The Body Competence Podcast

Note: This episode was recorded on January 31, 2024, and is being posted nearly a year later due to the host (me!) being tied up with things like pregnancy and adjusting to life with two children. Michelle relied heavily on this episode, and Veronica's wisdom, during early postpartum and is happy to be able to publish this episode as one of the first as The Body Competence Podcast (hopefully)...

Michelle (she/her) reflects on becoming a mom of 2, her break from social media and podcasting, and the very-broad-strokes future of @foodbodiesfamilies and The Body Competence Podcast. The Body Competence Podcast explores what it means to be and raise body competent humans. In each episode Michelle and her guests talk about getting back in touch with our needs, wants, and desires that were suppre...

Join Michelle (she/her) and Jeff Ash (he/him) in this episode for a conversation about toxic masculinity, the impacts of diet culture on men and boys, and how to support our boys in developing a balanced relationship with food and body. Jeff (he/him) is a nutritionist, Intuitive Eating Coach, personal trainer, and host of the Men's Intuition Podcast. In his work, he is passionate about helpin...

Join Michelle (she/her) and Kayla Stansberry (she/her) in this episode for a candid and cozy conversation that spans rethinking the "twenties checklist", how to talk to kids about bodies (even when we aren't comfortable with our own), getting validation outside of parenthood, dressing for sensory needs, and so many more incredible gems. Kayla (She/Her) is a Licensed Therapist who sp...

Join Michelle (she/her), and registered dietitians Emily Sylvester (she/her) and Chacha Miller (she/her) of Mother of Fact for a conversation about the health of birthing people in the United States, and the platform they’ve developed to provide timely, individually tailored, culturally sensitive professional nutrition guidance to people who are in various stages of their reproductive journeys. Th...

Join Michelle and Chacha Miller (she/her), in this episode to discuss picky eating in children, what it means to her to be a plant forward mama, postpartum bodies, and the social justice issues involved in food access. Alicia 'Chacha' Miller is a Registered Dietitian specializing in maternal, pediatric, and family nutrition. Chacha has a passion for health equity as her work is focused o...

Join Michelle and Oona Hanson (she/her), in this episode all about navigating hard body conversations with our adolescent children.  Oona Hanson is passionate about helping parents and guardians raise kids who have a healthy relationship with food and their body. In addition to her private practice as a parent coach, Oona has worked as a Family Mentor at Equip, an eating disorder treatment program...

Join Michelle and Damali Fraiser (she/her), the non-diet trainer behind Lift Off Strength and Wellness for this thoughtful episode about non-diet fitness, and Damali’s theory of the body as a community . Damali is a Canadian Kettlebell Instructor, Nutrition Coach, and author passionate about exploring fitness from an intersectional lens. Founder of Lift Off Strength & Wellness, Damali is a com...

Join Michelle and Marisol, the creator behind the instagram account @thesexedmum in this episode. Marisol is a passionate sexologist and coach who specializes in sex education. She provides valuable support to young people and offers expert guidance to parents regarding sex education. This is a topic that Michelle is both passionate about, and knows very little about, so Marisol was the obvious ch...

Join Michelle and Alexa Reidenauer, the creator behind the instagram account @tellingourtails in this episode. Alexa shares about her journey to a PMDD diagnosis (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) and the changes that she’s made to living her life cyclically so that she can balance her mood disorder. Michelle has learned so much from Alexa about menstruation and the way that the bodies and moods of...

In this episode, Michelle talks to certified community nutritionist Emily Garcia (she/they), who practices from weight inclusive lens. Emily lives in Houston and is mom to kitten Ellie who makes several guest appearances throughout the pod (it is delightful)! You can follow Emily on Instagram @nutritionist.emily and visit her website and blog here .  Emily and Michelle talk about a variety of topi...

In this episode, Michelle shares her body hair journey this year: how it started, how it's going, and all of the ups and downs in between. She also shares a personal update before diving into community questions about her unlearning journey, when she knew she was ready to have kids, and beyond. The Body Competence Podcast explores what it means to be and raise body competent humans. In each e...

In this episode, Michelle is joined by pediatric eating disorder therapist Johanna Kulp (she/her). Michelle and Johanna talk about breaking generational patterns of disordered eating and toxic diet culture, the role of attachment in our relationship with food and body, and tackle the multilayered question: How do I forgive my mom for hating her body? which involves understanding family dynamics, t...

In this episode, Michelle is joined by personal trainer Ashantis Jones (she/they). Michelle and Ashantis talk everything from fitness, to fatness to white supremacy, and ableism, and how these stigmas and systems are tools of oppression and exclusion. Ashantis shares her own fitness journey, including what it's like to be a fitness instructor with a disability. Ashantis shares a fresh perspec...

In this episode, Michelle is joined by the endurance athlete behind the @adventure.yuki Instagram page. Michelle and Anna (she/her) talk everything from skin care, to endurance training, to the perils of paleo. The Body Competence Podcast explores what it means to be and raise body competent humans. In each episode Michelle and her guests talk about getting back in touch with our needs, wants, and...

In this episode, Michelle is joined by Karoline (she/her) from Dog Mom Mentality to talk about food, bodies, periods, and of course, our dogs. Karoline is the creator of the Dog Mom Mentality brand: a community of dog owners, a podcast, merch line, and a journal all designed to support and empower dog owners through their own mental health and training journeys. It all started in 2020 with an Aust...

In this solo episode, originally shared as an IG live, I share why I think it's impossible for a child to be spoiled, a brat, entitled, etc. Apparently a controversial opinion, I'm eager to hear from you and your experience about this topic. Email foodbodiesfamilies@gmail.com to chat further! _________________________ The Body Competence Podcast explores what it means to be and raise bod...

In this episode, Michelle is joined for a q&a by Dr Krista Nabar (she/her), a licensed psychologist and a certified sex therapist. Dr. Nabar is the founder and executive director of the Carolina Sexual Wellness Center which is a non profit sex therapy and education center in North Carolina. You can find her on Instagram and Tiktok @authentic_sextherapist.  If you'd like to learn more abou...

In this episode, Michelle is joined by Dr Krista Nabar (she/her), a licensed psychologist and a certified sex therapist. Dr. Nabar is the founder and executive director of the Carolina Sexual Wellness Center which is a non profit sex therapy and education center in North Carolina. You can find her on Instagram and Tiktok @authentic_sextherapist.  Join Michelle and Dr. Nabar back here next week for...

Mother's Day is a beast for so many of us, and for me it always brings up the idea that I owe my parents. Yet, at my core, I don't think it's possible to owe a parent anything, and that is what I explore in today's episode: what, if anything, do we owe our parents? _______ The Body Competence Podcast explores what it means to be and raise body competent humans. In each episode...

In this episode Michelle welcomes sleep advocate and mother of two girls, Emma Cooksey (she/her). Emma shares her experience with a late-in-life diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the subsequent challenges of parenting with a chronic illness. Michelle and Emma spend the last third of the episode (minute 36) talking about how to raise body competent children in a world obsessed with com...

In this episode Michelle welcomes the incredibly insightful psychologist and intuitive eating coach Dr Diana Gordon (she/her). Dr. Gordon shares her experience as a parent breaking the cycle of eating disorders and diet culture and answers listener questions. This was originally an instagram live from February 28. Find Dr. Diana Gordon on Instagram @drdianagordon . Find Michelle on Instagram @food...

In this episode, I introduce what I think of as body competence and share part of my own body story. I talk about what it's like to be a mom in eating disorder recovery and the parenting challenges that have come up in recent months. I also answer follower questions including: - How/when did you meet your husband? - What is the best thing your husband can do for you when you're having a...