MeaningFull Life with Alli Spotts-de Lazzer, LMFT, LPCC, CEDS

 
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Episode 40 - MeaningFull Life with Alli Spotts-de Lazzer, LMFT, LPCC, CEDS

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Alli Spotts-De Lazzer, LMFT, LPCC, CEDS, and a person on the other side of her own decades-long struggle with food battles and body dislike. Alli created #ShakeIt for Self-Acceptance! - a series of public events sparking conversations about body, soul, and self-acceptance through fun, inspiration, and flash mob dance. She is also the author of MeaningFULL: 23 Life-Changing Stories of Conquering Dieting, Weight, & Body Image. Throughout the years, Alli has witnessed firsthand that stories of humanness, joy, inspiration, and hope increase people’s receptivity to both considering change and opening up to education. That motivated her to write MeaningFULL.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • Going “within” to find the barriers to self-acceptance.

  • How self-acceptance can be taught through fun.

  • The struggles and triumphs that connect us.

  • The difference between “not fitting in” and holding different values.

  • Recovery is not linear, can take a long time (or not), and relies on consistency.

  • The notion that people crave to be heard, seen, and connected.

  • How anger can be a catalyst for healing.

ABOUT ALLI SPOTTS-DE LAZZER:

After having dealt with her own 20+ years of eating and body issues ranging from mild frustrations to serious eating disorders, Alli Spotts-De Lazzer became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor specializing in eating and body image issues. Eventually, she became a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist—the only nationally recognized designation indicating a specialty in eating disorders.

Alli has been a featured speaker at public events; presented workshops at national and international conferences, graduate schools, clinical training facilities, and hospitals; published articles in trade magazines, online information hubs, and academic journals; and appeared as an eating disorders expert on local news. She has also co-chaired committees for the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (iaedp™) and the Academy for Eating Disorders. In 2017, she received the iaedp Member of the Year award.

As far as public activism and advocacy, in 2014, Alli created #ShakeIt for Self-Acceptance! - a series of public events sparking conversations about body, soul, and self-acceptance through fun, inspiration, and flash mob dance. This movement has appeared across America. Highlights include appearing on Capitol Hill and at the Los Angeles Staples Center. July 13, 2017 was recognized as “#ShakeIt for Self-Acceptance! Day” in the City of Los Angeles by Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Throughout the years, Alli has witnessed firsthand that stories of humanness, joy, inspiration, and hope increase people’s receptivity to both considering change and opening up to education. That motivated her to create MeaningFULL.


CONNECT WITH ALLI SPOTTS-DE LAZZER:

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.

 

Grow Through What You Go Through with Monika Ostroff, LICSW, CEDS-S

 
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Episode 39 - Grow Through What You Go Through with Monika Ostroff, LICSW, CEDS-S

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Monika Ostroff, LICSW, CEDS-S, and Executive Director of Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association Inc (MEDA). Nationally recognized for her 25+ years of experience and contributions to the field of eating disorders, Monika has directed several successful residential, partial hospital, and intensive outpatient eating disorder programs in addition to having owned a thriving private practice. Monika’s passion for treating eating disorders and mentoring other professionals was borne out of her own struggle and full recovery from what today is known as Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • How the recovery journey looks different for everyone.

  • Recovering when professionals label you as “chronic.”

  • How compassion, respect, and empowerment can elicit change.

  • Connecting back to one’s innate, inner wisdom.

  • The need for inclusivity, access, and equality within healthcare.

  • Being seen as a human, not a diagnosis.

  • Finding your voice is your key to recovery.

  • How eating disorders can serve as a “resource” when no other “resources” aren’t available.

ABOUT MONIKA OSTROFF:

Monika Ostroff, MSW, LICSW, CEDS-S is the Executive Director of MEDA, a leading national nonprofit organization dedicated to healing, educating, and empowering the community in the fight against eating disorders.

Monika is a therapist, author, and consultant specializing in the fields of eating disorders and substance use disorders. She is nationally recognized for her contributions to the field of eating disorders and their treatment. With expertise in individual, group, and family therapy in both outpatient and hospital settings, Monika has 25 years of experience in the field of eating disorders. Her passion for treating eating disorders and mentoring other professionals was borne out of her own struggle and full recovery from what today is known as Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa.

Prior to joining MEDA, Monika was the Manager of Outpatient Behavioral Health Services at HCA’s Parkland Medical Center where she provided leadership for Reflections Eating Disorders Treatment Center at Parkland Medical Center in Salem, NH; Parkland’s Center for Emotional Wellness Adult Partial Hospital Program and the Behavioral Health Unit’s inpatient Social Work Department. She also assisted in launching the Cambridge Eating Disorder Center of New Hampshire, where she served as their Director. She served as the Clinical Director for R.O.A.D. To A Better Life's nine addiction treatment centers in the state of New Hampshire as well as the Program Director for Hampstead Hospital's Eating Disorder Treatment Center. Additionally, she owned a thriving private practice specializing in eating disorders for many years.

