Phone: (585) 276-4385
Office: HWH 3W102
Email: Mary Tantillo

Mary Tantillo, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, FAED, CGP

(Pronouns: she/her/hers)

Professor of Clinical Nursing

Education

PhD in Nursing, 1992. Adelphi University. Garden City, NY

Bio

Mary Tantillo is widely recognized for her clinical work and research related to the treatment of eating disorders. She has devoted more than 40 years to providing care and support to patients and families coping with eating disorders across the spectrum of clinical settings.

She has conducted research to evaluate an innovative relational/motivational approach to understanding and treating young adults with anorexia nervosa through the use of multifamily therapy group. She has also implemented prevention approaches that encourage partnerships among parents and school personnel to create home and school environments that foster wellness and reinforce positive body image.

Tantillo directs the Western New York Comprehensive Care Center for Eating Disorders (WNYCCCED), one of three comprehensive care centers in New York State, which works to better coordinate care and services for patients and families and improve outcomes.

She is the founder and board member of a non-profit eating disorders facility for adults and adolescents, The Healing Connection, Inc., an affiliate of the WNYCCCED. She is a fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) and past AED board member. Her special interests include women's mental health, family-based treatment, and group treatment, especially multifamily therapy group treatment for eating disorders.

Awards

University of Rochester School of Nursing Most Outstanding Scholarly Practitioner Award: University of Rochester School of Nursing, 2019
Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment & Prevention Top 25 Articles Award: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention - Taylor and Francis, 2017
Dr. Jeremy A. Klainer Entrepreneurship Award: University of Rochester School of Nursing, 2015
Hilda & Preston Davis Foundation Grant: Hilda and Preston Davis Foundation, 2014
John Romano Award: Mental Health Association of Rochester, 2012
Association for Creativity in Counseling Research Award 2011: Association for Creativity in Counseling , 2011
Meehan-Hartley Award for Public Service and Advocacy: Academy for Eating Disorders, 2010
Richard C. Palermo Quality Award: St. Joseph's Villa, 2009
Monroe Community College Alumni Contributing to the Community Award: Monroe Community College , 2008
Woman of Influence in Health Care: Girl Scout of Genesee Valley, Inc. , 2005
Fellow, Academy for Eating Disorders: Academy for Eating Disorders, 2003
Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Research Award: Sigma Theta Tau, Epsilon xi chapter, 1996
Annual Outstanding Nurse Award for Excellence in Patient and Family Nursing: University of Rochester Medical Center, Dept of Nursing, 1984
Nazareth Alumni Association Award: Nazareth College of Rochester, 1982
Excellence in Nursing Award: Monroe Community College , 1980

Presentations

School-Based Project ECHO Eating Disorders: A Telementoring Interprofessional Learning Model Promoting Prevention, Early Identification and Intervention: Taylor Starr DO and Jim Witmer LCSW; 26th World Congress, International Congress of Psychosomatic Medicine, 2022; Rochester, New York
Reconnecting for Recovery: Leveraging the Power of Families Through Multifamily Therapy Group for Young Adults with Anorexia Nervosa: NA; 26th World Congress, International Congress of Psychosomatic Medicine, 2022; Rochester, New York
Leveraging the Power of Families for Recovery: Multifamily Therapy Group: NA; 31st Annual Renfrew Center Foundation Virtual Conference for Professionals: 2021 Perspectives on Feminism, Eating Disorders and Beyond, Renfrew Center Foundation, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Treating Eating Disorders at Midlife and Beyond: Forging Relational Hope: Margo Maine PhD, Karen Samuels PhD; Annual Renfrew Center Foundation Virtual Conference for Professionals, Renfrew Center Foundation, 2019; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Motivation and Mutuality: The Therapeutic Stance with Eating Disorders: NA; NY State Comprehensive Care Centers for Eating Disorders Annual Statewide Conference 2019, NY State Comprehensive Care Centers for Eating Disorders, 2019; Syracuse, New York
Project ECHO® Eating Disorders Clinic: Connecting Primary Care & Behavioral Health Providers to Eliminate Eating Disorders,: Richard Kreipe MD; Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Conference, Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, 2019; Washington DC, Virginia
Understanding Teen Eating Disorders: Meeting New Demands for Multifaceted Treatment: Cris Haltom PhD; 28th Annual Renfrew Center Foundation Conference for Professionals, Renfrew Center Foundation, 2018; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“Project ECHO Eating Disorders: Connecting Primary Care, College Health, and Behavioral Health Providers To Eliminate Eating Disorders: Richard Kreipe MD and Taylor Starr DO; International Conference on Eating Disorders, Academy for Eating Disorders, 2018; Chicago, Illinois
Disordered Eating and Body Image in Middle-Aged and Older Women: Research-and Evidence-Based approaches To Treatment: Margo Maine PhD and Niva Piran PhD; International Conference on Eating Disorders, Academy for Eating Disorders, 2018; Chicago, Illinois
Building the “WE” from the Beginning: An Inter-Professional Eating Disorder Training Model for Psychiatry Residents and Graduate Students Across Multiple Disciplines: Michelle Morales and Linda Mazur; Binge Eating Disorders/National Eating Disorders Association Annual National Conference, Binge Eating Disorders/National Eating Disorders Association, 2017; New York, New York

