium training program.
Jacobs, M. J. (2006, March). Temperament Patterns in Families of Individuals with Anorexia Nervosa. UCSD School of Medicine/Childrenâ??s Hospital and Health Center Psychiatry Grand Rounds.
Jacobs-Pilipski, M.J., Roesch, S., Wonderlich, S.A., Crosby, R., Woodside, D.B., Bulik, C., Wilfley, D.E., Kaye, W.H., & the Price Foundation Collaborative Group (2005, October). Anorexia Nervosa Trios: Behavioral profiles of individuals with anorexia nervosa and their parents. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Eating Disorders Research Society, Canada.
Jacobs-Pilipski, M.J., Winzelberg, A., Wilfley, D.E., Bryson, S.W., & Taylor, B.T. (2004, May). Spirituality among young women at risk for eating disorders. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Academy for Eating Disorders, Orlando.
Jacobs, M.J., Celio, A., Wilfley, D.E., Epstein, L.H. (2003, October). Acute effects of a family-based pediatric obesity treatment on eating- related and general psychopathology. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Eating Disorders Research Society, Italy.
Jacobs M.J., Wilfley D.E., Gregory-Bills T., Crow S., Lilenfeld L.L., Smith-West D., Walsh B.T., Fairburn C. (2003, May). Placebo response in pharmacotherapy for binge eating disorder. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Academy for Eating Disorders, Denver.
Wilfley, D., Jacobs, M. J., Manwaring, J., Celio, A., Zabinski, M., Winzelberg, A., & Taylor, C.B. (2001, December). Internet-based interventions for the prevention of eating disorders. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Eating Disorders Research Society, New Mexico.
