Understanding Disordered Eating: For anyone whose relationship with food feels harder than it should

Everybody has emotions.   This isn't a new concept. However, in more recent years, we've started to give names to everything as a way to "label" each other or give an overall meaning to how someone may feel, act, etc. (Labels are usually meant to organize things, not necessarily bad.) So somewhere along the way, we started to label certain individuals as "highly sensitive people".   Everyone is se...

Let's get controversial.   Can the concept of medical assistance in dying be used for individuals who are suffering from "severe" and persistent eating disorders, as it is for patients who have terminal cancer?   Now, before we go anything further, please know that I acknowledge the sensitivity of this topic and if it feels too heavy and overwhelming, please skip it.   But the question is, why is...

Happy New Year! Can I be honest? I'm not a huge fan of New Year's resolutions. I get that there's this idea of a "new year, new me". There's almost like a fantasy of having a clean slate, when in reality, it's just another day, in a new year. However, it could be a great time to reflect on the past year and embrace what was. So, here's the deal. If you're into New Year's resolutions, go ahead and...

In today's episode, we delve into a crucial discussion about the evolving landscape of traditional eating disorder treatment. What comes to mind when you hear the term "body positivity"? First off, it's become a mainstream concept. Body neutrality, all foods fit, and body positivity are all terms to describe a phase of coming to terms with your body. However, we have to recognize that this approac...

Addressing the impact of eating disorders within the Orthodox Jewish community holds personal significance for me. Within this community, there are many people who are struggling with eating disorders, and it's crucial to explore how they are managing it and what actions they can take. There are obvious questions around the topic of kosher. What does that mean? What does it look like? How do you d...

100% of people who struggle with their relationship with food, also struggle with assertiveness and boundaries. Okay, now that I have your attention, maybe let's say 95% just to be safe, even though it's 100% of the people that I've met. Regardless, it is an issue for many people to have the courage to speak up and say what's on their mind. It's a common hurdle that people face when trying to navi...

How do you do therapy? Are there "rules"? What are they? Questions most of us have probably never considered before we start therapy. When we look at how the therapeutic relationship of therapy works, we have to consider the foundation of therapy, and what the deeper meaning is behind it. In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Dana Satir. We are breaking down the what's and why's of therapy, and shar...

What's the deal with our dreams? How often do you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night, from a crazy dream, wondering how you were even able to imagine it? Dreams, according to Freud, aren't mere froth. They're messages, beckoning us to pay attention to the deeper recesses of our minds. And here's the kicker: dreams don't bother with trivial matters. If it's in your dream, it's signi...

How do we define binge eating?   In this episode, we're diving into all things binge eating and emotional eating. We're breaking down what these terms mean, what they don't mean, where they come from, and the underlying factors that contribute to these behaviors.  Tweetable Quotes "When someone says that they suffer from emotional eating or binge eating, I think first and foremost, we have to take...

There is no doubt that I disagree with diet culture. But recently I've been noticing that a lot of these things that frustrate me with this culture are starting to show up in the anti-diet culture as well. Between the judging, the internal shaming, and the "cult behaviors", the lines are starting to blur and the cycle we were trying to break has begun to repeat itself. In this episode, I'm talking...

Feeling stuck isn't exclusive to one area of life; it can strike at any moment. Whether you're battling with your career, your relationships, or, as is often the case, your relationship with food, that suffocating feeling can be all too familiar. If you've ever grappled with issues related to your relationship with food or have felt trapped in various aspects of life, this discussion is going to b...

Listener questions: answered. To be totally honest, my inbox has been filled with amazing questions from podcast listeners. While I usually integrate listener questions into various episodes, today, I want to break down a few of the more popular ones. Before we get started, I just want to note that if you have a question, whether it's something that you've been wondering about for a long time and...

