About NourishED Research Foundation (NRFi)

NourishED Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research foundation that uses eating disorder research to empower breakthroughs in eating disorder awareness, understanding, prevention, and treatment access. We do this in large part by supporting issues of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, oppression, and invalidation that pertain to eating disorders and to many who do not experience eating disorders. We prioritize community-based research, patient narratives and lived experiences, and equal-access treatment options for eating disorders, for everyone. 

Rooted in rigorous scientific inquiry, compassionate advocacy, and collaborative partnerships, we prioritize patient narratives and lived experiences. We hold a commitment to representing marginalized populations of individuals with eating disorders who have historically been overlooked and under-represented in research, as they often lack access to healthcare and so are not included in treatment-seeking populations that are used for research recruiting. Similarly, we seek to advance empirical support for equal-access treatment options that are free/low-cost and accessible without health insurance or a formal diagnosis.

Our research prioritizes interventions that value wholistic healing and are designed for community-based, remote, and nearly on-demand delivery. By disseminating research findings to clinicians, practitioners, eating disorder specialists, and the broader community, we aim to de-stigmatize eating disorders and empower individuals living with these conditions. Together, we envision a future where every individual thrives in body and mind. Join NRFi as we innovate for a healthier future.

NourishED Research Foundation Inc., (NRFi) was founded in 2024 after an identified need- and lack of federal funding prioritization for eating disorder research investigating new treatment options for binge-type eating disorders. Specifically, there is a need for empirical investigation of eating disorder interventions that are: 1) free or low cost; 2) sensitive to the unique experiences of individuals with BED; 3) inclusive to individuals of all demographics; and 4) easily accessible (e.g., community-based and/or virtually available) (as identified by eating disorder specialists and experts in Bray et al., 2024a, b, c, d).

NourishED Research Foundation is led by Brenna Bray, PhD. Dr. Bray is an eating disorder researcher and eating disorder specialist. She earned her Ph.D. in 2018 in Biomedical Sciences and Neuroscience and received post-doctorate training in complementary and integrative health and eating disorders through a federally funded grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National Centers for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). In addition to these affiliations, NRFi partner affiliates include the