Among her credits, Monika is the co-author of Anorexia Nervosa: A Guide to Recovery, 1999; and a contributing author to both Self-Harm Behavior and Eating Disorders., 2004 and The Thinking Mom's Revolution: Autism Beyond the Spectrum, 2012. She has also authored several well-received essays on the topics of anorexia, bulimia, trauma, and healing. Monika has appeared on several radio and television broadcasts including NPR’s Public Affair and Boston’s WGBH Arts and Ideas. Monika has extensive experience speaking publicly and presenting workshops on eating disorders. She continues to lecture and present at conferences and universities across the country.

Monika strongly believes in providing compassionate care that combines alternative healing with evidence-based modalities. In addition to using meditation, yoga, and essential oils, she is certified in several alternative modalities and has recently teamed up with Dr. Patrick Porter to create an eating disorders recovery support series for the revolutionary BrainTap.

Monika received her BA from Wellesley College and her MSW from Boston College Graduate School of Social Work.


CONNECT WITH MONIKA OSTROFF:

  • Learn more about MEDA’s eating disorder support and recovery services

  • Donate directly and view other ways to support MEDA

  • Follow MEDA on Facebook and Instagram

  • Sign-up for MEDA’s weekly support group and view other events here

  • Tune into MEDA’s IGTV channel on Instagram to view their weekly support series and live recovery chats/interviews.

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.

 

Do No Harm, Take No Sh*t with Hannah Chase, MS, LPC

 
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Episode 38 - Do No harm, take no sH*t with Hannah Chase, MS, LPC

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Hannah Chase, MS, LPC, and Be Body Positive Licensed Facilitator. Hannah is a clinician with over two decades of personal experience with eating disorders and mental health. Hannah has conquered several obstacles in her life from sexual assault, domestic violence, family loss, to surviving and recovering from an eating disorder. Recently licensed, Hannah works for a PHP/IOP program for eating disorders located in Wisconsin. Her motivation rests on her personal journey, the treatment soul sisters that she has gained, and by continuing to educate and help those suffering in memory of her treatment peers and friends that she has lost to mental health, addiction and suicide.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • Genuine connection as a catalyst for authenticity.

  • Breaking down the toxic messages received from the medical community, family, and the media.

  • The harm of using Body Mass Index (BMI) as a tool for diagnosing eating disorders.

  • The importance of being an educated consumer of social media.

  • How eating disorders serve as a protective mechanism for underlying trauma.

  • The long-term health consequences of an eating disorder, even after recovery.

  • The paradigm of health insurance dictating treatment length based on anecdotal, antiquated, and harmful practices.

  • Freeing oneself from the confines of comparison, people-pleasing, fears of rejection, and other underlying barriers to authenticity.

ABOUT HANNAH CHASE:

Hannah has been a longtime advocate for eating disorder awareness and has a unique approach blending both a personal experience and professional insight to recovery. She has participated in several eating disorder walks and community outreach/awareness events in the Upper Peninsula.

Hannah earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona in 2013. Thereafter, Hannah graduated with her Master’s degree in counseling from Grand Canyon University in 2018.

Hannah received her LPC-IT in 2018 through the State of Wisconsin. She is currently working towards earning her certification as an eating disorder specialist. Hannah has a wide variety of experience from working with youth involved in the juvenile justice system, group home populations, long term support children and families, those who struggle with mental health concerns, trauma-informed care, and community outreach.

Hannah is passionate about creating a safe space where therapeutic rapport can be developed. She uses an individualized approach when treating eating disorders and incorporates the unique wants and needs that a client desires into the treatment. Hannah knows that recovery is possible, but acknowledges the strength and determination that it takes to reach this milestone.

Hannah is originally from Marquette, MI, enjoys spending time with her children, cycling, watching live music shows, and swimming in Lake Superior.


CONNECT WITH HANNAH CHASE:

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.

 

Out of the Pantry with Ronni Robinson

 
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Episode 36 - Out of the Pantry with Ronni Robinson

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Ronni Robinson, a recovered author with a passion for helping others who are struggling with an eating disorder. Ronni’s first book, Out of the Pantry: A Disordered Eating Journey, offers a brutally honest glimpse into the trials, pervasive thoughts, and heartbreak of a compulsive overeater, and the courage and strength Ronni gained to live a life of food freedom. Ronni is also an active public speaker on the topics of eating disorders and emotionally abusive relationships.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • No matter how long one has struggled with an eating disorder, it is never too late to recover.

