let's thrive

Far too often we see the impact of diet culture through disordered relationships with food and body image. Today’s guest, Nicole Modic, is sharing her journey from first time she became aware of her body and how that led to an eating disorder. Nicole first experienced diet culture as a child and her relationship to it would eventually morph into binge eating disorder and bulimia. After several life transitions and big events, Nicole found the strength to embark on the recovery journey and shares that process. Now as a content creator, Nicole uses her platforms to spread intentional and positive awareness of diet culture through tasty recipes, personal notes, and snippets of the daily life. 

In this epiosde we discuss: 

• Binge eating disorder & bulimia
• The impact of diet culture on mental health
• Body image and shifting mindsets
• Starting the recovery process
• Redefining food labels

To connect with Nicole: @kalejunkie and www.kalejunkie.com

To connect with me: @emilyfeikls and @letsthrivepodcast

Creating your ‘dream’ reality can seem like a far fetch if you don’t have the vision to dream it. Today’s guest, Kelsey Chapman, knows firsthand that your present reality can be the ‘dream’ if you simply know where to look. Her work centers around the impact of mentorship in envisioning and building the life or business you desire. We all know that what you see and what you think influence the life you build and that’s exactly what Kelsey shares in this episode. Her book, What They Taught Me, dives into the essence of true mentorship and how to find the people in your life that will propel you along the way. 

In this episode we discuss: 

• Hurdles and how to overcome them
• The mindset shift for forward thinking
• Mentorship and what this means
• Finding the mentors in your everyday life
• Expanding the mind and envisioning your ideals
• Asking for help versus ‘toughing’ it out 

Connect with Kelsey: @kelschapman and her website www.kelseychapman.com

Connect with me: @emilyfeikls and @letsthrivepodcast

Binge eating is an all too common struggle that many don’t truly understand. Today’s guest, Marissa Kai Miluk, is here to share the real deal information on binge eating and binge eating disorder from years of experience and education in the field. As a registered dietician with a passion for educating and empowering others, Marissa works to support others in their healing journey towards recovery. Through 1-on-1 work with clients and by sharing openly on her instagram, Marissa is redefining what it means to be “healthy” in a world full of diet culture.

In today’s episode we discuss: 

• The difference between binge eating, binge eating disorder, and overeating 
• How to identify and break the restrict > binge cycle
• Physical and mental triggers for binges 
• How diet culture and the modern world promote this lifestyle
• Emotional eating and coping mechanisms 
• Preventative actions for binge struggles 

To connect with Marissa: @binge.nutritionist 

To connect with me: @emilyfeikls

Learning to better understand ourselves is often the first step towards growth. Today’s guest, Vrin Rao, has spent years learning, practicing, and implementing the healing tools of the enneagram, meditation, and ego work to become her most expanded self. Through self analysis, asking questions, and allowing space for reflection, Vrin has been able to grow in all aspects of life. And now she helps others to do the same! Her work is centered around understanding the ego and the core motivations through the enneagram. This leads to identity, labels, creating space, and focusing on the ego, mind, and intelligence within us.

In this episode we discuss:

• Listening to the inner critic in order to heal
• Becoming less reactive
• The core motivations behind enneagram types 
• Understanding the ego and working with it
• The many identities we take on
• Creating space for pause
• The mind, ego, and intelligence 

To connect with Vrin: @illuminate.nyc. and through email [email protected]

To connect with me: @emilyfeikls

If you are interested in learning more about how the Enneagram can shed greater insights into your relationships with yourself and others, Vrin offers Enneagram Consultations and ongoing coaching. The consultation is a 1:1 opportunity to dive deeper into understanding your core motivations, better understand your unique gifts and learn how to work with the shadows we each battle within You can reach out to her at: [email protected] or on IG @illuminate.nyc

As a therapist in training and eating disorder recovery advocate, Mimi Cole is here to share reflections on unlearning and becoming. Her work is meant to inspire thought, empower action, and bring about change in the everyday life. With a speciality in OCD and it’s patterns, Mimi explains how OCD impacts the mind and specifically the mind of anyone experiencing disordered eating. Through personal lessons and professional education, Mimi’s work explores mental health, eating disorders, and the power of change.

