In this solo episode, Dr. Marianne Miller, LMFT, speaks directly to the body that carries fear, memory, and longing for safety. Through a poetic open letter, she explores why recovery can feel unsafe even when life begins to stabilize. Instead of treating fear as resistance, she reframes it as communication and wisdom.

In this episode, she invites listeners to move from fighting their bodies to listening to them. Dr. Marianne explores how trauma, neurodivergence, and systemic oppression live in the body, and how tenderness can become a bridge between fear and trust. It is not a set of instructions. It is an act of witnessing.

Many people in eating disorder recovery are told that getting better should feel empowering. But for those whose bodies have been sites of trauma, shame, or disconnection, recovery can feel unbearable. This episode reframes that discomfort as an intelligent response from the body, not as failure or lack of willpower.

By turning recovery into a dialogue instead of a demand, listeners learn how to approach healing at the pace of safety. Dr. Marianne shares how fear is not the opposite of progress but a sign that the body is asking for gentler evidence that the world can hold it safely.

Her trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming, and liberation-based approach helps listeners replace control with curiosity and build trust with the body through compassion.

In this episode, Dr. Marianne reflects on:

The nervous system’s memory of trauma and how it interprets safety

Why the body resists calm and how to rebuild trust slowly

The grief that comes with letting go of control and perfectionism

How sensory sensitivities and neurodivergence affect recovery pacing

The intersectional realities that make safety harder for fat, queer, trans, BIPOC, and neurodivergent people

What it means to redefine “getting better” as coming home to yourself

Listeners will come away with a new way to understand their bodies. They will learn that healing does not require pushing through fear but learning to listen to what fear is trying to protect.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt frightened by their own progress in recovery. It will resonate with:

People in eating disorder recovery who feel ambivalent about healing

Neurodivergent listeners who experience overwhelm or shutdown during recovery

Fat, queer, trans, and BIPOC individuals navigating systems that equate safety with conformity

Clinicians and caregivers who want to understand the embodied realities of fear and healing

It is also for those who need permission to slow down, to stop performing readiness, and to honor the body as a partner in recovery rather than an obstacle.

This episode includes discussion of eating disorder recovery, body distrust, trauma, and the emotional experience of fear during healing. It also references restriction, bingeing, and body-based distress without graphic detail. Please take care while listening. Pause or return to the episode later if it feels overwhelming. You are encouraged to have support in place as you engage with this material.

To continue exploring how to build safety with your body, visit drmariannemiller.com. There you will find:

The ARFID & Selective Eating Course, a self-paced program offering sensory-attuned and neurodivergent-affirming tools for individuals and caregivers.

The Binge Eating Recovery Membership, a space for ongoing support, education, and compassionate community that moves beyond diet culture.

Blog posts, podcast episodes, and free resources on trauma-informed, consent-based, and liberation-centered recovery.

Each offering is grounded in curiosity, respect, and collaboration.