In this special off-the-cuff episode, Kait is joined by two incredible guests for a raw, unscripted conversation fueled by your questions and shared experiences from your Instagram responses. Today I have with me Merrit, a recovered eating disorder coach based in Chicago, IL and Amy from the podcast The Eating Disorder Diaries. We asked what you wanted to know—and what you had to say—and then brought it all to the mic. Together, we unpack your responses, we all share our own personal insights, Merrit provides professional insights, and together explore practical tools and resources that can support you through the ups and downs of eating disorder recovery. From what helps on the hardest days to what healing looks like in real life, this episode is full of heart, honesty, and hope.

Content Note: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors (no graphic details). Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery.

ABOUT THE GUESTS: 

• Amy Goeckel is the host of The Eating Disorder Diaries, a podcast that chronicles her 15+ year battle with bulimia, her experience with eating disorder recovery, and features interviews from those who have been a part of her personal journey, have had their own experience with an eating disorder, or are industry experts ranging from doctors, therapists, to nutritionists. 
• Merrit Stahle is a certified Eating Disorder Recovery Coach and the founder of Merrit Elizabeth Recovery, where she supports individuals in reclaiming their relationship with food, body, and self. She’s the author of The SHIFT newsletter, a powerful resource for those navigating healing, and the co-founder of Conquering Bulimia. 

LINKS FROM EPISODE:

8 KEYS TO RECOVERY FROM AN EATING DISORDER

VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUPS   

THE UNTETHERED SOUL - A JOURNEY BEYOND YOURSELF  GUIDED JOURNAL

MERRIT ELIZABETH RECOVERY

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Why do perfectionism and the need for control show up so often in eating disorders — and how do they connect to the way we attach in relationships? In this candid conversation, Kait and Morgan explore the deep links between perfectionism, control, anxious attachment, and eating disorder recovery. We talk about how perfectionism can become both a coping mechanism and a source of pain, why anxious attachment often fuels fear of rejection or abandonment, and how these patterns impact food, body image, and relationships.

Through personal stories and practical insights, we unpack what it means to replace control with trust, navigate uncertainty, and build self-compassion in recovery. Whether you’re in eating disorder recovery, supporting someone who is, or curious about the emotional roots of perfectionism and relationship anxiety, this episode offers validation, understanding, and hope for change.

EPISODE GUEST: MORGAN HANNALECK is a licensed therapist, mental health speaker, and author who specializes in eating disorders, relationships, and self-worth. After surviving a life-threatening eating disorder in her teens, Morgan began a decade-long journey of healing that transformed her pain into purpose. She now uses both her personal and clinical experience to help others reconnect with themselves, challenge shame, and build lives rooted in authenticity and joy. Through speaking, writing, and therapy, Morgan empowers people—especially young women—to know they’re never too far gone to come home to themselves.

MORGAN'S INSTAGRAM

BEYOND YOUR MASK

LINKS:

WE CAN TAKE OFF THE MASKS & BE REAL 

SOMBER SUFFOCATION  

MORGAN'S RESOURCE LIBRARY 

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Recovery doesn’t mean the eating disorder never returns — it means you build resilience and recovery tools to respond differently when it does. In this episode, Kait shares a deeply personal, eating disorder recovery moment that prioritizes her mental health when old thoughts and urges resurface after a moment of stress. She explores the emotional triggers, and how she recognized the creeping anxiety and disordered eating thoughts before they took over.

Through practical coping strategies like identifying ED thoughts without judgment, reaching out for support, and practicing self-compassion, she stayed grounded and committed to her healing journey—even when her guard was down.

This episode is for anyone navigating eating disorder recovery, feeling shaken by old thoughts, or reminding themselves that staying strong is a choice every day. It’s about choosing recovery, using your tools, and protecting the healing you’ve built.

RELATED EPISODES:

UNEXPECTED: Lessons My Eating Disorder Taught Me About Healing & Self-Worth

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In this powerful episode, Kait sits down with Amy Goeckel — host of the Eating Disorders Podcast — for an unfiltered conversation about Amy’s lived experience with an eating disorder and her ongoing recovery journey. Amy opens up about the early warning signs she missed, the tight grip the disorder had on her life, and how her healing process has evolved over time.

