![Being Highly Sensitive is a Superpower]()
April 17, 2021
People with eating disorders often have the trait of being highly sensitive. What this means is that you feel things deeply, it’s like you have a thin skin to the world and at times, this can feel overwhelming. Growing up, it may have left you feeling different or as though you don’t fit in. You may have felt that others just don’t get you; you're ‘too much’, ‘overly emotional’ or 'too sensitive'. If you relate, you may view your sensitivity as a disadvantage and a cumbersome thing that you have to bear; something that makes life excruciatingly intense. However, there is a different perspective. Anthon St. Maarten says, 'Highly sensitive people are too often perceived as weaklings or damaged goods. To feel intensely is not a symptom of weakness, it is the trademark of the truly alive and compassionate'. In this episode, I talk about some of the advantages of being highly sensitive and embracing this side of yourself. I hope that you enjoy!
Resources:
https://introvertdear.com/
Book: 'The Highly Sensitive Person – How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You' by Elaine Aron
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![Eating Disorder Recovery, Weight Loss Camps and Bariatric Surgery, with Laur Plawker]()
April 10, 2021
Today, I’m speaking with Laur Plawker who is a Primary Special Education Teacher, based in Baltimore, Maryland USA. Laur struggled with body image issues and a disordered relationship with food from very young, along with other mental health conditions. As a teenager, Laur’s eating came more under focus. She went to summer camps, specifically focused on weight loss, which sadly opened a path into disordered eating and cycles of restriction, bingeing and purging. Overtime, this resulted in escalating weight gain, which began to severely impact her mobility and mental health. Laur then entered an inpatient eating disorder treatment centre and continued work with a therapist, which resulted in her stopping all eating disorder behaviours; however, she continued to struggle with severe health consequences, as a result of weight gain. After much careful thought and consideration, Laur decided to have bariatric surgery. She is pleased to say that 1 ½ years on from this surgery that she is living a life with a healthy relationship with food, responding to hunger, fullness, movement and rest cues and living a life of balance. I hope that you enjoy this episode.
To find out more about Laur:
Instagram: @thehealthyhappycook
Book recommendation: ‘The Fuck It Diet’ by Caroline Dooner
Instagram recommendation: @thenutritiontea
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Thank you so much
![Eating Disorder Recovery and Healing through the Tamalpa Life/Art® Process, with Maria Guiñazu]()
April 4, 2021
Today, I’m talking to Maria Guiñazu, a qualified psychologist from Argentina. Maria is an educator in the intersecting fields of arts, somatics and education and has been working in this field in the UK for the past 8 years. Maria trained at Tamalpa Institute in California – the internationally recognised training centre for movement based expressive arts therapy. This is home of the Tamalpa Life/Art® process created by Anna Halprin. Maria uses a variety of tools that engage movement, dancing, drawing and creative writing for people to overcome disordered eating and feeling dissociated from their bodies. She worked at the Amy Winehouse Foundation with small groups of women recovering from addictions and eating disorders. Maria also collaborates remotely with a women-only outpatient eating disorder service in Mendoza, Argentina. Alongside her studies in Counselling and Psychotherapy, she is working with the Oasis project in Brighton where she works with women struggling with eating disorders, addictions and body image issues. Maria is hugely passionate about the benefits of dance and creative arts in healing. I hope that you enjoy this episode.
To find out more: Instagram: @maria.iggy
The Tamalpa Life/Art® process
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Thank you so much
March 28, 2021
Today I’m talking to Kumiko Lau – Legal Marketing Professional, dancer, part-time model and Beauty Pageant Contestant, representing the city of Hong Kong. Kumiko shares about her journey into fitness and healthy eating, this taking a negative turn, when triggered by a difficult break-up and the emotional outlay from this. Kumiko fell into disordered eating cycles and her self-esteem hit rock bottom. Over the pandemic, Kumiko has been on a journey of healing and self-discovery and she’s here today to talk more about this. I hope that you enjoy this conversation.
Trigger warning: very brief mention of waist measurements. Take care of yourself.
To find out more about Kumiko: -
Instagram @kumiko.lau
If you would like to support this podcast and and/or access additional episodes, do enroll in my Patron
Thank you so much.
![Atypical Anorexia Nervosa Recovery and The Full of Beans Podcast]()
March 20, 2021
Today, I’m talking to Hannah Hickinbotham, (Han) – host of the Full of Beans Podcast – a new podcast which aims to increase awareness and decrease stigma around eating disorders.
