A Recipe for Loving Yourself with Rachel Harvest, MS, RDN, CDN

This week, Karin welcomes Rachel Harvest, MS, RDN, CDN, registered dietitian, behavioral health specialist, personal coach, and pilates apparatus instructor, to the show for, ”A Recipe for Loving Yourself”

Listen to a discussion on the four pillars of “self” that comprise The Harvest Method, the role of connecting to and understanding self on the healing journey, shifting from “not/either” to “both/and” to achieve balanced living, self-empowering through “I don’t know,” Project: Love, Me, one mindedness versus multitasking, growing up in ballet and the culture that comes with, and much more.

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Peeling Back the Layers of Suffering with Jules Xenakis

This week, Karin welcomes Jules Xenakis, transformational recovery coach, to the show for our newest episode, “Peeling Back the Layers of Suffering.”

Tune in to learn about how suffering can be a launch pad for personal growth, finding meaning in suffering, pressures to “grow up” in a competitive environment, allowing space and time to process difficult emotions, the use of psychedelics for healing and creating new neuropathways, and the importance of trust between clients and treatment providers.

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Stepping Out of Silence with Bérénice Mertens, RYT

In this episode, Karin welcomes Bérénice Mertens, RYT, certified yoga & meditation teacher and yoga therapist specializing in eating disorders, to the show for the newest episode of Recovery Bites, “Stepping Out of Silence”

Join Karin and Bérénice for a conversation on oscillating between different ed behaviors, rediscovering yourself on the yoga mat, letting go of beliefs that no longer suit you, surrendering rather than waiting to “hit rock bottom,” the marriage of talk therapy and yoga therapy, and much more.

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Secured Attachment With Food and Self with Tiffany North, RN, CIEC

In this episode, Karin welcomes Tiffany North, RN, CIEC, RN, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, and creator of the Food Attachment Model™, to the show for the newest episode of Recovery Bites, “Secured Attachment With Food and Self”

Join Karin and Tiffany for a conversation on Tiffany’s Food Attachment Model™and the four attachment styles, steps to healing one’s relationship with food and body, the importance of mindfulness and intentional living, “ruptured attachment,” the intersection of eating disorders, substance, and alcohol abuse, setting barometers for success in recovery, and much more.

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Starving the Soul... Metaphorically Speaking with Dr. Anita Johnston, PH.D., CEDS-S

In this episode, Karin welcomes Dr. Anita Johnston, Ph.D., CEDS-S, clinical psychologist, certified eating disorders specialist and supervisor, author of "Eating in the Light of the Moon: How Women Can Transform Their Relationship with Food Through Myths, Metaphors, and Storytelling," and eating psychology pioneer with a passion for working with eating difficulties for over thirty-five years to the show for the newest episode of Recovery Bites, “Starving the Soul... Metaphorically Speaking.”

Join Karin and Dr. Johnston for a discussion on the transformational power of collective healing practices, what it means to “belong” as opposed to “fitting in,” the use of metaphors from a therapeutic standpoint, shifting one’s understanding of triggers, holistically addressing hunger, Anita’s best selling novel, “Eating in the Light of the Moon,” and much more!

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Tapping into Bulimia Recovery with Dr. Rachel Evans

In this episode, Karin welcomes Dr. Rachel Evans, private therapist specializing in eating disorder recovery to the show for the newest episode of Recovery Bites, “Tapping into Bulimia Recovery”

Join Karin and Rachel for a discussion on mind mapping in recovery, the stigma that can accompany a bulimia nervosa diagnosis, diagnosis shame and how it keeps people from seeking treatment, the Emotional Freedom Technique’s (EFT) use of tapping and pressure points, challenging one’s “need” to use behaviors, how ritualistic behaviors “quiet” external noise, the medical risks of bulimia nervosa, the use of hypnotherapy to tap into one’s subconscious, and more!

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The Courageous Path to Healing with Jennifer Kreatsoulas, PhD, C-IAYT

In this episode, Karin welcomes certified yoga therapist, author, educator, advocate, and mother Jennifer Kreatsoulas, PhD, C-IAYT to the show for the newest episode of Recovery Bites, “The Courageous Path to Healing”

Join Karin and Jennifer for a discussion on relapsing from an eating disorder as a mother, the contributing risk factors that come with postpartum, the dangerousness of keeping disordered behaviors (no matter the severity), the difference between traditional yoga classes and yoga therapy, how yoga therapy directly challenges common eating disorder behaviors, accepting your inner struggle as a means of finding acceptance and moving towards healing, the impact of having COVID-19, and much more.

