In this episode, Lisa and group coaching alum, Diane, explore her  journey from religiously shaped body image and emotional eating to trauma-informed healing. They discuss the cycles of restriction and shame, leaving a rigid church, identity reframing, somatic practices, mindful eating, acceptance, and setting boundaries. Through the coaching program, Diane learned reconnection, safety, empowerment over control, and differentiating physical vs. emotional hunger, leading to sustainable behavior change and autonomy.

Topics Include:

• Religious Upbringing

• Diet Culture

• Emotional Healing 

• Healthy Relationship with Food

[0:56] Lisa introduces her former client, Diane, who identifies as a mother of four daughters, separated for over two years after a 28-year marriage, employed full-time, and at peace with current life circumstances. Diane discusses discovering Lisa via Instagram and the podcast and realizing she was missing the mind-body connection, and realizing she was an emotional eater.

[07:00] Lisa and Diane dive into her childhood in a legalistic church and school with strict gender roles and dress codes. Diane shares that although she was sheltered from mainstream media, she still received strong body-related messaging within family and church contexts. Diane talks about how she internalized that body size relates to being ‘good enough’ and ‘put together,’ affecting perceived worth.

[13:47] Diane shares with Lisa that she was molested as a child and that she realized later in life, after going to therapy,  that being called to the dining room for dinner felt safe, linking food/mealtimes with safety. Lisa acknowledges the magnitude of this trauma and its under-discussed influence on emotional eating.

[18:30] Diane explains that her faith emphasized doing for others and suppressing personal feelings, leaving her without a safe space to express emotions. Lisa validates that lack of safety often leads people to use food for comfort and safety. Diane discusses joining Weight Watchers, counting points, and walking with her mom at the age of 15. Diane shares that despite not being morbidly overweight, she perceived herself as heavier and felt compelled to diet.

[30:50] Lisa and Diane discuss how the unfair treatment after the hospital birth of her fourth child, led her to begin questioning her upbringing and church practices. Diane shares how during a family trip to the mountains, she knew she could not return or send children back to church school. Lisa and Diane examine how other diet programs can provide useful nutrition literacy but often entrench perfectionism and good/bad food dichotomies.

[51:39] Lisa and Diane discuss her journey to the Out of the Cave group coaching program and how an early module helped Diane reframe her thinking to ‘I am a soul, I have a body,’ catalyzing significant perspective change and reconnection. They discuss how this reframing identity fosters self-compassion and opens a path to address emotional roots of eating.

[1:12:43] Lisa and Diane talk about the lessons she learned during the group coaching program that have helped her learn to cope with her feelings and make different decisions in learning to feel her feelings and choosing herself. Lisa and Diane wrap up the episode by discussing how the program’s permission-based eating avoids shame and restriction, fostering empowered choices aligned with bodily signals.

*The views of podcast guests do not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of Lisa Schlosberg or Out of the Cave, LLC.

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