Eating Disorders: Navigating Recovery

Emma Manis -- founder of EVOLVE -- is back with Catherine and Francis to explore the complexities of working in the fashion industry as an anti-fatphobic, anti-diet culture advocate, and what she's doing to help ensure her own emotional wellbeing as well as tearing down barriers for others. Emma also recounts what helped her stay in recovery during a significant life transition, words with which many individuals can relate. More than anything, Emma wants to remind all of us that Beauty Has No Limits. If you or anyone you know is struggling with body image concerns right now, don't miss this conversation!

CW: body image dissatisfaction, fatphobia, diet-culture, eating disorders

We spoke with Kelly Clark, an author and advocate for mental health awareness, whose compelling story of struggle, pain, hope and recovery resonated with us deeply. Kelly has been diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, which at a young age collided head on with disordered eating and body image concerns, leading to a deep need for perfection and all or nothing thinking. Her own recovery story has led her to become an advocate for others, and her professional endeavors include writing a book and creating a business dedicated to helping people smash the system that keeps them punishing themselves so they can find out who they are without disordered eating.

CW: eating disorder behaviors, OCD behaviors, trauma experiences, talk about food and dieting

Catherine and Francis welcome Faith Elicia, author and advocate for those experiencing eating disorders, to the podcast to discuss her journey of recovery and her book, Do You See What I See? Faith developed an eating disorder as a coping mechanism while growing up with an alcoholic parent. She discusses ways in which her eating disorder experience was not unlike having an addiction, what it was like developing eating disorder behaviors later in adulthood, and how shame intersected with her experience. Faith addresses that while treatment was helpful, buying into her own recovery is what ultimately created a more sustainable path. Her goal in writing, creating YouTube videos about her experience, and advocating for those struggling with their own eating disorder behaviors is to invite readers and listeners to rewrite their own stories in a way that allows them to have a happy ending. The co-hosts were thankful for her time and energy, and hope you enjoy!

CW: eating disorder behaviors, alcohol use in the home, trauma experiences, difficult familial relationships and experiences

Catherine and Francis are excited to speak with Kim Machado, a psychotherapist and trained trauma expert, about the complex intersection of eating disorders and trauma. Kim shares how the subjective experiences of trauma impact individuals in various ways, and that many use maladaptive behaviors to tell a story of their trauma. Her approach in working with those who experience trauma is empathetic, compassionate, and can be described by one of her favorite quotes from Alice in Wonderland, "when you can't look on the bright side I will sit with you in the dark." We are so appreciative of Kim's time, energy, and expertise. We hope you enjoy!

CW: trauma experiences, eating disorder behaviors, mention of abuse, mention of complex trauma, self-harm behaviors

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and in recognition of this we invited Kimberly O’Brien, Ph.D., LICSW to have a conversation about teens and suicide. Dr. O’Brien is a clinical social worker whose research focuses on the development and testing of brief interventions for suicidal teens with and without substance use and their families. An often-stigmatized topic, Dr. O’Brien helps break down walls around having conversations with young people about suicide. There are so many contributing factors which can lead young people to have thoughts of killing themselves – depression, anxiety, eating disorders, sexual identity, trauma, gender identity – and being able to have an open and honest conversation with a trusted individual is an important and vital part of making people feel heard and supported.

CW: suicidal ideation, suicide among teens and lgbtqia community, eating disorder behaviors, trauma histories, mention of substance use, mention of family interventions and dynamics

Catherine and Francis were excited to speak with diet culture rebel and eating disorder campaigner, Zoe Burnett. Zoe is an Amazon best selling author of "inside my ed" and an international public and TEDx speaker. She brings all of that experience -- as well as her lived experience recovering from an eating disorder -- to this interview. Filled with energy, knowledge, and passion, Zoe recalls her own journey experiencing an eating disorder, being diagnosed with atypical anorexia, and having the support of her husband. She bashes the BMI and gives her insights on how government policies contribute to the development of poor body image and eating disorders. Zoe's goal is to try to inspire others, with empathy, to embrace the notion of body acceptance, whilst exposing the harms of diet culture, encouraging us to count the memories, not the calories. And she did just that!