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Body and Soul with Mira Rocca, MA, LMFT

In this episode, Karin is joined by Mira Rocca, MA, LMFT, Licensed Integrative Psychotherapist, Wellness Coach, Writer and Speaker to the show for “Body and Soul,” our newest episode of Recovery Bites.

Together, Karin and Mira discuss “growing up” stories, reconnecting with one’s inner voice, empowered healing, vulnerability in teenage years, understanding the emotions driving our personal narrative, yoga as a mirror for life, healing our relationship with our body through yoga, moving away from self-judgment and moving towards our life, the grounding nature of equine therapy, snd much more (including lots of laughter)!

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Seeing Recovery Through Ocean Eyes with Lisa Denning

I am so excited to welcome Lisa Denning to the show for “Seeing Recovery Through Ocean Eyes,” our newest episode of Recovery Bites. Join us as we discuss how fear states can prevent those with eating disorders from “following their heart,” the importance of being present in the moment, the imperfect path to recovery, how pain in an eating disorder can shift to joy in recovery, “showing up” to face recovery challenges, the healing nature of the ocean and Lisa’s unique experience with it, and much more!

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Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life with Tabitha Farrar

I am so excited to welcome Tabitha Farrar to the show for “Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life,” our newest episode of Recovery Bites. Join us as we discuss addressing the recovery obstacle of processing through the “scary stuff,” underestimating eating disorders and the people who have them, finding hope for someone else’s recovery, residential treatment as a starting point and necessary part of the recovery process, the small steps one needs to take to make bigger strides, common eating disorder misconceptions, and much more!

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Progress Not Perfection with Lara Reaves

 
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Episode 48 - Progress Not Perfection with Lara Reaves

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

This week I welcome Lara Reaves to the show. Lara is a certified Holistic Nutrition Practitioner, specializing in eating disorders, and recovered from her own battle with an eating disorder that nearly destroyed many of her dreams for her future. Since recovery, Lara has worked in residential clinical settings, adolescent mental health facilities, and is well-versed in communicating with a treatment team. She is the Chief Operations Officer and Coach for Rebecca's Eating Disorder Foundation, and a Recovery Coach for the Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center. Her mission became to increase awareness and educate the public about eating disorders and the journey of recovery.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • The ways in which the journey to recovery can be one of the greatest teachers and source of growth.

  • Using behaviors in an effort to soothe the pain form the voices in your head.

  • How eating disorder behaviors (falsely) “protect” loved ones from the severity of one’s pain.

  • Recovery requires learning how to not negotiate one’s values.

  • The idea that one can make space for courage through disallowing fear from paralyzing the process.

  • How the courage and self-esteem gained from moving through fear outlive and outlast fear itself.

  • Recovery allows one to be “a part” of life as opposed to being “apart” from it.

ABOUT LARA REAVES:

When Lara Reaves arrived at a place of meaningful recovery with an urge to help people like herself. When asked by mentor Rebecca Cooper “what do you want to do deep down inside in your gut,” Lara knew the answer was to help others with eating disorders and Lara’s training began her training shortly thereafter. The clinical expertise and decades of recovery from her mentor offered Lara a unique education that “I would have never experienced during a psychology master's program.” During this time, Lara assisted in building a virtual Disorder Eating program, seminars on Eating Disorder Treatment, workshops, and writing projects. The experience was inspiring, and watching people make peace with food and their bodies felt like witnessing miracles. Lara realized that the Recovery coaching aspect of the work was what she loved and felt the most passionate about, leading to Lara receiving her certification as an Eating Disorder Recovery Coach from The Rebecca's Foundation Institute.

Lara was supervised and trained directly under Rebecca Cooper, world-renowned eating disorder therapist, author, and founder of Rebecca's House residential treatment center. Lara also volunteered as a Recovery Mentor, an experience that planted the seed to pursuing work as a recovery coach. She found it deeply rewarding to be a part of someone else's transformative journey towards a deeper, more peaceful relationship with food, addiction, and themselves. Through looking at the causes, effects, and social pressures, she grew her awareness of how much needed to be done to help people with Eating Disorders and mental health. As a recovered anorexic, bulimic, and alcoholic, Lara realized her new mission was increasing awareness of multiple aspects of the problem, guiding people in steps on the journey to recovery, and educating the public about the seriousness of eating disorders.

