Joshua Rauchwerger is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist working in the Adult Program at the UC San Diego Health Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2020, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. As soon as he graduated, he knew he had to pursue a career in counseling, so he began volunteering for the Institute on Aging’s Friendship Line, providing crisis and emotional support services for older adults and people with disabilities and mental health conditions. He also volunteered his time with the Trevor Project, providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ youth nationwide on LGBTQ+ specific and non-specific issues. He then made the move to San Diego and received his Master of Arts in Marital and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego in 2024. Joshua completed his practicum traineeship at the UCSD Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research in the Adolescent Program, where he gained experience and discovered his passion for working with individuals and families affected with eating disorders and comorbid mental health conditions. He transitioned to working in the Adult Program, providing therapy to individuals, couples, and families, and offering extensive group therapy. Joshua is one of the therapists on the Co-Occurring Disorders Track, where he provides specialized, integrated care for individuals navigating substance use alongside their eating disorder recovery. He also supports with Family Programming, teaching young adults and their families about topics related to eating disorders, including skills application, strategies to support a loved one, psychoeducation, and nutrition and dietary information. Joshua also supports the Sports and Exercise Track, working closely with individuals recovering from eating disorders to help them rebuild a healthy relationship with movement and safely return to sports in a balanced, sustainable way. As a former competitive gymnast, he brings a deep understanding of athletic identity and performance pressure, which help to aid in the complexities of recovery for his patients who are athletes. He also leads Saturday Programming, creating and facilitating therapy groups focused on applying DBT skills, planning for the weekend, and supporting continued meal plan compliance. Joshua has experience in a range of evidence-based treatments, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Family-Based Treatment (FBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). He brings a compassionate, collaborative, and person-centered approach to his work, meeting individuals and families where they are with empathy, insight, and respect. He utilizes a strengths-based framework, emphasizing each individual’s resilience and capacity for growth while fostering a supportive, validating, and empowering therapeutic environment. In his free time, he enjoys playing sports, dancing, watching movies and TV shows, catching sunsets, and exploring new places around San Diego.