  • Turning to food as a coping mechanism in the absence of unconditional love.

  • Healing your “inner child” as a step towards healing.

  • Self-preservation at any age.

  • Missing opportunities for connection when one’s mind is consumed with food.

  • The freedom gained from listening to your body.

  • The ways in which a parent with an eating disorder can speak to their children.

  • Taking “what works” from different belief systems to create your own.

  • The process of writing Out of the Pantry: A Disordered Eating Journey.

ABOUT RONNI ROBINSON:

Ronni Robinson is a writer and indoor cycling instructor in the suburbs of Eastern Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband in their newly minted empty nest, as both kids are off to college.

With a passion for helping others who are struggling with eating disorders, Ronni’s first book, Out of the Pantry: A Disordered Eating Journey, offers a brutally honest glimpse into the trials, pervasive thoughts, and heartbreak of a compulsive overeater, and the courage and strength Ronni gained to live a life of food freedom.

You can find Ronni on the Facebook page “Overcoming Food Nonsense,” where she serves as an administrator. She also does public speaking about eating disorders and emotionally abusive relationships.

Ronni has been freelance writing since freshman year in college (a long time ago) and has appeared in aSweatLife, Ravishly, The Temper, 50 Shades of Aging, Healthy Women, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Courier-Post, The New Brunswick Home News, and Parents Express magazine. Ronni’s first book, Out of the Pantry: A Disordered Eating Journey, can be found on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.


CONNECT WITH RONNI ROBINSON:

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 @karinlewisedc on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Happiness is an Inside Job with Hope Hayes, MEd, RDN, LD

 
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Episode 34 - Happiness is an Inside Job with Hope Hayes, MED, RDN, LD

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Hope Hayes, MEd, RDN, LD, a proud non-diet dietitian and believer in the Health at Every Size philosophy and founder of Nourishing NH, LLC. Hope believes that lived experience is incredibly valuable in this process and that each of us are our own experts about our bodies. As a nutrition therapist, Hope helps clients fight against diet culture and heal from dieting, disordered eating, and finding peace within their bodies. Hope maintains the idea that health is defined differently to each person and the work that she does with her clients respects that diversity.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • The body/brain disconnect that happens when someone is struggling with an eating disorder.

  • The humanness of the recovery journey.

  • Ways in which hunger shows up in the body.

  • Finding flexibility and compassion for self throughout the recovery process.

  • The use of eating disorder behaviors as a means of communication.

  • How one’s inner critic uses comparison negatively.

  • How social media can make someone “feel” a range of emotions.

  • The idea that intuitive eating is innate and exists within all of us.

ABOUT HOPE HAYES:

Hope Hayes, MEd, RDN, LD, is a proud non-diet dietitian and believer in the Health at Every Size philosophy and founder of Nourishing NH, LLC. She is dedicated to guiding her clients to understanding the truths of diet culture and helping them reconnect their body and mind.

While using a non-diet and Health at Every Size approach, Hope battles to end weight stigma, educate about disordered eating, and help people end their weight obsession. She is currently training in trauma-informed care to continue supporting clients who struggle with trauma and eating disorders.

Hope completed her Master’s degree in Health Education and Promotion at Plymouth State University, where she focused her studies in the field of eating disorders by attending the Eating Disorder Institute. Her dietetic coursework and dietetic internship were completed at Simmons College, in Boston, MA.

Nourishing NH is a private practice located in New Hampshire run by two nutrition therapists fighting against diet culture and helping people to heal from dieting, disordered eating, and finding peace within their bodies in a weight inclusive, gender-affirming space. The team at Nourishing NH believes that Health at Every Size and Intuitive Eating are fundamental to healing and creating an authentic relationship with the body. “We hold space for clients as they explore their relationship with food and body image. We believe our work with our clients is therapeutic, supportive, and full of compassion.”