Since recovery, Lara has worked in residential clinical settings, adolescent mental health facilities, and is well-versed in communicating with a treatment team. She is the Chief Operations Officer of The Rebecca's Eating Disorder Foundation, where they fund men and women who want to get treatment. Lara is a Certified Eating Disorder Recovery Coach from The Rebecca’s Foundation Institute, Chief Operations Officer and Coach for Rebecca’s Eating Disorder Foundation, Body Image Training for Clinicians: The Missing Piece of Whole-Body Healing with Marci Evans, CEDRD-S & Fiona Sutherland, and Certified Holistic Nutrition Practitioner from Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Tempe AZ.

Lara continues to value and love doing the things that helped her to reach full recovery by continuing to deepen her sense of spirituality and connection with the world including attending 12 step support groups, prayer and meditation, journaling, walking in nature, and reading a mix of spiritual and self-help books. Lara resides in Southern California, where she lives with her beloved husband Amir and their two dogs Ariel and Ernest. In her free time, Lara enjoys doing what she genuinely loves. Lately, this has been a lot of writing, playing with her dogs, service work (collecting and donating food and clothes for charities), gardening, and watching “I Love Lucy.”

CONNECT WITH LARA REAVES:

ABOUT KARIN LEWIS:

Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS has been recovered from Anorexia Nervosa for over 20 years and has been specializing in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders since 2005. Karin is the founder of the Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center located in Boston, MA. You can visit Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center online to learn more about Karin and her center’s services. You can also connect with Karin on social media by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Body Wisdom with Elisa Mott Jones, Ed.S, NCC, LMHC

 
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Episode 47 - Body Wisdom with Elisa Mott Jones, Ed.S, NCC, LMHC

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

This week we welcome Elisa Mott Jones, Ed.S, NCC, LMHC, Health At Every Size (HAES) Advocate, published author and national speaker on yoga, eating disorders, and body image. Elisa has worked at the nation's top eating disorder facilities across the country where she has designed mindful movement groups for children, adolescents, and adults. Her pieces express who she is as a woman, partner, daughter, yogi, and dancer, and reflect her own journey to healing. Elisa currently has a virtual private practice based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and now teaches a virtual yoga class for participants across the country seeking freedom from anxiety, trauma, disordered eating, and body image concerns. 

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • How those with eating disorders can be both hypersensitive and detached from their body.

  • The role of music, especially with adolescents, to create a window to someone's emotional state when they do not have the words to articulate.

  • The ways in which grounding exercises can bring the body back into the therapy room.

  • How yoga can offer a feeling of control after traumatic experiences.

  • Yoga is not about “working out,” but rather “working in.”

  • How connection and support from others can provide a connection with self.

ABOUT ELISA MOTT JONES:

Elisa Mott Jones received her Masters of Education and Education Specialist degrees in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Florida in 2010. While in graduate school, she completed the University of Florida's Arts in Medicine, Elisa obtained a Certificate in Spirituality and Health and Arts in Medicine. She also holds the title of National Certified Counselor from the National Board of Certified Counselors and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida.  

After being introduced to yoga in 2000, and after 5 years of practice, Elisa decided to become a yoga instructor. She graduated from Discovery Yoga’s 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program in St. Augustine, Florida in 2005. In 2015, she completed my 500-hour yoga teacher training at Downtown Yoga in Pleasanton, CA, and is a 500-level, Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500) with the Yoga Alliance. Elisa has additional certifications in Restorative Yoga, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga, YogaDance, Colorgized Yoga, KarmaKids Yoga, and Pilates. In 2015, she became a Reiki Master and integrate the transformative healing of Reiki into her individualized sessions.

Beyond counseling and teaching, Elisa also writes about body image, eating disorders, and yoga. She co-authored “The Use of Holistic Methods to Integrate the Shattered Self,” a book chapter in the textbook Treatment of Eating Disorders: Bridging the research-practice gap, ( check it out) edited by Margo Maine, Beth Hartman McGilley, and Doug Bunnell. Elisa also authored “Client Perspectives on Strong, Restorative and Partner Yoga Classes”, a chapter in Carolyn Costin and Joe Kelly’s book Yoga and Eating Disorders. (check it out). 

