In this week’s episode of Full of Beans, I’m joined by Ailidh Musgrave, an eating disorder campaigner, whose story spans years of misdiagnosis, medical trauma, and being repeatedly told she was “too complex” to treat.

Ailidh was diagnosed with anorexia at 13, and spent her teens and early adulthood in a cycle of nine inpatient admissions, severe depression, self-harm, sepsis, multiple surgeries and even temporary paralysis. Alongside her eating disorder, she lives with autism and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which went misunderstood or dismissed for years.

Now, two years out of hospital, back in education and moving in with her partner, Ailidh is using her experience to push for safer, more compassionate care and to challenge the Assisted Dying Bill through the #DyingForTreatment campaign.

In this conversation, Ailidh shares what it’s like to be rejected from over 20 hospitals, labelled “too complex”, and still find her way back to life – and why she believes no one with anorexia should ever be put on a palliative pathway.

This week, we discuss:

• Misdiagnosis, gastrointestinal symptoms and the long road to an EDS diagnosis
• The dramatic shift from CAMHS to adult services
• How autism and neurodivergence were misunderstood in eating disorder treatment
• Being turned away by over 20 hospitals and the “postcode lottery” of care
• Why Ailidh is speaking out against the Assisted Dying Bill and the risk for people with anorexia
• The power of time, trust and being truly listened to in recovery
• How her mum held onto hope when she couldn’t – and why hope is the most important thing clinicians can offer

Lived experience and family perspectives are essential if we want eating disorder care to be truly compassionate, person-centred and safe. Ailidh’s story is a powerful reminder that no one is beyond help, no matter how long or how complex their journey has been.

Timestamps:

• 01:20 – Ailidh's Experience of Inpatient Admissions
• 05:50 – CAMHS vs Adult Inpatient Care
• 09:40 – Autism and Misunderstanding
• 14:10 – EDS Diagnosis and Medical Trauma
• 18:30 – 9 Admissions in 13 Years
• 24:20 – Community Aftercare and Service Gaps
• 29:00 – Concerns About The Assisted Dying Bill
• 36:40 – Finding Internal Motivation For Recovery
• 43:10 – The Impact On Family

Resources & Links

• Connect with Ailidh on LinkedIn

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here
• Check out our website here
• Listen on YOUTUBE here

⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders. Please take care when listening.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.

Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode, Hannah is joined by Anna Carnegie. Anna is a Research Fellow at KCL, where she coordinates the Eating Disorders Clinical Research Network (or "EDCRN") and lends support to the UK Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (or "EDGI UK").

Alongside her academic role, Anna brings her own lived experience of OCD, anorexia, and long-term recovery. She now uses that experience to shape research, advocate for better funding, and push for eating disorder studies that truly centre the people they’re supposed to help.

This week, we discuss:

• The huge funding gap in eating disorder research and why it matters
• What EDCRN and EDGI UK are, and how they’re trying to answer basic questions about “what works”
• Genetics, metabolism, and why there is no single “eating disorder gene”
• The emotional burden and boundaries of working as a peer researcher
• Anna’s journey through OCD, anorexia, and treatment in Ireland and the UK
• How lived experience can shape research design, language, and priorities
• The life-changing impact of an NHS admission that focused on life goals, not just weight
• Why one-size-fits-all treatment doesn’t work and the need for truly individualised care

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Introducing Anna and her roles at King’s, EDCRN & EDGI UK
• 04:00 – The reality of underfunding in eating disorder research
• 08:30 – Lived experience, stigma, and language in research settings
• 14:00 – Peer research, boundaries, and “naming the elephant in the room”
• 20:00 – Anna’s story: OCD in childhood, anorexia in adolescence, and treatment in Dublin
• 37:00 – What EDCRN does and why standardised outcome data is so important
• 42:00 – Genetics, vulnerability, the “jar” analogy, and prevention
• 46:00 – One-size-fits-all treatment, neurodiversity, and hopes for the future of ED care

Resources & Links

• Connect with Anna on X (@Anna_Carnegie)
• Connect with Anna on Blue Sky (@annacarnegie.bsky.social)
• Find out more about EDCRN
• Find out more about EDGI UK or email [email protected]

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here
• Check out our website here

⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders and OCD. Please take care when listening.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.

Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode of Full of Beans, Han is joined by Zoë Harwood. Zoë is the founder of Light Minds Collective, a compassionate and soul-centred coaching space dedicated to helping individuals heal from low self-confidence, eating disorders, and poor body image.

With over 20 years of experience in mindset coaching within the dance industry and beyond, Zoë combines holistic and creative approaches to guide clients towards living with confidence, integrity, and purpose.

Drawing on her own lived experience of orthorexia, which complicated her pregnancy and led to hyperemesis and a difficult delivery, Zoë now uses her journey to raise awareness of eating disorders in pregnancy and beyond, and to empower others to find food freedom and authentic self-worth.

This week, we discuss:

• How the pursuit of “health” can mask deep fear and anxiety
• The overlap between orthorexia and OCD behaviours
• The role of veganism and “clean eating” in fuelling obsessive food rules
• Zoë's experience of hyperemesis and pregnancy while living with orthorexia
• How shame, guilt, and self-blame show up in motherhood and recovery
• The importance of curiosity and compassion when “healthy habits” become harmful

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Zoë's background in dance and early relationship with food
• 04:00 – The fear of illness that fuelled her obsession with “health”
• 08:00 – When veganism and clean eating became orthorexia
• 12:00 – Understanding orthorexia as a form of OCD
• 17:00 – Pregnancy, hyperemesis, and refusing medical treatment
• 24:00 – Shame, guilt and the impact on motherhood
• 31:00 – Finding recovery and redefining “healthy”
• 38:00 – Advice for those struggling during pregnancy or with orthorexia

Resources & Links

• Connect with Zoë on Instagram @lightmindcollective
• Visit Zoë's website

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here
• Check out our website here

⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, orthorexia, pregnancy complications, and medical trauma. Please take care when listening.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.

Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode of the Full of Beans podcast, Han is joined by Dr Tomos Williams. Tom has worked in the CWP Eating Disorder Service since May 2022. He works across community and specialist inpatient settings. He is the Psychiatric lead in the regional Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered Eating Clinic, the local MEED lead, and also works with patients with complex presentations, acting as a link person for local acute trusts. He is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatry Eating Disorder Faculty Executive Committee.

This week, we discuss:

• What T1DE is, and why “diabulimia” is an outdated term
• The life-threatening risks of insulin omission
• How eating disorders and diabetes treatment often conflict
• Why T1DE clinics are essential, but underfunded
• The role of eating disorder and diabetes professionals
• What joined-up, trauma-informed care looks like
• The outcomes and success of T1DE pilots
• The urgent need for political support to save these services

Timestamps:

• 01:30 – What is Type 1 Diabetes and Disordered Eating (T1DE)
• 04:00 – Medical risks associated with insulin omission
• 08:50 – Building the T1DE clinic & lack of national funding
• 13:10 – The power of a multi-disciplinary team
• 18:40 – Early signs of T1DE and what clinicians should look for
• 22:10 – Impact of trauma & perfectionism in diabetes
• 25:00 – Outcomes & HbA1c improvements
• 29:00 – Barriers to insulin pump access
• 33:20 – Can you recover from EDs while managing diabetes?

Resources & Links:

• The Compassion Project (Wessex & London T1DE Pilot)
• Parliamentary Inquiry into T1DE (2023)
• Diabetes UK on T1DE

Want to help save T1DE services?

Write to your local MP and demand continued funding. Mention the NHS England pilot outcomes and the need for integrated care for patients with type 1 diabetes and eating disorders.

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here
• Check out our website here

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses lived experiences of eating disorders, restrictive behaviours, and mentions of specific foods. Please take care when listening.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.

Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode of Full of Beans, Han is joined by Logan Strather, integrative psychotherapist, clinical lead at an eating disorder charity in Nottinghamshire, and co-founder of Garden Room Therapy.

