Candid Conversations

For the first time on the podcast we have a lived experience story from a carer perspective! Jeanette is a Stories of Recovery Ambassador at EDV who has supported two daughters through recovery from anorexia nervosa. Jeanette beautifully weaves her family's story through the lens of EDV values - Perseverance, Connection, Courage and Optimism. 💡 Are you supporting a loved one with an eating di...

Please welcome EDV Ambassador Lily to the podcast! Lily is a clinical nurse specialist at a large regional hospital in Victoria. She loves the outdoors and adores being an aunty. While Lily is now focused on living life to the fullest, as a teen she experienced anorexia nervosa, OCD, anxiety and depression. Lily's story of recovery covers the challenges of living in a rural area, navigating FB...

We're putting our critical thinking caps on for this episode of Candid Conversations! Social worker, graduate researcher and EDV Peer Mentoring Program Manager Rachael Duck joins Bree for an important conversation that will challenge listeners to think outside the box and look beyond an individual focus on health. Importantly, we invite you to think about the idea that eating disorders don&#39...

In between recent visits to hospital wards to share her story, Ambassador Beth stopped into EDV to record her recovery story for you. Beth's story covers: The impact of a challenging home environment Feeling voiceless in the treatment process Hitting rock bottom, and getting back up again Pursuing recovery based actions, without intending to recover How a 'fear hierarchy' approach chan...

Hi friends! We have a very special guest on the podcast - EDV's boss lady, CEO Belinda Caldwell. Belinda joins Bree for a candid conversation about how she ended up as the CEO of an eating disorder organisation, as well as the challenges and opportunities that face EDV and the eating disorder sector. Topics covered include: The evolution of EDV Impacts of state and federal funding announcement...

While Kiara's story begins with childhood taunts and self-consciousness about her body, it was being diagnosed with gastroparesis (stomach muscle paralysis) that kicked off a downward spiral into fad dieting and eventually, Binge Eating Disorder. Kiara reflects on: The impact of diet culture on her self-worth and acceptance The impact of the diet-binge cycle, including fear, anger and shame Ch...

Did you know that the majority of eating disorders occur between the ages of 12 and 25? This means that for many people with eating disorders, recovery also falls within the transition period from adolescence to adulthood. It's a time of huge change and growth, which, when coupled with an eating disorder, can be really overwhelming. In this episode, we speak with Emily, a member of the EDV tea...

Hi! Today we're welcoming EDV Ambassador Ming to the mic! Ming is an organisational change professional and Pilates instructor, and has lived experience of recovery from anorexia nervosa.  From China, to Brisbane and now Melbourne, Ming's story is one of inner determination and courage. It shows that it's possible to find hope for yourself, even when it feels like you're facing the battle alo...

Does eating disorder recovery have you feeling like you're living a double life? Your recovery self is working full-time on getting better, while your regular life comes knocking with work, study and social obligations. It can be exhausting!  In this episode of Candid Conversations, we speak with Telehealth Nurse and Recovery Ambassador Gemma to help make sense of this really challenging peri...

For EDV's Education Officer Bridie, the topic of body image and body dissatisfaction in her eating disorder recovery was largely dealt with in "very lame platitudes" from well meaning health professionals. While Bridie recovered from her eating disorder, feelings of shame and discomfort around her body image lingered. Bridie was eventually compelled to confront her relationship with her body and b...

*We recognise that not everyone may identify with or like the term 'severe and enduring eating disorder'. In this episode we have chosen not to discuss the label, but rather focus on the impact of the experience.* Often, people with SE-EDs don't feel like they 'fit' anywhere in the system, and find themselves disconnected, isolated and falling further into illness. At EDV, we understand the desper...

We've got a special Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week episode of Candid Conversations for you! This year we're talking about the importance and challenges of early intervention with the theme, Know the Signs, Act Early.  We're joined by EDV Policy Officer Monique, EDV Stories of Recovery Ambassador Aisling and EDV Telehealth Nurse Gemma to discuss: What defines early intervention...

