The Eating Disorder Therapist

Practical Steps for Supporting your Loved One with an Eating Disorder - The New Maudsley Animal Model

This episode explores how to support your loved one when they're struggling with an eating disorder. I talk through the New Maudsley Animal Model - the wonderful model created by the Maudsley Eating Disorder Service in London, UK. The model uses animal metaphors to educate and support carers in their communication with their loved one.  

Being a carer is hugely challenging. With the best of intentions, we can go off track with our communication and inadvertently strengthen the ed voice. The Model simplifies communication and empowers carers with the skills to create a motivational and hopeful environment for change. I also talk through some of the nuances of practically putting this Model into practice, based on unexpected personal experience recently of supporting someone close to me. 

I hope that you enjoy the episode.

To find out more about the New Maudsley Animal Model:-

https://thenewmaudsleyapproach.co.uk/pdfs/AnimalAnalogies.pdf

 

Reflecting on my Own Healing Journey from Bulimia Nervosa: - To Understand your Past; Work Through It and Move On, in Eating Disorder Recovery

In this episode, I reflect on my own healing journey from eating disorders. I talk about how I worked through past difficult experiences, to move to a place of freedom, healing and authenticity. It wasn't an easy ride with ups and downs along the way and no short cuts to forgiveness and acceptance. I talk about my early life and key influences. I reflect on key protective factors that have helped me along the way. I talk about the 'thorn in my side' which continues to impact me to this day.   I also explore different tools, skills and reflective practices that have helped me along the road. This is one of my most vulnerable and open episodes. I hope that you find it helpful, as a route into reflecting on your own story.

 

 

Eating Disorder Recovery, Taking Personal Responsibility and All About BEAT (the UK’s National Association for Eating Disorders), with Rebecca Robinson

Today I’m talking to Rebecca Robinson, an eating disorder survivor from bulimia, binge eating and general disordered eating behaviours. Rebecca is also a content creator of the Instagram account @bingefreeandbeautiful, where she shares her recovery tips, and she is an advisor for BEAT (The UK’s National Association for Eating Disorders). Prior to becoming an advisor, she volunteered for them for several years. Rebecca is also a counsellor in training, wishing to specialise in binge eating and trauma, which I am thrilled to hear about. We absolutely need more therapists in this field.

 

In this episode, Rebecca talks about her struggles with eating disorders, which began around the age of 15 years old, when she hit a challenging time in her personal and family life. These eating issues were exacerbated in the next few years, when she experienced further trauma and PTSD symptoms around the age of 19, and she continued to struggle with eating disorders and disordered eating for around the next 8 years.

 

Thankfully, today, Rebecca is fully recovered and on a journey herself in supporting others. It hasn’t always been an easy ride with lots of ups and downs along the way. Rebecca shares about her healing journey, explaining some of the factors that were fundamental to her own recovery process, with essential themes around taking responsibility and finding the tools that work personally for you. Rebecca’s journey is inspiring and offers much hope for anyone struggling today. She also graciously shares all about BEAT (the UK’s National Association for Eating Disorders), explaining about their support groups, helpline and wonderful resources.

I hope that you enjoy the conversation.

To find out more about Rebecca: -

Instagram: @bingefreeandbeautiful

To find out more about BEAT: - https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/

 

Diet Clubs, Dance, Dietetics and Eating Disorder Recovery, with Toni Rudd (The Binge Dietitian)

Today, I’m talking to Toni - The Binge Dietitian, a UK Registered Dietitian, who is based in Peru, and working with women all over the world who have binge eating behaviours. Previously, Toni worked within the UK National Health Service and has a range of experience with diabetes, weight management, learning disabilities and mental health. She now works online and is a weight inclusive and non-diet approach dietitian.

 

Throughout her dietetic career, Toni has always been passionate in sharing her love for food, and helping people to realise, that even with chronic conditions like diabetes, there is no list of foods that they should or shouldn't be eating. She has always experienced there being so much confusion with food advice among her clients and consequently brings this passion to educating her clients and busting nutritional misinformation and fads.

 

In the past, Toni wanted to be a dancer. When she was 18, she attended a dance college to pursue this dream. Unfortunately, her experience was far from positive, when Toni and her peers experienced teachers making unhelpful comments focusing on body image and appearance. In this environment, she also observed friends around her having a toxic relationship with food. These experiences understandably had a negative impact on her own self-esteem and body image. At this point, she made the courageous decision to leave this path. Following this period, Toni’s relationship with food and body image was a struggle. Even as training to be a dietitian, she was stuck in diet culture and body dissatisfaction, which had a detrimental impact on her well-being and self-esteem.

