The Eating Disorder Therapist

Today I’m talking to Jessica Francis from Sooma Nutrition in Montreal, who is a registered dietitian and yoga instructor with a specialisation in eating disorders among adults and adolescents. Using a holistic and trauma-informed approach, she believes in addressing the complex relationship between food, body image, and mental health.

Drawing on her extensive knowledge of nutrition and the nuances of each individual’s experience, she supports her clients in their journey toward healing by fostering a compassionate space that honours their autonomy and goals.

Jess is particularly passionate about the intersection of embodiment and eating disorders, understanding that reconnecting with one’s body is a vital part of recovery. She uses this integrative approach to help clients cultivate a more positive and empowered relationship with food, their bodies, and themselves. By combining evidence-based nutrition counselling with mindfulness, body awareness, and emotional support, she tailors her care to meet each client where they are, recognising that healing is a personal and multifaceted process.

In her practice, Jess focuses not only on physical nourishment, but also on emotional well-being, encouraging clients to rebuild trust with their bodies and develop sustainable eating habits aligned with their health. Whether working with individuals facing anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or disordered eating patterns, her goal is to guide them towards lasting recovery and a sense of wholeness. Jess also has an interest in sports nutrition and works with athletes, supporting them in their performance or training goals while meeting their unique nutritional needs so they can feel the best in their sport.

In today's episode, Jess explores the Embodied Nervous System: Eating with Polyvagal Awareness.

She talks about polyvagal theory with embodiment practices to support those struggling with eating disorders. She explores how awareness of the nervous system can help people feel safer in their bodies and develop a healthier relationship with food.

Jess also explores how trauma and nervous system states affect food choices. She explains about techniques for nervous system regulation to help heal eating behaviours, body image and the perception of hunger and fullness.

This is an episode jam packed with information. I know that you'll find in inspiring and helpful. 

To find out more about Jess and SOOMA Nutrition: -

Website: https://sooma.ca/

Instagram: @s.0.0.m.a

This week's sponsor: -

Amber Romaniuk http://amberapproved.ca/

Podcast: https://amberapproved.ca/podcast

Harriet's Substack: https://substack.com/@theeatingdisordertherapist

Harriet Frew's current offers: -

Online 10 Steps to Intuitive Eating Course https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/online-courses.html

Online Breaking Free from Bulimia 

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/bulimia-nervosa-online-course.html

Eating Disorders Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/eating-disorders-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Body Image Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/body-image-training-with-harriet-frew.html

In this episode, I talk all about atypical anorexia nervosa. A condition that is often misunderstood and not acknowledged. I hope that you find it helpful.

This week's sponsor: -

Amber Romaniuk http://amberapproved.ca/

Podcast: https://amberapproved.ca/podcast

Harriet's Substack: https://substack.com/@theeatingdisordertherapist

Harriet Frew's current offers: -

Online 10 Steps to Intuitive Eating Course https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/online-courses.html

Online Breaking Free from Bulimia 

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/bulimia-nervosa-online-course.html

Eating Disorders Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/eating-disorders-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Body Image Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/body-image-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Here I share some thoughts about five things you need in eating disorder recovery.  Of course, you could expand well beyond this list, but I believe that these are particularly important in accelerating you forward on the healing journey. I hope that you find it helpful.

Harriet's Substack: https://substack.com/@theeatingdisordertherapist

Harriet Frew's current offers: -

Online 10 Steps to Intuitive Eating Course https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/online-courses.html

Online Breaking Free from Bulimia 

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/bulimia-nervosa-online-course.html

Eating Disorders Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/eating-disorders-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Body Image Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/body-image-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Before I launch into this week’s episode, I just want to mention a trigger warning as my guest this week talks about sexual abuse. In the episode, we don’t go into the details of the specific abuse, however, this episode may still be triggering for you, if you, or someone you know has experienced abuse. Make sure you take care of yourself. If this is not the right time, you may wish to give this episode a miss.