Additionally, Elisa presents nationally on the use of yoga in the treatment of eating disorders and body image issues and utilizes yoga and movement in counseling centers and hospitals with adults, adolescents, and children. At Kaiser Permanente’s eating disorder intensive outpatient unit in Walnut Creek, CA, as well as Center for Discovery's eating disorder and mood disorder intensive outpatient and partial hospitalizations programs in North Palm Beach, FL,  Elisa led expressive movement and therapeutic yoga groups for adults and adolescents. 

Elisa is currently offering Accepting Your Body’s Wisdom: Nutrition, Yoga and Body Image, a transformational workshop designed for women who want to make peace with their bodies and their relationship with food.

Additionally, Elisa choreographs and performs YogaDance and Acro-Yoga across the country and at national eating disorder conferences. Her pieces express who she is as a woman, partner, daughter, yogi, and dancer, and reflect her own journey to healing. 

Elisa lives in Jupiter, Florida with her husband, Lewis Jones Psy.D and their two daughters. She offers workshops, groups, and individualized sessions for those seeking freedom from anxiety, trauma, disordered eating, and body image concerns. 

CONNECT WITH ELISA MOTT JONES:

ABOUT KARIN LEWIS:

Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS has been recovered from Anorexia Nervosa for over 20 years and has been specializing in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders since 2005. Karin is the founder of the Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center located in Boston, MA. You can visit Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center online to learn more about Karin and her center’s services. You can also connect with Karin on social media by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Finding Your Way Home with Crystal Bowlby, PhD, HSP, CEDS-S

 
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Episode 28 - Finding Your Way Home with Crystal Bowlby, PhD, HSP, CEDS-S

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Crystal Bowlby, Ph.D., CEDS-S, a clinical psychologist serving patients and staff for the Laureate Eating Disorders Program. She has specialized in the education and treatment of eating disorders since 2002. As an inpatient therapist at Laureate, Crystal offers direct patient care in the realm of individual, family, and group therapy within the intensive multidisciplinary program structure. As an educator, she supervises clinicians seeking eating disorder specialist certification and doctoral students selected for practicum experience at Laureate. As a recovered clinician, Crystal seeks to strengthen a client’s core relationships with self and others to build a strong, secure self-identity apart from an eating disorder identity.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • The importance of breathwork to get through difficult times.

  • Finding purpose and meaning in recovery.

  • It’s never too late to start the recovery process.

  • How the isolating nature of eating disorders can lead to a solitary recovery process.

  • Finding balance in your home and with your family, especially when there are children involved.

  • Learning to stay present with both suffering and with joy.

  • How suffering can act as a catalyst to positive change.

  • Crystal’s definition of recovery as “being at home with self, body, and feelings without the need to ‘flee’.”

ABOUT CRYSTAL BOWLBY:

Crystal Bowlby, PhD, CEDS-S, is a licensed clinical psychologist (Health Service Psychologist) serving patients and staff for the Laureate Eating Disorders Program in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As an adult therapist, Crystal serves patients in individual, family, and group therapy, meal support, and crisis intervention. As a supervisor, Crystal works with clinicians towards specialty certification for IAEDP as well as works with doctoral students gathering practicum and internship hours.

Crystal is passionate about inpatient care and enjoys both the relational aspect and intensity of the work--- feeling grateful for mealtimes with patients, being present for struggles in real-time, and watching dynamics unfold in a relational milieu. She sees patients through, from admission to discharge through acute/medical stabilization, RTC, and PHP.

In education. Crystal holds a B.S in biochemistry, M.S Counseling Psychology, M.A Theology/Spiritual Integration, M.A Clinical Psychology, and PhD in Clinical Psychology (loving education). Originally, Crystal sought out her 1st degree in psychology as a wish to heal herself in growing awareness of anorexia, with no intention to practice as a therapist. As life unfolded, and healing occurred, opportunities presented themselves to become a therapist and have the great privilege/honor of holding space for others going through the recovery process.

Crystal's passion and curiosity to grow, to learn, and to relate to others engenders her work. She is drawn to depth/Jungian perspectives, narrative approaches, positive psychology, and soul care. Research interests surround therapist use of self in the therapeutic process, the role of gratitude to enhance the quality of life, the theme of hope, and the process of surrender.