Hi there! Today we're passing the mic to Emma, one of EDV's Stories of Recovery Ambassadors. Emma shares the long journey she has been on to finally be sharing her story as a recovered person, and trust us when we say it was not a an easy path! Emma was first diagnosed with an eating disorder at age 11, and spent much of her childhood, adolescence and adulthood in and out of treatment, recovery an...

With borders open and people rushing to get their passports renewed, it's clear that travel is well and truly back! Travelling is so often a goal for people in recovery, but how do you know if you're ready for it? And where do you start in even planning a trip when you're so used to routine and structure in recovery? On this episode of Candid Conversations, we speak with Amy and Stefan, Lead Mento...

Well that sounds like an ominous episode title doesn't it!? We promise, this episode isn't a cautionary tale! In fact, it showcases the empowering and mutually beneficial experience that can come from sharing recovery stories with the world, provided it's done with thoughtful consideration for both story tellers and their audience.  We speak to two guests who have their own expertise in this...

Hello! We're dropping in for a bonus Lived Experience episode today with one of our Ambassadors, Audrey. Audrey shares her story as she would if she were speaking at an event or to a group of people in recovery. We want you to hear our Ambassador's stories in their own words, uninterrupted.  Audrey's story includes: Challenging family dynamics, including how that impacted her eating disorder...

Maintaining your identity when experiencing an eating disorder can be tricky. The illness often provides a false sense of comfort that can rob you of the things that make you you, like your interests, hobbies, friendships, relationships and life goals.  On this episode of Candid Conversations, we speak to Jess, a recent graduate of our Peer Mentoring Program , and Stefan, one of our wonderful...

Drawing on the insights from the knowledge and lived experience of the team here at EDV, we answer your questions and talk about the ins and outs of inpatient treatment services. On today's show we're joined by two of EDV's resident Telehealth Nurses , Gemma and Alison, who are both highly experienced in inpatient treatment for eating disorders. If you're feeling unsure if inpatient is the right p...

You know that place where you're almost recovered from an eating disorder? Most people think you're doing really well and hey, you are! But we know eating disorders do not give up easily. Even when you're almost at the finish line of recovery, behaviours can linger and you may find yourself still making room for your eating disorder. We call this place quasi recovery. It's a really common stage of...

Today we are talking about the health care system and how you can go about accessing and affording treatment. A lot of people, understandably, find themselves very disillusioned with the health system. But this is exactly the thing we don’t want to happen! It is so so important to keep trying when it comes to treatment, and it’s why we want to make this process super clear for you with today’s epi...

Surprise! We're delighted to be in your ears for a very special bonus episode, featuring lived experience guest Sarah Bryan. Sarah is a Support Group Facilitator at Eating Disorders Victoria, running our BEYOND group for individuals experiencing binge eating behaviours and binge eating disorder. Sarah has lived experience of binge eating disorder (BED) and is a prominent voice in the eating disord...

Did you know that the binge eating page on our website has seen an increase in visits of over 65% since July last year? This tells us that there are a lot of you out there struggling with this so on today's episode, we're breaking down binge eating. Binge eating disorder is the most common of all eating disorders, but it's not something that is talked about or well understood in a mainst...

So you’ve committed to recovery and you’re doing all the right things. Good for you! But then, weird things start happening. Your body is changing, and you’re not feeling good about it. Recovery is supposed to make you feel better, right? So why are you feeling worse than before? It’s time to get candid about something that few people talk about in recovery – we're talking about the unexpected and...

Why is recovery from an eating disorder so hard? Isn’t recovery supposed to feel good? On today’s show, we’re joined by EDV's Wellbeing Coordinator, Amy, to discuss a topic that almost everyone with an eating disorder comes up against. We’re talking about why recovery feels so wrong, and how you can persevere, even when you really don’t want to! Enjoy this podcast? Subscribe/follow to ensure you n...

Introducing Candid Conversations, a podcast by Eating Disorders Victoria. We're talking candidly about all things eating disorders and recovery, answering the questions you really want to know and giving you practical strategies to ride the recovery waves.  Season 1 coming soon.  Eating Disorders Victoria supports Victorians affected by eating disorders. We're here for guidance and suppo...