In this week's episode, Han is joined by Dr Amita Jassi. Amita is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the National and Specialist OCD, BDD, and Related Disorder Service for Children and Young People at South London and Maudsley (SLAM) NHS Trust. Amita is the lead for the BDD service and Research Lead for the clinic. In addition, she holds the role of Equality and Diversity Lead for National Specialist CAMHS and serves as a trustee for the BDD Foundation charity.

This week, we discuss:

• What is body dysmorphia, including the signs, symptoms and causes of BDD.
• The psychology behind BDD and the research that is required.
• Treatment options available for those with BDD.
• Where BDD falls in the diagnostic criteria and how the variety of presentations affects this.
• Important considerations when exploring body-altering surgeries and the importance of screening ahead of surgeries.
• Stigmas associated with BDD and how we can support individuals to understand more about BDD.
• How non-specialist services can get involved to support their patients with BDD.

To find out more about Amita, you can follow her on Instagram (@dr.amita.jassi), Twitter (@Dr_Amita_Jassi) or find out about Amita's work at SLAM here.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week’s podcast, Han is joined by Dr Lauren Duncan. Lauren is a black woman of dual heritage and has personal experience of anorexia. Lauren has just finished her PhD where she was researching the role of racism and relationships in the development of eating disorders in black women.

This week, we discuss:

• The drive for Lauren's PhD, including the lack of research on minority ethnic groups, particularly black women.
• The impact of low self-esteem due to stigmas against their race and ethnicity, and how that impacted their eating disorder.
• The paradox of engaging with an eating disorder to feel connection, opposed to the reality of disconnection.
• The vulnerability an eating disorder puts on individuals and how this impacts relationships.
• The impact of stereotypes towards black women and the importance of religion, and how this influenced the development of anorexia.
• The role of boundaries in relationships and how an eating disorder can be used to excuse negative behaviours.
• The ambivalence black women felt towards romantic relationships and their eating disorders.
• The participant's relationship with sex, and the impact of anorexia.
• The participant's hopes and dreams for the future in regards to their race, relationships and eating disorders.

To find out more about Lauren and her research, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Harriet Curry. Harriet is a qualified therapist and eating disorder practitioner, with a special interest in binge eating. Using an integrative psychological approach, Harriet provides therapeutic coaching to women globally, helping them regain control, understand and navigate their thoughts and feelings, and achieve freedom with food.

This week, we discuss:

• Harriet's relationship with food and how her experience of binge eating disorder inspired her training as a therapist and eating disorder practitioner.
• The normalisation of binge eating behaviours in society.
• The hierarchy of eating disorders and shame associated with binge eating disorder.
• The impact a disordered relationship with food can have and the joy food freedom can bring.
• Harriet's work with clients including her pillars: foundations, nutrition, triggers, body image and maintaining post-recovery.

To find out more about Harriet and her work, you can follow her on Instagram @harrietcurry_ , TikTok @_harrietcurry or visit her website.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Laura Bourne. Laura is a final year PhD student in the Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology at UCL. Laura is interested in selective eating behaviours and complex patterns of food refusal and in particular, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Laura is keen to spread awareness and increase understanding of ARFID, and through her research, hopes to contribute to the ARFID evidence-base to work towards effectively treating this disorder. 

Eating disorder awareness week is focusing on ARFID, and with that in mind, this week's episode focuses on:

• Laura's research and interest in ARFID.
• The diagnostic criteria, subtypes and consequences of ARFID.
• The difference between ARFID and anorexia.
• The difference between ARFID and fussy eating.
• ARFID presentations in children, young people and adults.
• The association of autism and ARFID.
• The treatment available for ARFID and how to access support.

To find out more about Laura and her research, check out her UCL page here: https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/68620-laura-bourne/publications.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Hope Virgo & Suzanne Samaka. Hope Virgo is an award-winning mental health campaigner and has been involved in several campaigns and projects to improve the support eating disorder patients receive. Suzanne Samaka is a mental health campaigner and the founder of the Honesty About Editing Campaign which supports youth mental health against the challenges of low self-esteem and negative body image caused by edited content on social media.

This week, we discuss:

• The reason eating disorder campaigning is so important to Hope and Suzanne.
• The state of eating disorder treatment, palliative care and the ways we are failing eating disorder patients.
• The goals of the campaigning which Hope and Suzanne are involved in, and the difficulties they are facing.
• How long we should provide treatment to eating disorder patients and if this should have a maximum duration.
• How you can get involved in the eating disorder campaigning, and specifically the march on 27th April 2024 at 10:30am!

