This week’s Full of Beans episode tackles one of the most critical (and controversial) topics in eating disorder care: are eating disorders really untreatable, or are we simply using the wrong tools?

We’re joined by the brilliant Dr. Anita Federici, clinical psychologist and international DBT trainer. Dr. Federici has worked with those considered “treatment-resistant” and asks an important question: is it the person who’s resistant, or is the system failing to meet their needs?

Key Takeaways

• The limitations of traditional CBT models in eating disorder care
• The importance of DBT's acceptance-based approach
• The importance of understanding trauma, neurodivergence & emotional dysregulation in recovery
• The reality of two contradictions existing: I want to recover AND I need to engage in my eating disorder.
• The danger of labels like "terminal anorexia" and "severe and enduring"
• Why the system may be treatment resistant, not the individual
• The vital role of clinicians in holding hope for their patients
• The ethical dilemma of the assisted dying bill

Timestamps:

• 04:50 – DBT vs CBT in eating disorder treatment
• 16:10 – Treatment-resistant or treatment-mismatched?
• 24:30 – The assisted dying bill: ethical concerns
• 33:00 – Who gets labelled “terminal” and why?
• 42:00 – Why hope isn’t optional, it’s essential

Trigger warning: This episode discusses eating disorders, suicidal ideation and assisted dying.

Connect with Us:

🎙️ Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here

📲 Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here

💬 Connect with Anita on Instagram (@dranitafederici), Linkedin (dr-anita-federici-phd) or visit her website (The Centre for Psychology and Emotion Regulation).

✍🏻 Read our latest blog here

Further Resources: First Steps ED

Thank you for listening and being part of this important conversation!

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Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week’s episode, Han is rejoined by Priya Tew, an award-winning, experienced registered eating disorder dietitian who works with clients to enjoy life free of anxiety around food and their body.

Priya has worked extensively within the NHS and private hospitals, supporting individuals both 1-1 and in outpatient settings. Now in private practice, she offers tailored 1-1 support and group sessions through her Recovery Tribe, helping people navigate and achieve lasting eating disorder recovery.

Together, we explore the often-overlooked topic of eating disorders in midlife, the rise of disordered eating among women at this life stage, and why it’s never too late to recover.

Key Takeaways

• Eating disorders in midlife and why they're often misunderstood.
• The impact of life transitions, identity shifts, and menopause on body image.
• How diet culture targets midlife women and fuels disordered eating
• The importance of stripping nutrition back to basics: simple, realistic, and balanced.
• Finding joy in life’s little moments and building authentic community connections
• Why recovery is always possible; whether you’re 25 or 75.

Timestamps

• 05:00 – Why do eating disorders occur in midlife.
• 14:00 – How do menopause and body changes impact mental health?
• 24:00 – The impact of diet culture on midlife women.
• 34:00 – The power of community and connection in recovery
• 42:00 – It's never too late to recover

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses eating disorders, body image struggles, and mental health topics that may be triggering for some listeners. Please take care while tuning in.

Connect with Priya:

• Instagram: @priya_tew
• Website: dietitianuk.co.uk

Connect with Us:

🎙️ Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here

📲 Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here

💬 Connect with Sophie on LinkedIn here

✍🏻 Read our latest blog here

Further Resources: First Steps ED

Thank you for listening and being part of this important conversation!

✨ Don’t forget to share this episode with someone who might need it! ✨✨ If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might benefit!

Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Sophie Temple. Sophie is a final-year Doctoral Researcher specialising in eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image (including body dissatisfaction and body appreciation) during the menopausal transition. My research focuses on how menopausal quality of life impacts these factors, utilising both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

We discuss:

• Sophie PhD research on body image, disordered eating, and menopause.
• The surprising gap in eating disorder research in midlife.
• How menopause impacts women’s confidence, identity at work and hormones.
• Body dissatisfaction, weight gain and the role of HRT and diet culture.
• How to develop stronger body appreciation through movement and community.
• Navigating menopause as a chance to reclaim autonomy and joy.
• The impact of growing up with diet culture in previous generations.
• Sophie's vision for more accessible, positive menopause support.
• How self-awareness, connection, and authenticity can buffer difficult transitions.

