The Aleo Podcast

Is talking to a doctor about my eating issues really necessary? What is a doctor going to do? What would I actually say? What if I don’t even have a family doctor? The gold standard for eating disorder treatment is having experts in your circle of care for nutrition, medical, and mental health. Courtenay and Lee sit down and discuss the various scopes of practice on a care team when disordered eat...

Can we really “just stop” feeling bad about our bodies? Our guess is that you probably already know, deep down, the answer to this question. What we can or can’t control can be a hard truth to face. Raquel and Lee explain why we can’t “just stop” feeling whatever we’re feeling, how avoiding “feeling bad” about your body actually backfires, and identify the power struggle we get in with difficult t...

Is it really all that bad to use laxatives? What should I know about them? When should I be worried about my laxative use? Where’s the line for laxative use becoming an eating disorder behaviour? Yep, Courtenay and Lee talk about poop today! They bust some myths and misconceptions about laxatives, explain what they actually are, the 3 main different types, how they each work, and what are the pote...

If mindfulness is noticing the present moment on purpose, what might that actually look like in practice? What does it sound like? What’s an example of a mindfulness practice? Lee and Raquel give some examples about how we can practice mindfulness even in the way we talk or articulate the problems, concerns, or pain that we experience as humans. Raquel also shares her go-to practice she likes to u...

Do you do anything to counter or compensate for what you’ve eaten? Feeling compelled to rid your body of unwanted calories? Noticing any compulsive behaviours following a meal? In this episode, Lee and Courtenay clarify and outline the umbrella term of “compensatory” eating disorder behaviours. They summarize a variety of compensatory behaviour examples, distinguish what can be considered a form o...

Hour-long, silent meditations? Adopting zen, chill vibes only? Yoga pants and speaking in hushed tones? What even is mindfulness?  In this episode, Raquel and Lee cover some of the most common myths and misconceptions about mindfulness and settle the score on what it actually is (and it’s much more simple and realistic than you’d think). They discuss the role and costs of avoidance on our psyches...

All three members of The Aleo Collective are joined together this episode: Raquel Griffin MSW RSW, Courtenay Vickers RD, and Lee Thomas MSW RSW. They share and have a discussion about their most often used one-liners in client sessions.  Raquel shares about the importance of noticing the present moment before being able to do much of anything else, Courtenay reminds us that getting enough calories...

February is well underway: those New-Year-New-You vibes are starting to wear off and you feel that shame creeping in as it dawns on you more and more… those food/eating/body new years resolutions are slipping away.  Join eating disorder clinicians Courtenay and Lee for a conversation where they reflect on what even is diet culture, what is it looking like so far in the year 2026, and what ditching...

Does the idea of group therapy make you run for the hills? What if it actually ended up being the thing that truly unlocked something for you? What would it mean for you to come out of group therapy feeling more at peace with your body? Eating Disorder clinicians Raquel and Lee's Body Image Group: Befriending Your Body is coming up fast and they're taking this opportunity to hype up that g...

What is structured eating? And how do I know if it's right for me and my recovery from disordered eating? Join eating disorder clinicians Courtenay and Lee for a conversation exploring structured eating where they will help answer some of these common questions: What does structured eating even look like? And, how do I know I'm ready to move beyond structure? Connect with The Aleo Collective thoug...

Showing love and compassion for your eating disorder means you can actually change your relationship with it. In this episode of The Aleo Podcast, eating disorder clinicians Lee and Raquel challenge traditional perceptions of eating disorders being an evil adversary to overcome in battle and instead offer reframing eating disorders as painful parts of us with good intentions.  Lee’s perspective is...

Are you feeling strict with your recovery meal plan? Almost like it's a bit too reminiscent of the eating disorder itself ? There's no one "right" way to approach eating or meal plans and maybe believing that there is-- could be the problem. In this episode of The Aleo Podcast, eating disorder clinicians Courtenay and Raquel discuss approaching eating and meal plans with flexibility in eating diso...

Whether it’s aging, medical events, disability, or menstruation, our bodies are constantly changing throughout our lifespan. And yet, we get suckered into believing that abnormal or not okay. What’s that about? In this pilot episode of The Aleo Podcast, eating disorder clinicians Raquel and Courtenay discuss the need to normalize the reality that bodies change. Raquel shares some of her personal s...