The Appetite

Part 1 of 3 part series: "The Menopause Series" --- Episode 1: Menopause + Eating Disorders — In this episode, Opal's Nutrition Director, Julie Church, RDN, speaks with Naomi Busch, MD, about menopause through the lens of an eating disorder physician. Together they explore the biological changes of peri-menopause and menopause, common symptoms, and current treatment approaches. The conversation al...

Does better education around period health, proper fueling, and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport actually lead to healthier behaviors in female athletes?  In this episode, Opal's Director of Exercise + Sport, Kara Bazzi, LMFT, sits down with seasoned provider Heather Caplan, RDN to share what they're seeing firsthand in their clinical work. Together, they unpack the systemic pressures that push...

When injury sidelines an athlete—or performance outcomes fall short—it has a way of revealing growth edges within us.  Tune in to The Appetite as Opal Co-Founder and Director of the Exercise + Sport Program, Kara Bazzi, LMFT, sits down with high school distance runner and podcaster Nicholas Macha. In this powerful conversation, Nicholas shares how his injuries and performance disappointments led h...

In this episode, Gabe and Hank courageously open up about vulnerable moments through a process of group self-inquiry. Gabe explores the bitterness that arises from receiving positive affirmations after dance performances, while Hank examines the feelings of stupidity and pointlessness that surfaced when anger was physically expressed. Together with Opal Co-Founders Lexi Giblin, PhD, and Kara  Bazz...

In this episode, Johanna Kandel, founder of the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, joins Julie Church, RDN, Co-Founder of Opal: Food+Body Wisdom, for an honest and inspiring conversation. Johanna shares how her own eating disorder recovery led her to create a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to care, support, and education in the eating disorder field. Listeners will hear more about th...

GLP-1 medications are everywhere in the conversation about weight—but how much do we really understand? In this episode, Dr. Lexi Giblin, Executive Director of Opal, sits down with Meredith Blumenthal, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in private practice, to unpack the most common misconceptions surrounding GLP-1s and body weight. Together, they explore what these medications actually do, what...

Listen in to this one-of-a-kind episode of  The   Appetite  as Opal's co-founders, Lexi Giblin, PhD, and  Kara  Bazzi, LMFT, sit down with Opal client Koa to explore her experience receiving in-person care at Opal. With honesty and vulnerability, Koa shares how her relationships with fellow clients and Opal staff became a pivotal part of her recovery, ultimately leading to profound and transformat...

How does your story with food from childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood impact your current relationship with food?  Opal Co-Founder, Julie Church, RDN interviews Jessica Setnick, RDN the creator of the "Healing Your Inner Eater" workshop and workbook which invites individuals to look back in order to move forward in one's relationship with food.  Listen in to Jessica's passionate story tel...

Want to hear a secret? In this episode, Opal Co-Founders Julie Church, RDN, and Lexi Giblin, PhD, reveal Opal's unique approach to therapeutic meal support. Tune in to learn how the Opal team stepped beyond traditional meal support methods and embraced radically open dialectical behavior therapy (RODBT) to guide their work. This innovative approach has helped create a supportive community where ea...

Join Lexi Giblin, PhD (Opal Co-Founder) for a heartfelt conversation with mother-daughter duo Kara Bazzi, LMFT (Opal Co-Founder and Director of Opal's Exercise+Sport Program) and Sophia, a soon-to-be collegiate athlete. Together, they walk down memory lane to explore the stand out intersections of parenting and running in Sophia's high school career.  With honesty and vulnerability, Kara and Sophi...

Eating disorders don't exist in isolation—they are deeply connected to relationships. From the "why" behind disordered eating and movement patterns to the healing process, relationships have the power to either support or harm recovery.  In today's episode of The Appetite, Opal's Co-Founder & Clinical Director, Kara Bazzi, LMFT, sits down with therapist Nikki Wolf, LMHCA, to explore the role of re...

In this episode, Delancey and Makaila wrestle with the gaze of others as their bodies change in eating disorder recovery. Off the mark, well-intentioned comments from others leave them flooded with shame and confusion.  Delancey wishes others would not perceive her while Makaila is in conflict, on one hand desiring to be "fetishized" and on the other hand, not wanting to be objectified at all.  Op...