Timestamps:

⏱️ [03:20] Exploring Why Menopause is Under-Researched

⏱️ [06:00] The impact of hormones, hot flushes & workplace stigma

⏱️ [09:00] The link between hormones and disordered eating

⏱️ [12:00] The role of hormones in body shape change

⏱️ [14:45] The impact of diet culture and fear of weight gain in menopause

⏱️ [19:00] The benefits of body appreciation in menopause

⏱️ [23:40] The power of redefining your identity during menopause

⏱️ [26:00] The development of body image perspectives between generations

⏱️ [33:10] Advice for women approaching menopause

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses disordered eating, body image dissatisfaction and menopausal symptoms.

Resources: First Steps ED

Connect with Us:

🎙️ Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here

📲 Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here

💬 Connect with Sophie on LinkedIn here

✍🏻 Read our latest blog here

Thank you for listening and being part of this important conversation!

✨ Don’t forget to share this episode with someone who might need it! ✨

In this week’s episode of Full of Beans, Hannah is joined by Jessica Murphy, a writer, yoga practitioner, and university lecturer, who shares her story of living with anorexia and bulimia for nearly 30 years.

From teenage onset to navigating adult eating disorders, Jessica reflects on the long-term impact of disordered eating, her recovery journey, and what it means to reclaim joy, connection, and identity.

This week, we discuss:

• How eating disorders often go unnoticed in adults and why “looking healthy” doesn’t mean being well.
• The impact of long-term behaviours, relapses, and the internal struggle that continues even in a “recovered” body.
• Why Jessica doesn’t use the word “recovered” and how recovery is a daily choice, not a destination.
• The things we miss when engrossed in an eating disorder and the impact it has on those around us.
• Navigating delayed puberty, body changes, and reclaiming her identity as a woman in later life.
• Why “one day at a time” matters, and how building new coping tools is key to healing.

Timestamps:

⏱️ 03:15 – The onset of anorexia and bulimia during Jessica's teens

⏱️ 07:50 – Adult eating disorders & invisibility

⏱️ 14:10 – Living with bulimia and anorexia for decades

⏱️ 22:45 – What recovery looks like for Jessica Recovery isn’t linear

⏱️ 26:20 – Grief and impact of an eating disorder on friendships, opportunities, and milestones

⏱️ 30:30 – Discovering womanhood after an ED

⏱️ 36:00 – Advice for long-term recovery

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses eating disorder behaviours, hospitalisation, and suicidal ideation. Please listen with care.

Resources: First Steps ED

Connect with Us:

🎙️ Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here

📲 Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here

💬 Connect with Jessica on Instagram (@djcats).

✍🏻 Read our latest blog here

Thank you for listening and being part of this important conversation!

✨ Don’t forget to share this episode with someone who might need it! ✨

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Aidan Custy, a registered dietitian and sports nutritionist with a background in CAMHS eating disorders. Aidan combines his expertise in eating disorder recovery and sports performance to support athletes in fueling their bodies without falling into restrictive patterns.

Key Takeaways:

• The pressures on athletes to look or perform a certain way.
• How disordered eating can develop within sports culture.
• What Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) is and its impact.
• Signs & symptoms of under-fueling, including changes in performance, menstrual cycles, and immunity.
• The pyramid of things worth worrying about when it comes to nutrition.
• The importance of finding balance between optimal performance and mental wellbeing.
• Challenging myths around body shape, food, and athletic success.

Timestamps:

[05:15] Why athletes are at higher risk of disordered eating and the pressures they face.

[14:00] Understanding RED-S: What it is, who it affects, and how it shows up in athletes.

[22:50] Common signs of under-fueling and its impact on hormones, bone density, and performance.

[31:40] The pyramid of sports nutrition: what matters most for fueling.

[39:20] Why overtraining and under-fueling are often normalised in sports culture.

[44:00] How eating enough is more important than perfect nutrition for performance.

[50:00] The social impact of sports culture and detaching identity from training.

TW: This episode discusses binge discusses eating disorders, disordered eating in athletes, and body image challenges. Please take care while listening. If you or someone you know needs support, contact a trusted professional or helpline.

Connect with Aidan: LinkedIn | Instagram | Website

Need Support? If you relate to some of the symptoms Aidan mentioned and want to know what to do next, we recommend reaching out to your GP or connecting with eating disorder dietitians such as Aidan, Renee McGregor or Elle Kelly for further support.

Connect with Us:

🎙️ Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here

📲 Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here

✍🏻 Read our latest blog here

Thank you for listening and being part of this important conversation!

