Eating Disorder Spotlight: Resources, Support & Stories

Your Gastro-Intestinal System Needs Your Attention!   In this episode, Mary Alice Dombrowski, APRN-CFNP, DNP certified nurse practitioner of over 25 years with 10 years in Pediatric Primary Care and over 15 years in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology at Rainbow Babies and Children's hospital in Cleveland explains the physiology, function and disorders of our Gastrointestinal (GI) system in...

Afraid of Flying?  Sweaty hands, increased heart rate, tight muscles?  Intrusive crash thoughts?  Reduced travel pleasure?  This self-hypnosis-style brain training activity can help you regulate your nervous system when preparing for a flight and while in the air.   It's not hocus pocus!  We can train our brain to associate regulation states with otherwise distressing settings.  It's also a great...

Relationship conflict is often communication conflict. Learning to listen and hear each other in any relationships improves connection and decreases conflict. In this episode we cover these communication topics/skills:  *Need Statements *Asking Permission *You Don't Have to B Right *Active Listening *Capacity for Emotion *Nonverbal Cues *Power of Touch ---------------------------------------------...

"Anyone who needs help should be able to get it!" Executive Director Christie Bettwy shares Rock Recovery's robust outpatient model and lots of hope for 'franshising' a good thing that works!  Christie has served for over a decade as the Executive Director for Rock Recovery, a DC-based nonprofit that makes mental healthcare more accessible for all and provides treatment, support and education for...

You cannot recover without these 5 steps! As a therapist, I have watched hundreds of recovery journeys in mental health and eating disorders and these are the keys to get there!  They are essential to progress, sustaining recovery and overall personal growth.  Recovery can be elusive, long, volatile, exhausting, daunting, confusing and surprising! No surprises here, just a true, gritty lens to wha...

Don't Suffer even when you're in Pain! From the First Responder Series: Radical Acceptance, a skill taught in Dialectal Behavioral Therapy, helps to not turn pain (which is inevitable) into suffering. Learn how to begin practicing this skill and how it can help to find more peace and begin a process for change. Practicing radical acceptance in small, everyday moments can significantly enhance your...

"You are less of a medical mystery than you've been told!" Dr. Gaudiani: Treating ED patients with dignity & compassion.  Dr. G's contribution to eating disorder recovery pairs an innovative & deft medical focus with a compassionate, whole person lens aimed at listening, collaborating and validating what can't always be measured and is often what makes a person 'Sick Enough' & deservin...

ADHD impacts Eating Disorder recovery with impulsivity & the lure of C haos ! Allie V. Allie V. has long rich, mental health and eating disorder recovery.  After a lifetime of therapy, meds, hospitalizations and residential care settings, she lands after challenges more softly with insight and self-awareness.  She shares the truths about complications in long term recovery including finding a...

ARFID is a serious Eating Disorder that is challenging, complicated and multi-layered!  In this episode, Jaime Haumesser, licensed professional clinical counselor for over 20 years and current Clinical Director at the Hull Institute for Eating Disorders in Cleveland, Ohio discusses ARFID from her professional, clinical, and personal experience. She helps us unravel ARFID’s presentation, symptoms &...

Find out what you and your partner’s love languages are and how knowing this can improve your relationship. In this episode, Corinne Santore and Caise McHale dive into the practical application of Dr. Gary Chapman’s "Five Love Languages". They explore how these categories serve as a "basic premise" to help individuals become more effective and intentional in both showing and recognizing love withi...

Support from those who get it - who've been there! ANAD Free & Fabulous!  Jason Wood is the Director of Community Engagement at ANAD , a support organization that is peer run and professionally supported for Eating Disorder recovery support. Jason turned his battle with orthorexia into a mission to break the stigma around men’s mental health by publishing his memoir  Starving for Survival . He...

Don't let its lack of classification fool you!   Even though Orthorexia does not yet meet criteria for an already established DSM Eating Disorder, it can impact functioning & physical and emotional health and, moreso, it can be either a subtle gateway into other ED's or it can suspend a person on an ED recovery path by keeping them from full recovery with one foot in and one foot out.  Marked...

‘It’s not about Food Trends, it’s about what You Need!’ Eating Disorder Treatment w/Dr. Jillian Lampert of The Emily Program.  Dr. Jillian Lampert is the Vice President of Strategy and Public Affairs for Accanto Health, the parent company of The Emily Program and Gather Behavioral Health. She also serves as Executive Director for The Emily Program Foundation, is a Co-Founder and President of the R...