Logan first explored late-onset eating disorders (LOED) during his undergraduate research and now works directly with clients experiencing these challenges first-hand.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Is “late-onset eating disorder” the right term?
• What the research (or lack thereof) tells us about age and onset
• Hormonal and neurological factors (e.g., menopause, oestrogen, impulse control)
• How medical weight stigma contributes to missed diagnoses
• Eating disorders in care homes and older adults
• The emotional toll of shame, grief, and moral incongruence
• Gendered assumptions and the underrepresentation of men
• What needs to change in treatment models for older adults

Timestamps:

• 01:30 – What does “late-onset ED” actually mean?
• 05:00 – Hormones, menopause & appetite regulation
• 08:00 – Weight stigma in healthcare
• 12:00 – Life transitions & ED vulnerability in older age
• 25:00 – Men and late-onset eating disorders
• 30:00 – Neurodivergence and late diagnosis
• 34:00 – Adapting treatment for older adults
• 40:00 – What needs to change in research & services

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions around eating disorder behaviours, weight stigma, menopause and grief, and care homes. Please take care when listening.

Resources & Links:

• @gardenroomtherapy on Instagram
• Freed Recovery (Nottinghamshire charity service) – rebranding soon!

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here
• Check out our website here

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.

Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode of Full of Beans, Han is joined by Eric Pothen. Eric is a Certified Eating Disorder Recovery Coach and an eating disorder advocate who serves on the Peer Council for the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and the Community Engagement Committee for the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD). After struggling with an eating disorder for several years, Eric now uses his lived experience to raise awareness and support others on their recovery journeys, particularly around eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image, with a special focus on men.

Eric is currently pursuing a degree in Counselling at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, to become an eating disorder therapist, specialising in working with men and the LGBTQ+ community.

In this week's episode, we discuss:

• Navigating shame, identity, and the onset of an eating disorder
• Why recovery can feel messy
• Reframing exercise and “food is fuel” in recovery
• Recovery perfectionism vs. authentic recovery
• Supporting individuals as people first, not by gender stereotypes
• The hidden and under-discussed behaviour of chewing and spitting
• The importance of intention and reframing in long-term recovery
• Understanding the intersectionality of identity in ED support

Timestamps:

• 03:00 – Eating disorder onset: identity, stress & sadness
• 08:00 – Shame & internalised stigma for men
• 12:00 – People pleasing and external validation
• 18:00 – Compulsive exercise & social reinforcement
• 22:00 – Recovery as rewiring: food, movement & intention
• 27:00 – The messiness of recovery & doing it solo
• 30:00 – Alcohol, chewing/spitting & hidden behaviours
• 34:00 – Marathon training: helpful or harmful?
• 40:00 – Intersectionality and seeing the person, not the gender

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains detailed discussions of eating disorder behaviours including anorexia, compulsive exercise, chewing and spitting, and alcohol use. Please take care whlist listening.

Resources & Links:

• Instagram: @ericpothan
• NEDA Peer Council: nationaleatingdisorders.org

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here
• Check out our website here

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.

Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode of Full of Beans Han is joined by Anne Richardson. Anne is a Registered Nutritional Therapist, lecturer and supervisor. She has been practising for more than ten years and exclusively works in the field of disordered eating. Anne suffered with anorexia in her teens and now draws from her lived experience to blend her knowledge of nutrition with her CBT skills. She works with people all over Europe to help them achieve food freedom. She is also invested in helping other practitioners work with disordered eaters as she recognises that general nutritional advice can be extremely damaging to disordered eaters. Anne is also a mum, a maker of all things and especially a keen baker.

This week, we discuss:

• The truth about eating late at night and weight gain
• Why your brain needs carbohydrates to sleep
• The truth about pasta and couscous
• How black-and-white thinking harms recovery
• Mental vs. physical hunger: how restriction plays into cravings
• Normalising emotional eating
• Finding balanced nutrition in recovery

Timestamps:

• 05:30 – What a nutritionist does in ED recovery
• 14:00 – The “don’t eat after 6pm” myth
• 21:00 – Mental vs physical hunger
• 30:00 – The truth about fear foods like pasta
• 39:00 – Why emotional eating isn’t bad
• 43:00 – Finding balance in recovery

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses lived experiences of eating disorders, restrictive behaviors, and mentions of specific foods. Please take care when listening.

Resources & Links:

• Follow Anne on Instagram @theeatingdisordernutritionist
• Visit her website theeatingdisordernutritionist.co.uk

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here
• Read our latest blog here

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.

Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Harry and his grateful mum, Jacqui, who are the hosts ‘Don't Weight to Change?’ which began following my personal 10+ year battle with anorexia.

By sharing their story, they aimed to help others struggling with mental health issues, especially young boys and men, creating a safe space for candid discussion and support.