CONNECT WITH CRYSTAL BOWLBY:

ABOUT KARIN LEWIS:

Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS has been recovered from Anorexia Nervosa for over 20 years and has been specializing in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders since 2005. Karin is the founder of the Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center located in Boston, MA. You can visit Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center online to learn more about Karin and her center’s services. You can also connect with Karin on social media by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Hungry for Freedom with Mindy Gorman-Plutzer, FNLP, CEPC, CHC, AADP

 
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Episode 18 - Hungry for Freedom with Mindy Gorman-Plutzer, FNLP, CEPC, CHC, AADP

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Mindy Gorman-Plutzer, a nutrition consultant, certified holistic health coach, eating psychology coach, and founder of The Freedom Promise, a private coaching practice in Manhattan. Mindy’s experience with her own recovery, her education in Functional Nutrition and Holistic Health, training in Transformational Coaching, and Eating Psychology inspired her to write The Freedom Promise: 7 Steps to Stop Fearing What Food Will Do to You and Start Embracing What It Can Do for You.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • “I was doing recovery, but I didn’t know what I was hungry for”

  • Defining your personal, non-linear recovery journey.

  • Turning pain into purpose.

  • Challenging the fear of what food will do TO you and embracing what food can do FOR you.

  • The difficulties with battling disordered eating and substance abuse.

  • How “Higher Powers” can look different for everyone.

  • Learning how to live in “the middle.”

  • Stomach, head, and heart hunger and listening to what you are hungry for.

  • Finding freedom from your eating disorder and reclaiming your best self.

  • Viewing transformation as less about what you want to do and more of what you want to let go of.

Being recovered means being able to rely on myself to have the confidence to go forward, no matter what obstacle I’m going to meet, and that I can rise up.


ABOUT MINDY GORMAN-PLUTZER:

Mindy Gorman-Plutzer is a nutrition consultant, certified holistic health coach, and eating psychology coach. Working in the weight management industry for 19 years, she has combined her background, trainings in holistic health, transformational coaching, and eating psychology with her extensive life experience to create The Freedom Promise, a Functional Nutrition and Eating Psychology coaching practice dedicated to guiding clients on the most valuable journey of their lives – the one where they get to realize and re-claim the most vibrant version of themselves.

Mindy has worked with hundreds of clients to transform their relationship with food from one mired in toxic and limiting beliefs to one that is joyous, loving, and free. She introduces strategies that are a combination of practical coaching techniques, results-oriented psychology, clinical nutrition, body-centered practices, mind-body science, and a positive and compassionate approach to challenges with food, weight, and health. Clients experience results that are nourishing, doable, and sustainable.

Mindy’s new book, The Freedom Promise: 7 Steps to Stop Fearing What Food Will Do to You and Start Embracing What It Can Do for You, shares powerful insight and strategies related to letting go of disordered eating behaviors and limiting beliefs that keep the reader tied to a toxic relationship with food, The Freedom Promise offers personal stories to inspire, practical steps, and affirmations. You will be motivated to examine your behavior with food, explore your hunger, and be guided to reframe the stories you have been telling yourself about food and your relationship to it.

Join Mindy alongside 38 global experts from August 24th-30th for the “Recovery Revealed: What's Feeding Your Disordered Eating?” Virtual Online Summit to “offer solutions to the challenging behavior and beliefs about food and your body.” Mindy has brought together dozens of leaders to share new information and protocols to support a special unique journey toward healing one's broken relationship with food. These experts come from the fields of functional medicine, psychology, psychiatry, mindset, nutrition, and healing. Please click here to register.

I invite you to join us so together we can continue to share the message of hope, healing and full recovery. — Mindy Gorman-Plutzer


Mindy currently resides in New York with her husband, is a mother, mother in law, and grandmother. She enjoys golf, Pilates, exploring the city, and after leaving her own disordered relationship with food behind, loves to cook and experience the wonder and complexity of food.

CONNECT WITH MINDY GORMAN-PLUTZER:

ABOUT KARIN LEWIS:

Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS has been recovered from Anorexia Nervosa for over 20 years and has been specializing in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders since 2005. Karin is the founder of the Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center located in Boston, MA. You can visit Karin Lewis Eating Disorder Center online to learn more about Karin and her center’s services. You can also connect with Karin on social media by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

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