Today I am talking to Patty Cabot, author of the book ‘Not That Girl Anymore’ and someone who is passionate about raising awareness around sexual abuse. Starting in her teens, Patty battled drastic weight fluctuations and thought it was what prevented her from having romantic relationships. Desperate to break the cycle and open herself to love, at age 38 she started working with a therapist specialising in eating disorders. The therapist believed Patty’s weight changes and her relationship with food were a symptom of childhood sexual abuse, and only by resolving it could she have the love she wanted.

In the episode today, Patty talks about sexual abuse and the link with eating disorders. She explores the shame and secrecy experienced by sufferers. She talks us through her healing journey and the different therapies that helped, along with meditation and other tools.

Patty showed incredible tenacity and resilience in healing, walking a therapy journey that spanned 12 years. She has emerged the other side with deep self-awareness, has healed her relationship with food and is open hearted and feeling her emotions, in way that she never dreamed possible.

This is truly inspiring episode about what is possible with healing. Let’s get to the conversation.

To find out more about Patty:-

Website: https://www.pattycabot.com/

Book – Not That Girl Anymore: https://www.pattycabot.com/not-that-girl-anymore

Harriet's Substack: https://substack.com/@theeatingdisordertherapist

Harriet Frew's current offers: -

Online 10 Steps to Intuitive Eating Course https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/online-courses.html

Online Breaking Free from Bulimia 

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/bulimia-nervosa-online-course.html

Eating Disorders Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/eating-disorders-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Body Image Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/body-image-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Today, I’m talking to Jane Reagan. Jane is a Boulder, Colorado based Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) who believes that understanding food choices, food quality and one’s relationship with food can lead to greater awareness, improved health and a more abundant life.

Jane is passionate about helping her clients find greater health, vitality and improved wellness through balanced nutrition.

She understands that food is meant to be enjoyed and loves helping people connect to the wisdom of their own bodies, while providing guidance with evidence-based practices for optimal nutrition.

Jane Reagan’s experience in the fields of nutrition and counselling spans 25 years.

Jane has helped thousands of clients understand how food impacts them physically, mentally and emotionally with a “food first” philosophy.  In addition to her private practice in Boulder, Colorado,  Jane Reagan is the creator of the Eating Disorder Recovery Roadmap for Parents, an online program which brings her decades of in-person nutritional and counselling expertise to a remote learning solution that allows parents who have a child (of any age) with an eating disorder to understand and successfully navigate the complex journey to recovery.

In the episode today, Jane does a deep dive into her eating disorder recovery programme for parents. She explores how lonely and isolating it is as a parent, when you have a loved one struggling. She talks about helpful and unhelpful ways of coping and communicating. She is a beacon of hope and support for all parents struggling and is incredibly passionate about whole family support on the recovery road. I hope that you enjoy the conversation.

Website: https://janereagannutrition.com/

Program for parents: https://janereagannutrition.com/program-for-parents-of-children-with-eating-disorders/

Harriet's Substack: https://substack.com/@theeatingdisordertherapist

Harriet Frew's current offers: -

Online 10 Steps to Intuitive Eating Course https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/online-courses.html

Online Breaking Free from Bulimia 

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/bulimia-nervosa-online-course.html

Eating Disorders Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/eating-disorders-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Body Image Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/body-image-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Today, I’m talking to Dr. Melissa McCreery, Psychologist and Emotional Eating Coach.

Melissa helps women break cycles with emotional eating, overeating, and stress – not by hard work and willpower, but by simple changes that make life more enjoyable and create peace with food.

Melissa is a psychologist, a coach, and a writer. She is the host of ‘Too Much On Her Plate’ Podcast. She’s the author of The Emotional Eating Rescue Plan for Smart, Busy Women and her approach has been featured in places like The Wall Street Journal, Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Fitness, Self, and Weight Watcher’s Magazine.

Melissa’s core values are compassion, open-mindedness, a passionate belief in growth and possibility, and deep respect for our humanity.

She will always take a stand for moving beyond what’s keeping you small or stuck – in your thinking, your behaviour, your beliefs, or in the world. Growth is challenging, and change can feel awkward and painful, but numbness, avoidance, and defensiveness only keep us trapped – or worse.