Their story is one of honesty, compassion, and the power of connection between parent and child, showing how recovery is not only about healing the individual, but also about transforming relationships and finding hope together.

In this week's episode of Full of Beans, we discuss:

• Harry’s experience as the first male inpatient on a UK eating disorder ward
• The impact of gender stereotypes on diagnosis, denial, and support
• Harry's desire for male support and role models in recovery
• How exercise addiction and perfectionism mask disordered behaviours
• The role of family in recovery
• The trauma and helplessness felt by parents and loved ones
• Why the New Maudsley Method was a turning point in their recovery journey
• How the Don’t Wait to Change podcast is helping other men feel seen and heard

Timestamps:

01:58 – Why they started their podcast, Don’t Wait to Change

03:10 – Early signs and unhelpful eating disorder treatment

06:46 – The lack of male-specific ED support

10:27 – Inpatient experience as the only male

15:01 – The role of exercise and compulsive behaviours

22:10 – The impact on family and how they coped

43:02 – How vulnerability strengthened family bonds

49:42 – Why weight doesn't equal wellness

📍 Trigger Warning: This episode discusses eating disorder behaviours, medical trauma, and suicidal ideation. Please take care when listening.

Resources & Links:

• Follow Harry & Jacqui on Instagram @dontweighttochange
• Listen to their podcast on Spotify Don't Weight To Change

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here
• Read our latest blog here

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.

Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

This week, I’m joined by the incredible Harriet Parsons, CEO of BodyWhys, the Eating Disorders Association of Ireland.

Harriet is a qualified psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders. Alongside her clinical background, she’s passionate about education, advocacy, and making services more accessible and compassionate for carers.

Harriet joins us to discuss how services can better support the families, partners, and carers of people living with eating disorders, and why helping “the system around the person” is just as important as direct treatment.

Together, we explore:

• The Pillar Programme and how it builds carer resilience
• How Maudsley Carer Skills can empower families to support recovery
• The myth of the “perfect carer” and why presence > perfection
• The importance of meeting carers where they are emotionally
• Supporting professionals to better understand the carer experience
• How carers can change their approach to support recovery

Timestamps:

• 04:25 – Harriet’s pathway into ED work and psychotherapy
• 08:10 – Understanding the unique needs of carers
• 13:00 – Pillar Programme: what it is and how it works
• 19:15 – Maudsley Carer Skills & emotional coaching
• 24:45 – Why psychoeducation is game-changing
• 30:40 – What Harriet wishes more professionals knew
• 36:00 – Moving from “fixing” to “supporting”
• 41:50 – Final reflections and words of encouragement

⚠️ Trigger warning: This episode discusses eating disorders and caregiving. Please take care while listening.

Resources & Links:

• Visit Bodywshy

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here
• Read our latest blog here

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.

Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

This week, I’m joined by my dear friend George Mycock, a PhD candidate at the University of Worcester, who is studying men’s help-seeking and access to care for Eating and/or Body Image Psychopathology (EBIP)

George is also involved in several projects, including the Mental Health and Movement Alliance at the charity Mind, the steering group for the National Audit of Eating Disorders and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and co-led a project with the Consider Male Eating Disorders Team from the University of Nottingham and King's College London.

George joins us today to discuss his PhD research, focusing on how to make eating disorder services more accessible for men and his hope for future awareness.

Together, we explore:

• The presence of imposter syndrome in academia and research
• The barriers men face when seeking help for eating disorders
• How services and resources often unintentionally “other” men
• Muscle dysmorphia, body image pressures, and male experiences of disordered eating
• George’s work on developing inclusive guidance for services
• Why hope, awareness, and representation matter for men’s recovery

Timestamps:

• 01:04 – George's PhD research on men and eating disorders
• 10:00 – Why terminology matters (EBIP vs eating disorders)
• 20:00 – Barriers men face in accessing services
• 30:00 – Research on clinician bias and awareness
• 40:00 – Developing inclusive guidance with lived experience
• 55:00 – Why opening up these conversations matters

⚠️ Trigger warning: This episode discusses eating disorders, disordered eating behaviours, and body image concerns. Please listen with care and seek support if you are struggling.

Resources & Links:

• Visit Myominds
• Review paper from George's PhD
• "Touchy subject" paper
• Link to the guidance document

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here
• Read our latest blog here

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.

Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