Phil Werdell is a prominent practitioner and writer in the field of food addiction.  After a twenty-year career in innovative higher education, he became a lead therapist at a hospital-based residential treatment program for food addiction. In 1993, he founded ACORN Food Dependency Recovery Services (now SHiFT—Recovery by Acorn).  He has worked professionally with over 5,000 late-stage food addicts, directed a three-year training program for food addiction professionals, written several books on food addiction, and founded the Food Addiction Institute.