In the episode today, Melissa talks about her journey into working with clients with food issues. She explores hidden hungers – and what often lies beneath our turning to food. She talks self-criticism, self-care, overwhelm, emotions and more. She talks diet culture and losing your power. So much packed in this episode. I hope that you enjoy the conversation.

To find out more about Dr. Melissa McCreery: -

Website: https://toomuchonherplate.com/

Instagram: @toomuchonherplate

Harriet's Substack: https://substack.com/@theeatingdisordertherapist

Harriet Frew's current offers: -

Online 10 Steps to Intuitive Eating Course https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/online-courses.html

Online Breaking Free from Bulimia 

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/bulimia-nervosa-online-course.html

Eating Disorders Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/eating-disorders-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Body Image Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/body-image-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Today I’m talking to Jade Grantham. Jade is the author of ‘Accept That You Are Imperfect’ a book about her personal journey and recovery with an eating disorder, specifically bulimia nervosa that started when she was 12 years old and lasted for over 10 years. Jade’s book is not a self-help book but rather a raw account of her journey. I would highly recommend it. The link is in the show notes.

In the episode today, Jade talks us through her healing journey. If you would like to hear the longer version of this, in today’s show notes, I have linked her recent episode on George Mycock’s podcast (Myominds) where she talks through this in a lot more depth.

I see Jade as someone who has really done some deep recovery work, so I wanted to delve more in this episode into the psychology of eating disorders, as I’m personally very interested in this, and I hope that you as the listeners will get so much value from it.

In today’s conversation, Jade talks about the predisposing factors that led to the development of bulimia as a coping strategy and then exploring what kept her stuck in perpetuating cycles of bulimia for so long. Jade talks candidly about bulimia as a coping mechanism, exploring her deep ambivalence about change, as bulimia was helping her for many years, albeit in a dysfunctional way.

Jade talks about quasi-recovery, when she was in a more orthorexic phase. I think this is something many of us can be vulnerable to falling into, particularly with the influence of wellness culture. She talks about motivation for change and the value of close relationships on the healing journey. Jade talks about therapy and what really helped her recover and how she stays well to this day.

It’s a truly inspiring episode. I hope that you find it helpful.

To find out more about Jade: -

Instagram: @jadegrantham1

Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Accept-That-You-Are-Imperfect/dp/1399974807

Myominds podcast episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/myominds-stories-ep-2-jade-grantham/id1532716451?i=1000664111656

Harriet's Substack: https://substack.com/@theeatingdisordertherapist

Harriet Frew's current offers: -

Online 10 Steps to Intuitive Eating Course https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/online-courses.html

Online Breaking Free from Bulimia 

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/bulimia-nervosa-online-course.html

Eating Disorders Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/eating-disorders-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Body Image Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/body-image-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Binge eating is not simply scoffing an extra biscuit, with your morning coffee break.

Instead, it involves eating fast, an extremely large amount of food (more than you would eat for lunch or dinner). It’s usually in secret and can feel like a dissociative or ‘out of body’ experience. You are fully present and grounded on earth, but it can feel as though a demon has swept over you and taken all rational decision making away.

Binge eating can fleetingly bring euphoria and pleasure. This is short-lived before guilt, shame and self-loathing descend like a dark cloud. Plus, the physical consequences of feeling over-full are deeply unpleasant and sometimes painful.

Binge eating can happen across eating disorders and within disordered eating. This means if you have: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder or OSFED (Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder) – binges can occur.

Why do people binge? Listen to the full episode for 9 reasons with actionable steps for change. This audio was originally created for Substack. See the link below for the written article.

Harriet's Substack: https://substack.com/@theeatingdisordertherapist

Harriet Frew's current offers: -

Online 10 Steps to Intuitive Eating Course https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/online-courses.html

Online Breaking Free from Bulimia 

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/bulimia-nervosa-online-course.html

Eating Disorders Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/eating-disorders-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Body Image Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/body-image-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Today I’m talking to Sabrina Magnan, a Food Freedom & Intuitive Eating Coach, based in Montreal, Canada. She helps chronic dieters heal their relationship with food & their bodies, and develop realistic and lasting health-promoting habits.