You can find more information about Hope and Suzanne and their work by following them on Instagram @hopevirgo_ / @protectyouthmentalhealth, Twitter @hopevirgo / @SuzanneSamaka or find more about their campaigns #DumpTheScales Change.org / HonestyAboutEditing Change.org.

To find out more information regarding the march on 27th April 2024, reach out to Hope on Instagram @hopevirgo_.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Carolina Mountford. Carolina is a mental health speaker & writer who is passionate about inspiring hope for freedom from eating disorders. She movingly shares her experiences of trauma, ADHD, mental illness and eating disorders, and her journey to recovery and freedom.

This week, we discuss:

• The stage of quasi-recovery and how Carolina broke free from this experience.
• The role of faith and religion in Carolina's recovery.
• How Carolina navigated questioning God around her eating disorder.
• The role of God, faith and religion in recovery.
• Practices during Lent that are eating disorder-friendly.

To find out more about Carolina, you can connect with her on Instagram (@carolinamountfordmh), LinkedIn (@carolinamountford) and Twitter (@carolinamountfo).

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Emily Andrew. Emily is an Advanced EFT Tapping and Eating Disorder Practitioner and founder of We Are MindBody. Emily specialises in applying EFT to support eating disorder recovery and works with people who are struggling with disordered eating and movement to overcome fears, eliminate self-sabotage and become their favourite version of themselves. 

This week, we discuss:

• Emily's role as a practitioner and how she works with her clients to overcome things which are keeping them stuck.
• What EFT is and how it supports clients with their concerns as an addition to your recovery toolbox.
• Emily's experience of having an eating disorder and how her relationship with alcohol aligned with this.
• The normalisation of binge drinking and disordered eating patterns related to alcohol.
• Aspects to explore when going sober based on eating disorder thoughts.
• Experimenting with non-alcoholic alternatives and having a flexible approach to alcohol and food.

To find out more about Emily, you can follow her on Instagram @wearemindbody or TikTok @wearemindbody, or check out her website for more information.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week's podcast, Han is joined by Jonathan Cotton. Jonathan is an integrative psychotherapist freelancing at an Eating Disorder charity whose personal and professional experiences lie with supporting the LGBTQ+ community, whether with self-harm/suicide crisis, identity work, offending behaviours, and eating disorders.

In this week's episode, we discuss:

• The importance of clinicians having an awareness of sexuality and gender, and how it can link to mental health.
• Traumatic experiences that LGBTQ+ individuals may have experienced that may have impacted their mental health.
• The issue with assuming someone's sexuality and gender is the cause of their eating disorder and how we can navigate these beliefs.
• Body images in the LGBTQ+ community and how this could impact disorder behaviours.
• The role of labels and how this can impact your identity.
• How you can meet your needs without using the eating disorder.

To find out more about Jonathan, you can connect with him on LinkedIn,

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Talia Cecchele. Talia is a Registered Dietitian and Founder of Talia Cecchele Nutrition (TCN). Talia and her clinic team work using a non-diet and intuitive eating approach to help people to ditch the diet mentality and bring balance back to nutrition. She is a big dreamer, starts her day with an oat latte and takes any opportunity she can to travel and explore.

This week, we discuss:

• What is chewing and spitting disorder (CHSP)?
• CHSP's link to eating disorders and other mental health conditions.
• The potential causes of CHSP.
• The medical & psychological consequences of CHSP?
• How Talia works as a dietitian with her clients to support them with CHSP?
• How to support yourself or a loved one in navigating CHSP.

To find out more about Talia you can follow her on Instagram @tcnutrition or visit her website.

To read the blog that Talia and I discuss, written by Toni Rudd (@the.binge.dietitian), click here.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Bernie Wright. Bernie is a BACP (Accred) Counsellor/Psychotherapist, Qualified Clinical Supervisor and Professional Trainer. Bernie is the Clinical Director for NEDDE Neurodiversity, Eating Disorders & Eating Distress. Bernie specialises in providing training for health professionals working with neurodivergent people who are suffering from an eating disorder.

This week, we discuss:

• Bernie's experience of supporting neurodivergent people with eating disorders.
• The link between eating disorders and neurodiversity based on research and Bernie's experience.
• The prevalence of eating disorders in the neurodiverse community.
• The difficulties in accessing support as a neurodivergent person and any additional challenges during recovery.
• The difference in signs, traits, characteristics and types of eating disorders in neurodivergent people.
• The importance of understanding someone's neurodivergence in eating disorder recovery and how clinicians can support them with this.

To find out more about Bernie, you can visit the Healing Minds website , or find NEDDE on Instagram (@needetraining) or Twitter (@NEDDEtraining).

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.