Together, Kait and Amy discuss:

• The subtle but important early signs of an eating disorder
• How an ED can shape identity, relationships, and daily life
• The realities of mental health recovery — both victories and setbacks
• Why recovery is an ongoing choice rather than a single milestone

This conversation offers a raw, compassionate look into someone else’s experience with eating disorder recovery, providing both validation and hope for anyone walking a similar path.

Content Note: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors (no graphic details). Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery.

EPISODE GUEST:  Amy is the host of The Eating Disorder Diaries, a podcast that chronicles her 15+ year battle with bulimia, her experience with eating disorder recovery, and features interviews from those who have been a part of her personal journey, have had their own experience with an eating disorder, or are industry experts ranging from doctors, therapists, to nutritionists. By hearing the stories of those in recovery and learning what's allowed them to heal, Amy's goal is to help others kick start or further continue their own healing process and to lead a fulfilling life knowing we are all not alone and full recovery is possible.

AMY’S PODCAST -  THE EATING DISORDER DIARIES

AMY'S IG -  @theeatingdisorderdiaries

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In this candid and heartfelt episode of Bite by Bite, Kait sits down with her close friend Kayla to answer some of the toughest questions about her eating disorder recovery journey. Together, they explore how Kait’s eating disorder impacted her friendships and relationships, what feels different about recovery this time, and how her struggle first began.

It’s a conversation filled with honesty, vulnerability, and even moments of humor — showing that healing can be messy, but also full of connection. Kait and Kayla discuss:

• How eating disorders can strain friendships and trust
• The role of genuine support in mental health recovery
• What’s helped Kait stay committed to recovery this time
• Why sharing openly with trusted people can be a turning point in healing

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to navigate friendship while living with or recovering from an eating disorder, this episode offers both perspective and hope.

RELATED EPISODES:

THE SECRET THAT ATE ME ALIVE: My 10-Year Eating Disorder Recovery Timeline

WHERE I'M REALLY AT: The Messy Reality of Eating Disorder Recovery

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In this deeply honest solo episode, Kait reflects on the unexpected lessons she’s learned through eating disorder recovery. While she would never romanticize the pain of living with an eating disorder, the process of healing has revealed truths she never could have seen otherwise — about her emotions, her body, her boundaries, and her worth.

Through the slow, often messy work of mental health recovery, Kait shares what her eating disorder never meant to teach her — but somehow did. From rebuilding a healthier relationship with herself to setting boundaries and practicing self-compassion, these lessons offer hope and perspective for anyone navigating recovery.

Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or curious about the deeper layers beneath disordered eating, this conversation invites you to see healing not just as the absence of illness, but as the presence of self-trust and resilience.

LINKS TO BOOKS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE

• 8 KEYS TO RECOVERYING FROM AN EATING DISORDER
• REHABILITATE, REWIRE, RECOVER

RELATED EPISODES:

WHERE I'M REALLY AT: The Messy Reality of Eating Disorder Recovery

EATING DISORDERS & SHAME: Perfectionism, Control, & Recovery

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In this powerful episode, Kait shares the unedited interview she participated in with Boston College professor and researcher Courtney Stoltzfus-Zvaro, as part of Courtney’s study on shame and eating disorders. Originally recorded for research purposes, this candid conversation is now being shared with permission — offering a rare, in-depth look into the intersection of perfectionism, control, shame, and eating disorder recovery.

Courtney’s thoughtful, challenging questions invite Kait to reflect on how shame didn’t just influence her eating disorder — it ran the show. Together, they explore:

• How perfectionism and control shaped Kait’s mental health
• The role of shame in both the development and recovery process
• Why these patterns can feel like personality traits, yet deeply impact recovery
• What it takes to challenge those beliefs while healing

If you’ve ever struggled with the feeling of being “too much” or “not enough,” this conversation offers insight, validation, and the reminder that you’re not alone in your mental health journey.

Content Note: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors (no graphic details). Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery.

EPISODE GUEST: Courtney is a sociologist with a philosophical bent. She studied sociology and peace & conflict studies at Gordon (MA), political theory and ethics at the University of Oxford (UK), and completed her postgraduate work in philosophy at University College Dublin (IE). A full-fledged academia-phile, she has conducted research at Oxford, for the European Center for the Study of War and Peace, and for human rights initiatives in Rwanda, Cambodia, and Honduras. She has taught subjects in philosophy and sociology at Trinity College Dublin, Boston University, and Boston College.  These days, she is based at Boston College and specializes in the relationship between the body and the social world. Her guiding vocational question is: How does the embodied self experience violence--and what may be done for its flourishing? Currently, she is exploring the role of shame--understood as the internalization of an abstract negative judgement--in the development of eating disorders. She lives in Ipswich, MA with her loving, documentarian husband. Together, they enjoy serving their church community, hiking, visiting bakeries, playing Gin Rummy, and grappling with life's big questions. 