CW: eating disorder behaviors, recalling of suicidal ideation and physical abuse, trauma

Catherine and Francis were thrilled to speak with Maris Degener, Manager of Peer Mentorship with Equip, a virtual eating disorder treatment for individuals six to 24 years old. After recovering from anorexia nervosa as a teenager, Maris became passionate about harnessing her lived experience to support others experiencing eating disorders. Maris shared her story in the documentary “I Am Maris,” to spread the message that full recovery is possible and destigmatize talking openly about mental health experiences.

In this conversation, Maris walks the co-hosts through what it was like to receive Family Based Treatment as a teenager for her eating disorder, including the sometimes-difficult experiences with her parents, whom ultimately, she credits for being an important piece of her recovery. Maris shares how yoga became a vital component to her ongoing recovery efforts and provides listeners with other skills she found helpful.

Maris talks about her work with Equip, and how mentorship -- both for the individual and for the family -- is an important part of the recovery process often left out of the equation.

We thank Maris for her continued work with and advocacy for those experiencing eating disorders, and are incredibly grateful for her time, energy, and vulnerability.

CW: eating disorder behaviors, familial relationships, eating disorder treatment

Catherine and Francis welcome Dr. Gemma Sharp, Senior Research Fellow at Monash University and clinical psychologist, to the podcast. Her research focuses on understanding the causes of and developing novel treatments for body image issues and related disorders. In this conversation, Dr. Sharp shares what drove her to this important work and what about body image issues keeps her coming back to do more research, including around genital body image concerns across the gender spectrum, a fascinating topic that deepens the understanding of what influences self-perspectives. She also introduces us to KIT, an online chatbox which is designed to educate and provide information about body image issues for those seeking help. Dr. Sharp’s expertise in this field of study is much needed and feels validating, especially for those who have experienced negative body image throughout their lives. We are so grateful for her time and energy, and we hope you enjoy!

CW: eating disorder behaviors, pandemic related anxiety, body image conversation, genital body image concerns

In this emotional and inspiring episode, Dianna Goodman -- mother of Vance Goodman who joined EDNR in episode 63 -- shares her experience as a mother, caretaker, and human watching a loved one struggle with an eating disorder for years. Dianna shares her pain, frustration, and joy as she recalls navigating her daughter's physical and emotional symptoms, accessing treatment (an even more daunting task 20 years ago), being told her daughter would not recover by medical professionals, her own sense of loneliness, and Vance's full recovery. This journey eventually led to Dianna opening the Carolina Resource Center for Eating Disorders, a non-profit dedicated to supporting and helping those impacted by eating disorders -- individuals and support systems alike. Her message of hope is powerful, and we were so grateful for Dianna's time, energy, emotion, and grace. We hope you enjoy!

CW: eating disorder behaviors

On this episode, Catherine and Francis interview Amy Minh Hanh Corey, public speaker, writer, ambassador, entrepreneur, and advocate for individuals experiencing mental health problems who feel misunderstood. Amy demonstrates such strength and passion in her story, sharing with the co-hosts what it was like being someone experiencing mental health problems and an eating disorder in the entertainment industry and how she was able to find recovery in a world that didn’t want her to recover. Through her recovery journey, Amy has connected with her culture, practicing Buddhism to remain grounded, and helping to educate individuals across the globe – including Vietnam through her Goodwill Ambassadorship – about the impacts of mental health experiences and how to seek and access treatment. We feel so grateful for Amy’s time, energy, and vulnerability, and hope you can find your own connection in the words she shares.

CW: eating disorder behaviors, suicide, trauma, self-harm, depression, gas-lighting behaviors,
alcohol use, body size commentary, food scarcity