Join us for a trip down psychedelic lane! Temple Morris, LCSW-C and Dr. Brian Pilecki, PhD throw down their expertise in conversation with Opal Co-Founders, Kara Bazzi, LMFT and Dr. Lexi Giblin, PhD. Temple and Brian put to words what is often experienced as "beyond language" and help us understand the potential therapeutic value of psychedelics in "clarifying what matters" and fostering psycholog...

Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, and Mary Cain all share something powerful in common: they've bravely opened up about their mental health journeys, using their platforms as elite athletes to advocate for change. Their courage is paving the way for a healthier, more supportive sports environment—especially for those facing mental health challenges.  On today's episode of The Appetite, Kara Bazzi, LMFT—c...

Phoebe and Asha, friends who are both in eating disorder recovery, join Opal Co-Founders Lexi Giblin, PhD and Kara Bazzi, LMFT in studio for some self-inquiry action. It is Phoebe's last day in higher level of care and she wonders about her guilt related to nostalgia for her time in eating disorder treatment. Phoebe says treatment has been one of the "most connecting experiences of my life" and op...

"Even within the male-centric model, women have accomplished incredible feats of athleticism, smashing long-held beliefs about what women can or cannot achieve. Imagine what would happen if everyone had access to better information and guidance." These are the words of Christine Yu, in the introduction of her book "Up to Speed: The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletes". In this episode of The...

Dr. Lisa Erlanger returns to the podcast for a conversation with Julie Church, RDN, CD on GLP-1 agonists, medications widely prescribed for weight loss. Through a weight-inclusive lens, Lisa explains GLP-1 agonists history, current use, and side effects with a special attention given to the unique considerations for individuals with current or past eating disorders.  Spoiler alert--- these medicat...

Human stories are a powerful force in influencing the way we see the world and how we can expand or shift our perspective on any given subject matter. Rosalie Fish, a collegiate athlete and activist, has just that- an impactful story as a Native American distance runner who has used her sport to enact social change. Listen in as Kara Bazzi, LMFT, Opal's Co-Founder and Clinical Director, and Rosali...

Aleta Storch, MS, RDN, LMHC joins Julie Church, RDN to discuss how ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) can lead to different feeding and eating challenges. Her personal story highlights the benefit of understanding how the brain works for everyone, especially those desiring to heal from disordered eating and eating disorders.  Listen in for a sneak peek of a few practical tips from her...

Dr. Lisa  Erlanger joins Opal's Nutrition Director Julie Church, RDN to share the evidence and compassion that led her to evolve into a weight-inclusive physician.  Lisa explains how the body is impacted by dieting (aka starvation) and emphasizes the importance of adequate nourishment as a strong focus of weight-inclusive health care practices within eating disorder treatment and beyond.  She even...

Dr. Lexi Giblin, PhD and Kara Bazzi, LMFT, Opal Co-Founders, sit down with Poppy and Lily to do a self-inquiry double click on these two particular experiences of shame management.  Poppy shares an encounter with shame and disgust where her response is to "mask everything and puff up" while wanting her "old body back."  A "deep, profound worthlessness" prompts an urge for Lily to work hard to be l...

Fitness, movement and sport spaces continue to be saturated with diet culture rhetoric and belief systems that disrupt our innate connection, wisdom and joy to movement and our bodies. Diet culture is rooted in social justice issues where movement and sport spaces are not inclusive of all bodies and walks of life, particularly those who are most marginalized. Yet the story doesn't stop here. More...

Maddie Louder, Miss Washington 2021, joins Julie Church, Opal's Nutrition Director, to share her personal experience of how participating in pageants was both empowering and detrimental for her relationship with food and body. Maddie shares how advocacy work through the Miss Washington platform was important for her eating disorder recovery journey and also unpacks how the crowns and glitter of ac...

If you are new to  self - inquiry , start here!!  This is your go-to episode when you need a quick  self - inquiry  tutorial, refresher or a little help coaxing you into the  self - inquiry  mood.  Dr. Lexi Giblin, PhD, orients you to the key components and process of  self - inquiry .  With these basics in hand, you can more fully take in The Appetite's  Self - Inquiry  series and possibly begin...

Take a deep breath and bend your ears towards Cozette and Marrow as they bravely explore the psychological forces at play in their eating disorder recoveries. Dr. Lexi Giblin, PhD and Kara Bazzi, LMFT, Opal Co-Founders, join Cozette and Marrow in their quest to use self - inquiry  to learn from unwanted emotion. Shame is a starting point for both  self -inquirers but the learning takes them to dif...