Let's get personal. In the therapy world, sometimes we think that we want a CBT therapist, a psychodynamic therapist, a DBT therapist, or whatever other type of therapist when ultimately, we may not necessarily know what any of that means or if it's what we really need. We want to be able to "fit" into a box and have a specific type of therapy that we can lean into. In reality, it's not black and...

Let's stop criticizing intuitive eating. In a world where intuitive eating has become a buzzword, it's crucial to sift through the chatter and truly understand what it means. We're not here to entertain misconceptions or misinterpretations of intuitive eating—those are a whole different story. Instead, we're bringing you a discussion that revolves around the insightful critiques of intuitive eatin...

We paused regular programming to talk about current events and how it's been impacted our community.    This isn't meant as a political conversation or a news update.    Stay tuned for more on IG stories (@rachelleheinemann) and newsletter updates during the rest of the week  here.      

In a world driven by absolutes and quick fixes, where opinions often seem black or white, it's time to stop for a minute and just think about how complex the situation really is. Let's embrace the nuance in our decision-making, whether it pertains to nutrition, relationships, or any other aspect of life. It's clear that we're often pressured to make snap judgments and rely on one-size-fits-all sol...

Let's talk body stuff.   So much of what happens to someone's body when they engage in eating disorder behavior is individualized. It's based on genetics, as well as other factors that we don't quite understand. The complexities of these effects are multifaceted, and to some extent, the specific causes may not matter.  In this episode, I'm joined by Jennifer Gaudiani. Jennifer L. Gaudiani, MD, CED...

Calling all clinicians - this conversation is for you.  How do you handle someone giving you feedback, as a therapist? How do you handle a situation where the feedback is negative or hurtful? As clinicians, we have an obligation to explore whatever the person in front of us is bringing up with. We have to put our feelings aside during this conversation, despite it being an almost impossible thing...

Have you ever considered what the limitations of scientific research are? What do we do with the limitations in nutrition science? Much of the conversation among nutrition scientists, outside the realm of eating disorders, revolves around various fad diets or approaches involving highly processed foods, intermittent fasting, and keto diets, among other trends. But the majority of this evidence may...

Is BetterHelp actually providing better help? Since 2020, online therapy platforms like BetterHelp have become very popular, mainly because of their convenience and affordability. With a subscription-based model, easy therapist switching, and 24/7 accessibility, they promise an accessible and hassle-free mental health solution. But are these platforms really a replacement for traditional therapy?...

In moments of high emotions, like feeling stressed from work, angry at your spouse, or sad from grieving, how are you regulating your emotions? Do you bury them deep down and move on? Do you let them take control of you and guide your actions? There has to be a balance on the emotional scale, but where does the balance lie? In this solo episode, we're covering how our emotions play into eating dis...

  Join Dr. Elizabeth Hamlin and me to discuss the age old concept of eating disorders as a means of communication in a new way. Eating disorders are far more than a struggle with one's food and body image. It's a larger emotional battle that emerges to communicate pain without words. Learn more about how we know that and what you can do about it in this episode.       Elizabeth Hamlin, MD, is a ps...

In this episode Dr. Doug Bunnell and I talk about the differences between behavioral treatments and "deep work" or psychodynamic psychotherapy. (Dynamic and analytic used interchangeably.)     If you want to know more about what any of this means or if you've ever heard the term "evidence based" or "gold standard" for treatment of eating disorders, this is for you.     Spoiler: Anyone who is die h...

Here's the scenario: You have a, let's say, complicated relationship with food. You're trying to work toward healing and get rid of these freaking food obsessions and weird binges. You crack open the Intuitive Eating book and love it. Eat when hungry? Stop when full? Honor cravings? This sounds amazing! You try it. And it totally backfires. Then you start wondering if it even works at all. Today I...

Do you find yourself questioning your own thoughts and decisions? (esp with your eating habits) If so, you are not alone!  Today we have Diane Barth talking all about trusting oneself. F. Diane Barth, LCSW is a psychotherapist in private practice. She also teaches and supervises other therapists. Her articles have been published in professional journals and in popular online magazines including Th...