✨ Don’t forget to share this episode with someone who might need it! ✨

In this powerful and insightful episode, I sit down with DJ, a peer support worker with lived experience of binge eating disorder (BED), ADHD, and addiction. Now in recovery and sober for five years, DJ shares his journey through mental distress, addiction, and ultimately finding purpose in supporting others. We explore the complexities of diagnoses, the overlap between ADHD and addiction, and the invaluable role of peer support in eating disorder treatment.

Key Takeaways:

• The intersection between ADHD, addiction, and binge eating disorder.
• How peer support bridges the gap between patients and clinicians.
• The importance of challenging internalized weight stigma in recovery.
• The role of community and connection in sustainable healing.
• Why recovery isn’t about perfection but about building a fulfilling life.

Timestamps:

[01:42] – DJ’s background and role as a peer support worker

[03:35] – Understanding peer support and its role in eating disorder recovery

[08:04] – DJ’s lived experience with BED and ADHD

[14:06] – The pros and cons of diagnoses and their impact on identity

[21:18] – ADHD, impulse control, and the connection to addiction

[25:45] – DJ’s path to sobriety and overcoming addiction

[30:04] – Navigating body image challenges in recovery

[35:50] – The role of peer support in multidisciplinary treatment teams

[40:30] – How lived experience enhances eating disorder treatment

[44:10] – Advice for integrating peer support into healthcare settings

Connect with DJ: Lois Bridges Eating Disorder Centre (Dublin) (@loisbridgesdublin)

TW: This episode discusses binge eating disorder, ADHD, substance use and other mental health issues. Please take care while listening. If you or someone you know needs support, contact a trusted professional or helpline.

Connect with Us:

🎙️ Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here

📲 Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here

✍🏻 Read our latest blog here

Thank you for listening and being part of this important conversation!

✨ Don’t forget to share this episode with someone who might need it! ✨

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Paola Falkoski, an advanced specialist eating disorder dietitian and somatic experience therapist. Paola specialises in Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and provides a clinician’s perspective on what ARFID is, how it differs from other eating disorders, and the best approaches for treatment. Together, Han and Paola explore common misunderstandings, the connection between ARFID and autism, and how clinicians and families can support individuals with ARFID effectively.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Understanding ARFID, how it differs from picky eating and why it is a serious eating disorder.
• How dietitians help individuals with ARFID manage nutritional deficiencies and expand food choices.
• Breaking down myths, misconceptions and stigmas about ARFID and why awareness is essential.
• Exploring the overlap and clarifying why not all individuals with ARFID are autistic.
• The importance of tailored approaches rather than a one-size-fits-all method.
• =Addressing what progress and success mean for someone with ARFID.

Timestamps:

• [06:31] - What ARFID is and how it differs from picky eating
• [12:45] - The role of a dietitian in ARFID treatment
• [17:20] - Common misconceptions and stigma around ARFID
• [23:10] - The connection between ARFID and autism
• [30:45] - Why treatment should be individualized and adapted
• [40:10] - What recovery from ARFID looks like
• [46:00] - Where to find Paola online and closing thoughts

Connect with Paola by visiting her website.

Resources & Links:

• ARFID Awareness UK
• BEAT
• Be Body Positive
• North Cumbria ARFID Patient and Carer Resource
• British Dietetic Association ARFID Position Statement

TW:

This episode discusses eating disorders, ARFID, and food-related anxieties. Please take care while listening. If you or someone you know needs support, contact a trusted professional or helpline.

Connect with Us:

🎙️ Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here

📲 Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here

✍🏻 Read our latest blog here

Thank you for listening and being part of this important conversation!

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Dr. Kai Thomas to mark Trans Day of Visibility. Kai is a postdoctoral researcher at Cardiff University and the lead investigator of the LEADING Study, which explores eating disorders in neurodivergent and gender-diverse individuals.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Kai’s personal experience of anorexia and realising they were trans during recovery
• Factors such as gender dysphoria which can trigger eating disorders in trans folks
• How gatekeeping and BMI restrictions in gender-affirming care can fuel disordered eating
• The aims of the LEADING Study and the importance of co-producing research with lived experience
• What clinicians need to better support trans and gender-diverse individuals
• The need for individualised, inclusive care and better clinical training

⏱️ Timestamps:

• [03:00] – Kai’s lived experience of anorexia and being trans
• [15:20] – Introduction to the LEADING Study and its aims
• [19:00] – Gender diversity, neurodivergence, and overlapping experiences
• [23:16] – Misconceptions: “Being trans causes eating disorders”
• [26:00] – Barriers to accessing gender-affirming care care
• [33:00] – What Kai hopes the research will change in healthcare
• [35:00] – Why clinicians need training and confidence to support trans people

The LEADING Study is looking to hear from trans, gender diverse, and nonbinary people to understand the links between gender diversity, neurodivergence and eating disorders.