In this episode we discuss:

• What OCD is and how it impacts the mind
• The connection between compulsion and eating disorders
• How anxiety pairs with other mental health patterns 
• Opposite action and the power of exposure therapy
• Choosing to accept versus run away
• Character traits that impact mental health

Connect with Mimi: @the.lovelybecoming and the Lovely Becoming Podcast

Connect with me: @emilyfeikls @letsthrivepodcast

Joining me for a special birthday edition podcast episode is Renee Taylor of @killinitwithcrohns. We get very candid while discussing past and present struggles as well as wins along the way. This is an episode sprinkled with laughter as well as tidbits of wisdom and life advice for anyone on a similar path. Renee truly embodies the queen energy and hopes to share that with anyone struggling to remember their worth. 

In this episode we discuss: 

• Body appreciation is all aspects
• Weight gain + body change
• Independence and relationships
• Capricorn energy and more astrology fun
• Vulnerability and letting people in

To connect with Renee: @killinitwithcrohns

To connect with me: @emilyfeikls @letsthrivepodcast

As a content creator, blogger, and podcast host, Emily Gass uses her voice and affintiy for photography to connect with thousands working to leave behind diet culture. After sharing her recovery journey in a very real and raw way, Emily now hopes to empower others as they work to rewire their thoughts and build new habits around food, body image, and overall recovery. Her content reaches thousands as she shares intimate and open moments of her recovery process through stunning photography and heart centered messages. For anyone struggling to live in a world so consumed with diet culture, Emily’s content is meant for you.

In this episode we discuss:

• the holiday mentality of restrict and shame spiral 
• sifting through the mental chatter of disordered eating
• the impact of diet culture on our mental + physical health
• why “new year” diets aren’t the answer
• is intuitive eating for the holidays possible?
• building a safe bubble and being aware of triggers

To connect with Emily G: @eatwithcare and her website https://letseatwithcare.com

To connect with me: @emilyfeikls @letsthrivepodcast

Working through an eating disorder takes time and dedication, two things that today’s guest, Liv van Aarsen, has learned over the years. As an ED warrior and now openly autistic creator, Liv’s mission is to connect with others facing similar struggles. Her work is here to empower and educate so that others may live a fulfilled life free of diet culture. After a recent diagnosis of autism, Liv’s focus has now shifted to understanding the connection between mind and body. This means learning about how our mental health manifests in physical ways and discovering the root cause of our thoughts and behaviors. 

In this episode we discuss:

• being openly autistic + the connection to her ED
• looking at the root cause of disorderd eating tendencies
• the connection between our thoughts and actions
• why we’re naturally drawn to food as a crutch
• emotional eating and experiencing binges
• “recovery” versus “recovered”

To connect with Liv: @livlabelfree

To connect with me: @emilyfeikls @letsthrivepodcast

Join me as I take a stroll down memory lane and reminisce on the treasures and turmoil of 2020. Starting with my Hep C test results, sponraneous travel, the shutdown, starting school again, struggling with health, and all the details that I never shared. Even as this year presented many challenges and character tests, it also gifted us all with a new perspective. I share the mindset and lfiestyle shifts I encountered this year as well as the lessons learned from them. In this I discuss:

• my struggle prioritizing physial health over mental health
• wins and losses in personal and business life
• manifesting physical symptoms
• the danger of setting high expectations
• how to be more fluid with plans
• the closure we all need
• trusting intuition overtime

To connect with me: @emilyfeikls

After struggling with undiagnsed health concerns for years, Kailey Donewald grew tired of professionals telling her “everything seems fine”. Taking her health into her own hands, Kailey embarked on a journey of healing, self discovery, and growth. Through trying new healing modalities and following her intutuion, she was able to heal herself and move forward with her life. Inspired by the culture and food of her travels, Sacred Serve was born. A plant based gelato made with real food ingredients inspired by Kailey’s own health journey.

 In this episode we discuss:

• How to approach relationships when dealing with health issues
• Taking up space and believing in what we deserve
• Kailey’s health journey + discovering healing modalities
• The power of food and lifstyle in healing
• Why health looks different for everyone
• Small steps versus big steps in healing
• Creating Sacred Serve, a plant based gelato

To connect with Kailey: go to @sacredserve or shop the gelato at Sacred Serve. Use code LETSTHRIVE25 for 25% off your order!

To connect with me: go to @emilyfeikls