Publications

Tantillo, M., McGraw, J. S., & Le Grange, D. (2021). Multifamily Therapy Group for Young Adults with Anorexia Nervosa: Reconnecting for Recovery. Routledge. DOI: 10.1002/eat.23097
Tantillo, M., Starr, T., & Kreipe, R. (2019). The recruitment and acceptability of a project ECHO(R) eating disorders clinic: a pilot study of telementoring for primary medical and behavioral health care practitioners.. Eating Disorders. PMID: 30829141 DOI: 10.1080/10640266.2019.1580125
Tantillo, M., Sanftner, J., McGregor Lavigne, H., Brasch, J. & Le Grange, D. (2019). A pilot study of multifamily therapy group for young adults with anorexia nervosa: Reconnecting for recovery. International Journal of Eating Disorders. PMID: 31150141 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23097
Tantillo, M., Marconi, M.A., Rideout, K., Anson, E.A., & Reifenstein, K.A. (2017). Creating a Nursing Student Center for Academic and Professional Success. Journal of Nursing Education. DOI: 10.3928/01484834-20170323-09
Maine, M. D., Samuels, K.L., & Tantillo, M. (2015). Eating Disorders in adult women: Biopsychosocial, developmental, and clinical considerations.. Advances in Eating Disorders: Theory, Research and Practice, DOI: 10.1080/21662630.2014.999103. DOI: 10.1080/21662630.2014.999103
Tantillo, M. (2013). The patient-family-clinician-researcher quest for quality care. A Collaborative Approach to Eating Disorders. DOI: 10.4324/9780203816691
Tantillo, M., Sanftner, J., & Hauenstein, E. (2013). Restoring connection in the face of disconnection: an integrative approach to understanding and treating anorexia nervosa, Advances in Eating Disorders: Theory, Research and Practice. Routledge. DOI: 10.1080/21662630.2013.742980
Sanftner, J. L., & Tantillo, M. (2011). Body image and eating disorders: A compelling source of shame for women. In R. Dearing & J. P. Tangney (Eds.), Shame in the therapy hour. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.. Shame in the Therapy Hour. DOI: 10.1037/12326-012
Tantillo, M., & Kreipe, R.E. (2011). Improving Connections for Adolescents Across High-Intensity Settings for the. Eating disorders in children and adolescents: a clinical handbook.
Sanftner, J.L. & Tantillo, M. (2010). Measuring perceived mutuality in women: Further validation of the connection-disconnection scale. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health. DOI: 10.1080/15401383.2010.527785
Tantillo, M., & Sanftner, J.L. (2010). Mutuality and Motivation: Connecting with Patients and Families for Change in the Treatment of Eating Disorders. Treatment of Eating Disorders Bridging the Research - Practice Gap. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-375668-8.10019-1
Tantillo, M., McDowell, S., Anson, E., Taillie, E., & Cole, R. (2009). Combining supported housing and partial hospitalization to improve eating disorder symptoms, perceived health atatus, and health related quality of life for women with eating disorders. Eating Disorders: Journal of Treatment and Prevention. DOI: 10.1080/10640260903210172
Tantillo, M., & Kreipe, R. E (2006). The impact of gender socialization on group treatment of eating disorders. Group: The Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society.
Tantillo, M. (2006). A Relational Approach to Eating Disorders Multifamily Therapy Group: Moving from Difference and. , Families, Systems, & Health, 24 (1), 82-102.
Tantillo, M. (2004). The therapist's use of self-disclosure in a Relational Therapy approach for eating disorders. Eating Disorders: Journal of Treatment and Prevention. DOI: 10.1080/10640260490267760
Tantillo, M. & Sanftner, J. (2002). The relationship between perceived mutuality and bulimic symptoms, depression, and therapeutic change in group. Eating Behavior. DOI: 10.1016/S1471-0153(02)00077-6
Tantillo, M., Nappa Bitter, C., & Adams, B. (2001). Enhancing readiness for eating disorder treatment: A relational/motivational group model for change.. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention. DOI: 10.1080/106402601753183760
Tantillo, M. D (2000). Short-term relational therapy for women with bulimia nervosa.. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention. DOI: 10.1080/10640260008251218
Tantillo, M. (1998). A relational approach to group therapy for women with bulimia nervosa: Moving from understanding to action. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 48 (4), 477-498. PMID: 9766090 DOI: 10.1080/00207284.1998.11491568
Tantillo, M. (1994). Ricoeurean hermeneutics: Its application in developing a contextual understanding of human experience. Advances in Methods of Inquiry for Nursing.