If you would like to be a participant in Courtney's research with Boston College, you can contact Courtney at [email protected] 

RELATED EPISODES:

FROM HIDDEN TO HEARD: Reclaiming My Voice in Eating Disorder Recovery

THE SECRET THAT ATE ME ALIVE: My 10-Year Eating Disorder Recovery Timeline

WHERE I'M REALLY AT: The Messy Reality of Eating Disorder Recovery

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Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast.

Recovery isn’t linear and it doesn’t always look inspiring. Sometimes it’s a mix of “look how far I’ve come” and “the dumpster is still on fire”. In this honest episode of the Bite by Bite Podcast, Kait shares a raw, unfiltered look at what eating disorder recovery feels like in real time.

From emotional setbacks to small victories, she opens up about symptoms she’s still managing, why recovery can still feel exhausting, daily tools and coping strategies that keep her grounded, and how she stays committed even when motivation is low.

Whether you're in recovery yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode is a reminder that progress can be messy, but still meaningful and so worth it.

Episode Topics

• Kait’s current state of symptoms (2:25)
• Struggles that still exist for Kait  (13:55)
• Habits & tools Kait uses daily (18:39)

Content Warning: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors that Kait has previously engaged in. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery. 

Connect with Kait

@bitebybiterecovery

[email protected]

RELATED EPISODES:

TRAILER

FROM HIDDEN TO HEARD: Reclaiming My Voice in Eating Disorder Recovery

THE SECRET THAT ATE ME ALIVE: My 10-Year Eating Disorder Recovery Timeline 

Affiliate Links

COMFRT 

FIND THE GOOD 

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Welcome to the Bite by Bite Podcast

In this powerful first episode of the Bite by Bite Podcast, your host, Kait, shares her personal journey through eating disorder recovery, relapse, and finding the courage to heal again. 

Kait does not aim to share a polished, perfect narrative but rather open the doors to an honest conversation about the lived experience of navigating life with an eating disorder and recovery. This episode sets the stage for a podcast dedicated to breaking stigma, building community, and speaking openly about the realities of recovery.

Episode Topics:

• Kait shares her why’s (2:18)
• Relapse and the past 2 years (3:03)
• Kait’s thinking starts to shift (4:13)
• The creation of Bite by Bite (5:15)
• Bite by Bite becomes a podcast (6:33)

Connect with Kait

@bitebybiterecovery

[email protected]

Related Episodes

Podcast Trailer

Affiliate Links

COMFRT 

FIND THE GOOD 

Support the show

Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast.

For over 10 years, your host Kait, carried a secret so heavy that it consumed her from the inside out. In this deeply personal episode of the Bite by Bite Podcast, Kait opens up for the very first time about her 10 year journey with an eating disorder. 

From high school to college, formal treatment, relapse, and eventually finding her voice in recovery, Kait walks through each chapter of her story. She shares how keeping her eating disorder a secret affected her relationships, health, and sense of self, and what it’s like to finally speak the truth after a decade of silence.

If you’re navigating your own recovery or supporting a loved one, this conversation offers validation, hope, and a powerful reminder that you’re not alone and recovery is possible for everyone

Episode Topics

• The beginning: 2010 (2:36)
• College years: 2011-2015 (5:04)
• After college (5:46)
• Kait goes to formal treatment: 2016-2017 (9:42)
• Post discharge form formal treatment: 2017-2018 (14:05)
• The eating disorder is back in full swing: 2019-2020 (15:25)
• The eating disorder takes a back seat: 2020-2021 (16:19)
• The eating disorder is back again; even louder: 2022-2024 (17:44)
• Kait asks for help again: 2024-2025 (21:32)
• Kait’s present days: 2025 (24:26)
• Kait shares her current reflections (28:24)

Content Warning: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors that Kait has previously engaged in. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery. 

Connect with Kait

@bitebybiterecovery

[email protected]

RELATED EPISODES

Trailer

FROM HIDDEN TO HEARD: Reclaiming My Voice in Eating Disorder Recovery

Affiliate Links

COMFRT 

FIND THE GOOD 

Support the show