 

Today, Toni has left all of this behind and is now working in the non-diet space, online and is based in Peru. She started this work earlier this year following this exciting move with her husband. You can find Toni on Instagram as the @the.binge.dietitian and she is offering a free 30 minute call which you can book through her Instagram bio.

 

In this episode, Toni talks about her journey in healing her relationship with food and body image. She explores the early triggers of body dissatisfaction, triggered by the dance world and diet clubs. Toni then talks about restriction and food rules; how these can hinder people’s recovery and exacerbate binge eating. Toni explores how to break the rules and become freer with food. Toni also navigates emotional triggers and self-care and talks about the valuable work that she does with her clients today.

 

I hope that you enjoy the conversation.

 

To find more about Toni:-

Website: thebingedietitian.com

Instagram: @the.binge.dietitian

Eating Disorder Recovery, Chronic Pain, Perfectionism, Over-Exercise and Healing the Nervous System, with Dr Kelly Kessler

Today I’m talking to Dr. Kelly Kessler, a licensed physical therapist, wellness coach, host of the podcast Rewiring Health, and the founder of Optimal You Health and Wellness, LLC. Kelly teaches women who have a history of an eating disorder how to regulate their nervous system to achieve relief from chronic pain through her signature method, Eating Disorder Pain Solutions. Inspired by her own journey of recovering from an eating disorder and chronic back pain, Kelly has helped many women harness their profound ability to shift from survival mode to thriving. Kelly uses an integrative approach to healing including a personalized audit, education, community support, and actionable steps to create long-lasting results.

In this episode, Kelly talks about her healing journey, moving from the depths of an eating disorder, perfectionism and over-exercise obsession, through managing chronic back-pain in the aftermath, to finding true healing today.

It’s an inspiring episode to offer hope for anyone who is feeling stuck in the depths of an eating disorder, whilst feeling huge anxiety about letting it go. Kelly talks about the work she does today with her clients and the essential recovery work she has navigated in healing her nervous system. I hope that you enjoy the conversation.

To find out more about Kelly: -

Instagram @drkellykessler

TikTok @drkellykessler

Website: https://www.optimalyouhealthandwellness.com/

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/rewiringhealth

 

This episode is brought to you by the National Centre for Eating Disorders (NCFED) - 0845 838 2040; www.eating-disorders.org.uk

 

A Valuable Habit to Practice in Eating Disorder Recovery

The practice of regular eating is something that can be overlooked in recovery. I often think of it, as the monotonous, unsexy work that feels laborious and effortful. However, it can be an absolute game-changer in transforming your relationship with food; enhancing mood, self-care and overall well-being.   In this episode, I explore my definition of regular eating; how to go about it; the impact and benefits; how to handle comments from others such as, 'Are you eating again?' and more.   I hope that you enjoy the episode. 

 

This episode is brought to you by the National Centre for Eating Disorders (NCFED) - 0845 838 2040; www.eating-disorders.org.uk

The Transformational Power of Yoga in Eating Disorder Recovery with Berenice Mertens

Today I’m talking to Berenice Mertens. Berenice is French, 30 years young, and a yoga therapist - specialising in eating disorders. In her studies to become a yoga therapist, she wrote her thesis on Yoga Therapy for eating disorders and she has also developed an 8 week yoga course for the treatment of ED. Berenice understood the incredible benefits of yoga to restore the brain chemicals, digestive system, bone density, joint pain, the nervous system,…(the list goes long) all impacted by eating disorders.  

Berenice recovered from a decade of suffering from eating disorders and yoga felt like the missing piece of the puzzle in her recovery. Yoga made Berenice reconnect to her body in a way that no other physical activity did. It taught her to respect, feel, listen to and take care of her body and soul.   Yoga is absolutely Berenice’s passion and sharing it with people recovering from eating disorders is what makes her jump out of bed with joy every day.   In this episode, Berenice talks openly about her healing journey, the benefits of yoga in eating disorder recovery and how she supports people to heal today.

I hope that you enjoy the conversation and feel inspired that recovery is absolutely possible!

To find out more about Berenice: -

You Tube  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEAfjOvHTnoYlkJ8C9PoI1g

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/eatingdisordersrecoveryjourney/

Instagram @iamberenicemiles

The Recover Clinic (today’s advert) www.therecoverclinic.co.uk/edprogram

 

Eating Disorder and Body Dysmorphia Recovery with Elle Mace

Today, I’m talking to Elle Mace – Coach and Mentor, Intuitive Eating Coach and Nutrition and Weight Management Coach. Elle is also training with the National Centre for Eating Disorders gaining therapeutic skills to support people struggling with eating disorders and disordered eating. Previously, Elle has worked as a personal trainer and aerobics instructor, having a passion for health and fitness.  