Eating Disorders are Messy & so Is Recovery! Eating Disorder Coach Kate Ely, 'Recovery with Kate', shares 3 take aways:  1. What to expect with an Eating Disorder Coach 2. How to get and assess an Eating Disorder Coach 3. How to become an Eating Disorder Coach.  It takes a village and a robust team to support ED recovery.  ED coaching is a newer layer that proves efficacious and supportive!  ...

"If you lose hope, it's ok. I'm holding it for you until you're ready to take it back." In this episode, this quote is one of many inspiring gifts from Dr. Anne Kubal who boldly brings focus to myths and marvels in the ED recovery journey. Her many years of expertise as a clinical psychologist in higher level of care settings, in private practice and as a clinical director and teacher informs poig...

In this episode, licensed psychologist Dr. Elizabeth McMahon offers insight on exploring and successfully treating anxiety disorders for over 40 years. Dr. McMahon has used virtual reality (VR) with clients since 2010. She has become an instrumental voice for this on-trend and effective modality and has authored many pieces on these topics, most notably are  Virtual Reality Therapy for Anxiety: A...

Human biology is far more expansive than the simple categories of female and male Being human entails a complex interplay of biology and culture, and while there are important differences between women and men, there are also many variations and overlap. Sex Is a Spectrum offers a bold new paradigm for understanding the biology of sex, drawing on the latest science to explain why the binary view o...

"It's tough to see your father figure, your super-hero in a fragile state." Firefighter families can struggle with the impact of PTSD & how it impacts their loved one. In this episode, Shannon Shea shows empathy, understanding & respect for her firefighter father's mental health journey from hiding his emotions to a long stay in inpatient residential treatment at the center of excellence....

"I have been to hell & back & now it's my time." And now in his inspiring voice! Like a Phoenix Rising from the Ashes: The Antonio Levert Story.  Antonio Levert has a mission to educate and inspire advocacy for children & young adults in foster & adoptive care.  His story is tough to digest but vital for conveying the gravity of need to protect & support our young people and th...

“You’re Struggle is Real & Your Genes May Hold the Answer!” Dr. J Dunn is an expert in genetics, biochemistry, natural health care, mental health and nutrition. Her experience includes over 36 years as a chiropractor & a practitioner certified in functional medicine.  Dr. Dunn is the originator of Wholistic Kinesiology® and Wholistic Methylation.     She is also the founder of a groundbrea...

“We’re not looking for answers outside ourselves, we know how to find them within." Today’s guest is Estefana Johnson, LCSW, a trauma therapist and Director of Clinical Training at ARISE Alliance, who’s leading the launch of a powerful new therapy model called Critical Memory Integration (CMI™). CMI™ is a modality that marries many components of evidenced-based trauma informed care into one gentle...

“We wanted to be honest…and not try and solve it in 14 minutes.” Megan Peta Hill.  Roxanne Fernandes and Megan Peta Hill are co-writers & co-directors on ECHO, a short film exploring the true and painful recovery journey of an eating disorder.  Roxanne & Megan co-direct the film & Megan is a lead actor. They have put together a talented and dedicated team including producer, Makalya Mc...

Dr. Michelle & DeAnne Sherman are the passionate co-authors of “Loving Someone with a Mental Illness or History of Trauma” and “I’m Not Alone: A teen’s guide to living with a parent who has mental illness or trauma.” Both books illustrate the depth, strain and nuances of managing these challenging relationships. They offer detailed steps, visual guides, skills & practice, reflection option...

"Taking medicine and then being a completely different person is scary"  It's easier to list the meds Ian hasn't taken, then the ones he has over his recovery journey! He has a long history managing an eating disorder, mood & sleep disturbance.  Now in a solid recovery place, he shares how meds were essential at times, how to use genetic testing to gauge efficacy, when treatment overshadows me...

Sensitive Content Warning: discussion contains anorexic behaviors, self-harm and medical restraints.  Restraint chairs, sedatives, forced feeds, isolation from family, misdiagnoses and COVID make for a super daunting recovery ride - but Luisa rides the wave like a boss into her current recovery!   Luisa offers 3 takeaways: 1-     Misdiagnosing Anorexia and ARFID 2-     Medical Trauma in ED recover...