Han has had personal experience of an eating disorder - this being atypical anorexia and also has had body dysmorphia. In addition to her personal experience, Han has an MSc in Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition, and has been doing some research on producing a skills based workshop for paediatric nurses in supporting eating disorder patients. She is also in the process of producing a Binge Eating Disorder Pathway for East London Eating Disorder Service. Han shares her recovery journey as well as insights into these many exciting projects. I hope that you enjoy the episode.
To find out more about Han: -
Instagram: @thefobpodcast
Or search for The Full of Beans Podcast on your favourite platform.
If you would like to support this podcast and and/or access additional episodes, do enroll in my Patron
Thank you so much.
March 14, 2021
Today I’m speaking to writer and dancer, Suvi Honkanen. Suvi is originally from Helsinki, Finland and danced with the Finnish National Ballet for 9 years. In this episode, she talks about the ballet world and the impact this had on her eating and body image. Suvi developed eating disorders whilst dancing and openly shares her recovery journey here. Suvi now lives in Atlanta and although she still dances for enjoyment, writing has become her new focus and joy. I hope that you enjoy this episode.
* Trigger warning: mention of food eaten and weight. Please take care of yourself.*
To find out more about Suvi: -
www.Suvihelenahonkanen.medium.com
Instagram: @susuvie
If you would like to support this podcast and and/or access additional episodes, do enroll in my Patron
Thank you so much.
March 6, 2021
Today I’m talking about common fears about coming out of lockdown and struggling with disordered eating. For many people, this last year has taken a tremendous toll on mental health and wellbeing. Body image concerns are rife and disordered eating habits have increased. So how to manage all of this, as we emerge from the days behind closed doors? How to manage re-engaging with eating out, socialising and being out in the world, when you are struggling with your relationship with food. I share some thoughts.
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![Anorexia Recovery and Dump The Scales with Hope Virgo]()
February 27, 2021
Today I’m talking to Hope Virgo. Hope is a multi-award winner mental health campaigner, speaker, author and an ambassador for MQ. She suffered with anorexia for over 4 years, before being admitted to a Mental Health Hospital in 2007. Hope lived in the hospital for a year, fighting one of the hardest battles of her life with anorexia. Since being discharged, she has fought to stay well, and she now campaigns to raise awareness and remove stigma around eating disorders, and to improve access for all to treatment. Hope is also the initiator behind the #dumpthescales campaign, which demands support for everyone suffering with an eating disorder, regardless of their BMI. This was an inspiring conversation as Hope shares the ups and downs of her recovery journey, and the exciting ongoing campaign developments. I hope that you enjoy.
Instagram @hopevirgo_
Twitter@hopevirgo
Website: www.hopevirgo.com
Dump the Scales Campaign
Book: Stand Tall Little Girl
If you would like to support this podcast and and/or access additional episodes, do enroll in my Patron
Thank you so much.
![Eating Disorder Recovery and This Food Thing Podcast, with Jemma Richards]()
February 20, 2021
Today I'm talking to Jemma Richards, voice-over artist and writer. Jemma is also the host of This Food Thing Podcast and lives in London.
Jemma talks openly about her torturous relationship with food and her body, starting from a young age, and how this developed into eating disorders. She shares the painful reality of living with an eating disorder; exploring the secrecy, shame and life engulfment.
Jemma has recovered from eating disorders. In this conversation, she talks about her long and arduous journey through different therapies and other support, to finding the peaceful food place that she occupies today. Jemma has recently launched
This Food Thing Podcast - a series of conversations with special guests discussing their own experiences with food, whether friend or foe and how it affects their behaviour. Do check it out. I hope that you enjoy this episode.
If you would like to support this podcast and and/or access additional episodes, do enroll in my Patron
Thank you so much.
![Binge Eating Recovery and Founding FELLA, with Richie Cartwright]()
February 14, 2021
I’m talking to Richie Cartwright, founder of FELLA – an organisation that supports men in overcoming binge eating, through a community-driven digital health platform and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). There remains a lot of stigma around men accessing support for binge eating and Richie’s aim is to break down these barriers through this support.
Richie previously suffered from binge eating disorder for six years. His bingeing began whilst he was a student at Cambridge University, although Richie didn’t recognise this as a problem until some years later. He felt that he was living a double life, as appeared confident and self-assured on the outside, when internally he was feeling differently and had struggles with food and body image. Richie talks very openly and shares his journey in binge eating recovery. I hope that you enjoy this episode.
To find out more about Richie: -
Website: joinfella.com
Instagram:@richiecartwright_
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-cartwright/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rich_cartwright
If you would like to support this podcast and and/or access additional episodes, do enroll in my Patron
Thank you so much.