In the past, Elle struggled with an unhealthy relationship with food and her body, this starting at the tender age of ten years old, when she received unwanted comments about her body.  Clearly, this had a huge impact on Elle’s body image and self-esteem, and she began to starve herself, and then understandably fell into binge eating. Then, over several years, she fell into destructive eating disorder cycles impacting her physical and mental wellbeing.  

Fast forward a few years, and Elle decided that ‘enough was enough’. She had to free herself from the food demons and fall back in love with her body and with herself. It wasn’t an easy journey. It took much strength, determination and self-care – and bravely moving away from the seductions of dieting.   I’m pleased to say that today, Elle is in a very different place. She now uses her experience, qualifications and knowledge to help others heal their relationship with food, their bodies and ultimately themselves. She brings much passion and enthusiasm in her work in supporting others, after walking this path herself and knowing that real recovery is possible.  

In this episode, Elle talks about her healing journey in eating disorder recovery – through anorexia, binge eating, orthorexia, bulimia and body dysmorphia, spanning 17 years. She considers early possible influences and reflects on first steps in opening up and getting support. Elle then goes onto share the crucial steps that were needed for her healing. This is an episode to inspire hope and motivation for recovery. I hope that you enjoy the conversation.  

 

To find out more about Elle:

https://www.ellemace.com/

Instagram: @iamellemace  

The Recover Clinic (today’s advert) www.therecoverclinic.co.uk/edprogram

 

Bulimia Recovery - Yes, it’s Possible, Even After 23 years! With Eva (Reverse Bulimia with Eva)

Today I’m talking to Eva – an artist, intersectional feminist and a Parisian working mother of three teenagers. Eva is 41 years old and has been struggling with bulimia for 23 years, for most of her adult life. She has tried every possible method to seek recovery, from science-based approaches to the more obscure, but remained stuck for a very long time, in destructive cycles of bulimia. Around 18 months ago, Eva discovered some coaching tools mainly inspired by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, plus adding in her own somatic tools in the recovery process. This subsequently led her to a breakthrough in her healing journey towards freedom from the eating disorder. 
Today, Eva is passionate about supporting others in bulimia recovery. She believes in a transdiagnostic approach and she treats each person as unique in their experience and story, in her coaching work, drawing on evidence based research in neuroscience and psychology. Eva supports her clients alongside therapists and doctors. And she truly believes that coaching is complementary to this process and offers such a powerful tool to help people become empowered in their recovery and take back their lives.

 

In this episode, Eva talks about her recovery journey describing in detail, the tools that have helped and hindered. This is an inspiring conversation to offer hope for anyone who is struggling with an eating disorder and to know that recovery is possible. I hope that you enjoy the conversation.



 

To find out more about Eva: -

Instagram: @reverse_bulimia_with_eva  

Navigating health as the Elder Woman, and Ditching the Weighing Scales for Good, with Debra Benfield

Today I’m talking to Debra Benfield - a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (RDN), as well as a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian and Supervisor with over 30 years of experience in the field.  Debra is the founder and owner of Body in Mind Nutrition, based in North Carolina, USA. She is passionate about the prevention and treatment of disordered eating and eating disorders and supporting people in feeling at peace with food, eating, and their bodies. Debra is also a Registered Yoga Teacher, Certified in Curvy Yoga, Accessible Yoga, and Trauma-Sensitive Yoga and has some Prescence-Based Coaching experience, which she integrates into her work. Debra has discovered the transformative power of somatic practices and yoga along with embodied and intuitive eating principles. With a focus on trauma-informed care and nourishing your inner child, she offers individual and family nutritional therapy, as well as group programs, workshops and retreats.

When entering her 60s, 3 years ago, Debra started researching best practices for ageing with vitality and ease. Sadly, there was precious little out there which didn’t focus on striving for maintenance of a youthful appearance, and of course controlling weight. This inspired Debra to create something different and she is now developing a new program for Pro-Aging without this detrimental focus.   In this episode today, we explore the fantastic work Debra is doing in helping people heal and to develop a healthy relationship with food, their bodies and themselves, with a particular focus on the ‘elder woman’ (over 55), and stepping into this place with empowerment and wisdom. I hope that you enjoy the conversation.  

To find out more about Debra: -

Website: www.debrabenfield.com

Instagram @dlbenfieldrdn

This episode is brought to you by the National Centre for Eating Disorders (NCFED) - 0845 838 2040; www.eating-disorders.org.uk