Sabrina has been on her own food healing journey through her battle with orthorexia, disordered eating, body dysmorphia and yo-yo dieting. Having experienced this for many years, she deeply understands what it’s like to have your entire life revolve around food & your body.

After discovering what actually works in recovery, to stop feeling out of control around food and understanding the psychology of behaviour change, Sabrina now supports women all over the world to help them find true health, free from obsession & guilt. If you would like to hear Sabrina’s story, she has been a previous guest on the podcast and the link is in the show notes.

In this episode today, Sabrina introduces us to a valuable tool that can be used in eating disorder recovery. She talks us through the Pyramid of Logical Levels by Robert Dilts which is from NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming). In the discussion, Sabrina explains how we often get stuck with behavioural changes, not realising how our values, beliefs and identity can be significant barriers to change.

Sabrina talks us through this incredible model with fantastic clarity and precision. Grab a pen and paper (if you’re not driving) and you can construct your own pyramid and delve into change on a far deeper level, whilst understanding your blocks. So much value packed in this conversation. I hope that you enjoy it.

Sabrina's previous episode on the podcast:-

https://harrietfrew.podbean.com/e/eating-disorder-recovery-finding-your-why-for-change-intuitive-eating-and-body-image-tips-with-sabrina-magnan/

The Dilt Behavioural Pyramid

https://www.nlpschool.com/the-logical-levels-of-learning/#

To find out more about Sabrina: -

Food Freedom Academy (Enrolment for January 2023 Group Currently open): www.sabrinamagnan.com/academy

Instagram: @Sabrina.magnan.health : https://www.instagram.com/sabrina.magnan.health/

Podcast: www.sabrinamagnan.com/podcast 

Harriet Frew's current offers: -

Online 10 Steps to Intuitive Eating Course https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/online-courses.html

Online Breaking Free from Bulimia 

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/bulimia-nervosa-online-course.html

Eating Disorders Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/eating-disorders-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Body Image Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/body-image-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Today I’m talking to Katie Shepherd and Lara Paciorek from Food Explorers based out of Connecticut and Massachusetts, USA.  Katie founded Food Explorers in January 2018, after leaving a job as a Retail Dietitian with no back up plan. While that job wasn't the right fit, Katie discovered the joys of children’s cooking classes and how it combined her love of food and working with children.

Food Explorers started as a little side dream, and has a grown in a full-time, ever-growing company with multiple instructors, over 100 summer camps, and an immeasurable number of community partners, schools and recreation departments that, make the Food Explorers mission possible.

After welcoming her baby boy, Jack, in July of 2021 and then embarking on the journey of baby led weaning and introducing foods and flavours, Katie dove even deeper into how our relationship with food can impact us from childhood. Working together with Lara, now the Assistant Director in the company, but previously teaching the cooking skills, the mission of Food Neutrality was introduced to their classes.

They hope to always inspire kids to explore new foods and flavours, teach them valuable cooking skills and more importantly to show children that food is meant to be enjoyed, not feared.

Exploring food encourages children to learn through sensory experiences, hands-on activities and working together to create delicious results. Children will have the freedom to explore thanks to their unique "food neutral" approach to teaching about food. 

In the episode today, Katie and Lara talk about Food Explorers, how it came about, how they work and their passion and mission behind educating young people. It’s a very inspiring business that really puts thought and consideration at the centre of teaching about relationship with food and body, also being very supportive of parents in the process. I hope that you enjoy the conversation.

Find out more about Food Explorers:

Website: https://food-explorers.com/

Instagram: @foodexplorersct

Harriet Frew's current offers: -

Online 10 Steps to Intuitive Eating Course https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/online-courses.html

Online Breaking Free from Bulimia 

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/bulimia-nervosa-online-course.html

Eating Disorders Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/eating-disorders-training-with-harriet-frew.html

Body Image Training for Professionals

https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/body-image-training-with-harriet-frew.html