Post Traumatic Parenting

The Truth About Eating Disorders (That No One Tells Parents)


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What happens when food, feeding, and our kids’ bodies trauma shows up in ways we don’t always expect?

In this deeply honest and compassionate conversation, I speak with eating disorder specialist Ali Spotts-De Lazzer to unpack what’s really going on beneath eating struggles for both kids and parents.

Together, we explore why feeding your child can feel so overwhelming, how fear and control get tangled up in “healthy” choices, and why even the most well-intentioned parenting strategies can sometimes backfire.

Ali brings both her clinical expertise and lived experience to this conversation, offering a grounded, non-shaming perspective that every parent needs to hear.

Topics covered in this episode:

  • The connection between safety, control, and eating disorders
  • How “healthy eating” can quietly turn into rigidity and fear
  • What orthorexia is and why it’s so hard to spot
  • The difference between ARFID, anxiety, and eating disorders
  • Why some kids are more vulnerable and why it’s not your fault
  • How diet culture and weight bias impact parenting decisions
  • The biological reality of restriction and binge cycles
  • Why parents often blame themselves and what’s actually happening instead
  • How self-acceptance (not perfection) is the key to change

About the Guest:

Ali Spotts-De Lazzer is a licensed therapist, eating disorder specialist, and passionate advocate for helping families navigate the complex world of food, body image, and healing. With nearly 20 years of experience, she brings both deep clinical knowledge and lived understanding to her work with individuals and caregivers. Ali leads parent support groups and is the author of MeaningFULL, with a new book on supporting families through eating disorders coming soon. Her work centers on compassion, self-acceptance, and helping people truly live their full story. To learn more visit liveyourfullstory.com.

Connect with me on Instagram @dr.koslowitzpsychology and check out my new book Post-Traumatic Parenting: Break the Cycle and Become the Parent You Always Wanted to Be

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Post Traumatic ParentingBy Dr. Robyn Koslowitz

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