We are looking for people who are…

• Aged 18+ years,
• Currently based in the UK and fluent in English,
• Trans, gender diverse, and/or non-binary,
• And have lived experience of an eating disorder (current or historical) - diagnosis not required to take part.

Email: [email protected] | [email protected]

Socials: Linktree | Kai's LinkedIn | Kai's Research Profile

TW: This episode discusses eating disorders, gender dysphoria, disordered eating behaviours, and barriers to gender-affirming care. Please listen with care and seek support if needed.

Connect with Us:

🎙️ Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here

📲 Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here

✍🏻 Read our latest blog here

Thank you for listening and being part of this important conversation!

This week, I’m joined by Bayada Mohamed Osman, a Sudanese-American advocate, public health professional, and poet with roots in the DMV. Bayada shares her journey navigating eating disorder recovery, the impact of culture and religion, and her advocacy for marginalised communities, including her work supporting Sudan during its ongoing crisis.

Key takeaways:

• Public health & advocacy: How Bayadir's background shaped her understanding of mental health
• Culture & eating disorders: The intersection of culture, religion, and disordered eating in Sudanese & Muslim communities
• Resonating with diagnosis: Why eating disorders don’t fit one mold & how they manifest differently
• Control, trauma & survivor’s guilt: How these factors play a role in disordered eating patterns
• Ramadan & recovery: Navigating fasting while prioritizing health
• Community & healing: Why connection, advocacy, and self-compassion are key in the recovery journey

Timestamps:

[00:34] – Bayadir’s background in public health and advocacy

[05:50] – Being diagnosed with ARFID & eating disorder unspecified

[15:30] – Cultural stigma around eating disorders & mental health

[24:10] – Survivor’s guilt, food security & balancing advocacy

[38:00] – How Bayadir shifted her mindset towards recovery

[44:50] – The role of religion in healing & navigating Ramadan

TW: This episode discusses eating disorders, famine, and war. Please listen with care. If you or someone you know needs support, contact a trusted professional or helpline.

Connect with Bayada:

📲 Instagram: @yourbaya | @bridges.co

🌐 Website: yourbaya | bridges.co

Connect with Us:

🎙️ Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here

📲 Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here

✍🏻 Read our latest blog here

Thank you for listening and being part of this important conversation!

✨ Don’t forget to share this episode with someone who might need it! ✨

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Fiona Hollings (Fi), an autistic advocate who has nearly recovered from anorexia. Fi shares her journey of navigating an eating disorder while being undiagnosed autistic, the challenges of treatment that wasn't tailored to neurodivergent needs, and how understanding her autism helped her move toward recovery. Together, Han and Fi explore the crucial overlap between autism and eating disorders and discuss how treatment can be adapted to better support autistic individuals.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Understanding the Autism-Anorexia Connection: Exploring why autistic individuals may be more susceptible to developing eating disorders.
• Challenges in Traditional Treatment: Why standard eating disorder treatment often fails autistic individuals and what needs to change.
• The Role of Routine and Sensory Considerations: How structure and sensory adaptations can make recovery more manageable.
• Managing Autism to Aid Recovery: How embracing autistic traits can support a sustainable recovery from an eating disorder.
• The Peace Pathway Approach: How this initiative is revolutionizing eating disorder treatment for autistic individuals.
• Taking Action: How listeners can advocate for better treatment adaptations and find support resources.

Timestamps:

• [03:36] - Fi introduces herself and her journey
• [09:33] - The struggles of being autistic in traditional eating disorder treatment
• [16:12] - The impact of an autism diagnosis on recovery
• [24:01] - Practical strategies for recovery while being autistic
• [35:56] - Understanding the Peace Pathway and its role in improving care
• [42:30] - The importance of individualized treatment for eating disorders
• [46:02] - Where to find Fi online and closing thoughts

Resources & Links:

• The Peace Pathway
• Follow Fi on Instagram (@finding_fi_)
• Connect with Fi on LinkedIn

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses eating disorders and neurodiversity. Please take care while listening. If you or someone you know needs support, reach out to a trusted professional or helpline.

Connect with Us:

🎙️ Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast here

📲 Follow Full of Beans on Instagram here

✍🏻 Read our latest blog here

Thank you for listening and being part of this important conversation!