CONNECT WITH HOPE HAYES:

  • Visit Nourishing NH online to learn more about their services offered

  • Information about the lens of “Health At Every Size” can be found here

  • Information regarding how Intuitive Eating is used in therapy sessions and more about IE can be found here

  • Contact Hope regarding eating disorder and nutrition services

  • Book Hope for your next speaking engagement

  • Follow Hope on Facebook and Instagram

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 @karinlewisedc on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Dismantling Fatphobia with Ragen Chastain

 
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Episode 33 - DISMANTLING FATPHOBIA WITH Ragen Chastain

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Ragen Chastain. Ragen is a speaker, writer, and thought leader in the fields of Body Image, Health at Every Size, Weight Stigma, and Corporate Wellness. Ragen's depth and breadth of knowledge come from a combination of her personal story of overcoming an eating disorder, her experience as a national dance champion and marathoner, and her training as an ACE Certified Health Coach, Functional Training Specialist, and researcher. Author of the blog danceswithfat.org, the book Fat: The Owner's Manual, and editor of the anthology The Politics of Size, Ragen is frequently featured as an expert in print, radio, television, and documentary film. Her ability to combine humor with hard facts in ways that educate, motivate, and entertain have makes her a sought-after speaker on the collegiate, conference, and corporate circuits.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • Ragen’s background including some of the weight stigma she has experienced in her life.

  • Navigating in a society designed to exclude, shame, and oppress people on the basis of shared characteristics or identities.

  • Medical weight stigma in regards to diagnosis, care, and treatment options.

  • Nurturing the parts of self that question authority and challenge the narrative.

  • The ways in which diet culture, dieting, and fatphobia perpetuate eating disorders and can make full recovery feel impossible.

  • The value and need for trust between client and provider.

  • How Ragen’s activism aims to dismantle diet culture and fatphobia in the community so that people of every size have equal opportunity to fully recover.

  • Strategies one can use to stand up for themself and advocate for equal healthcare and how Ragen has educated health practitioners.

  • The dangers of weight-loss interventions and weight loss surgery.

  • Challenging the beliefs that add to the oppression of fat people and moving into thoughts and actions that support body liberation for those of all sizes.

ABOUT RAGEN CHASTAIN:

Ragen Chastain is a Certified Health Coach, trained researcher, three-time National Champion dancer, and two-time marathoner who holds the Guinness World Record for Heaviest Woman to Complete a Marathon. She writes and speaks full-time about Body Image, Health at Every Size, Fitness, Corporate Wellness, and Weight Stigma - including with healthcare and eating disorders community. Ragen is the author of the blogs danceswithfat.org and IronFat, and the book Fat: The Owner's Manual. She has been featured as an expert in media including the Associated Press, the New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, FITNESS, Women's Running, and the Chicago Tribune. She is the editor of the two-volume anthology The Politics of Size - Perspectives from the Fat Acceptance Movement, and a former Editorial Board Member of the Fat Studies Journal.

A leading activist and thought leader in the Health at Every Size and Size Acceptance movements, Ragen is an internationally sought after speaker, having brought her captivating combination of humor and hard facts to stages including CalTech, Dartmouth, Amherst, Google Headquarters, the Multi-Service Eating Disorders (MEDA) National Conference, and a European Speaking Tour. She co-founded (with fellow activist Jeanette DePatie) the Fat Activism Conference, and the Fit Fatties Forum - an online community for people of all sizes who want to discuss fitness from a weight-neutral perspective, that currently has over 4,500 members. She led the campaign that raised over $20,000 in 8 days and put up 6 billboards and 10 bus shelter ads in Atlanta to counter a billboard campaign that fat-shamed children, and the Skinny Minnie petition which garnered over 140,000 signatures and resulted in substantial changes to a promotion by Barney's and Disney.

Ragen currently lives in Los Angeles with her partner and their two adorable dogs and is training for her first (and only!) Iron-distance triathlon.


CONNECT WITH RAGEN CHASTAIN:

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 @karinlewisedc on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Courage Over Comfort with Jacque Mular, MS, RDN, LMFT

 
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Episode 32 - Courage Over Comfort with Jacque Mular, MS, RDN, LMFT

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Jacque Mular, MS, RDN, LMFT. Jacque has devoted her life’s work to helping others heal their relationships with food, exercise, and body image. Prior to moving into her role as Clinical Director of the Eating Disorder Center of Portland, Jacque’s own experience with disordered eating, exercise, and recovery were what drove her into the eating disorder field, but her passion and desire for growth are what sustains her.

“My body has gotten me through a lot and just like Yoda, it has aged a bit. I am so grateful for my years on this planet, and I certainly don’t expect my body to look the same ⎼ my soul certainly doesn’t.”
— Jacque Mular, MS, RDN, LMFT

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • The soul-to-soul connection that happens in recovery.

  • Undoing the harm and unwinding scare tactics as a result of prescribed healthcare.

  • Embracing the Intuitive Eating model when treating eating disorders.

  • The importance of celebrating all (even small) steps in recovery.

  • Finding wellness without obsession.

  • Learning how to embrace change in all its forms.

  • Moving through and growing from uncomfortable, necessary feelings.

  • Shifting from external to internal healing includes moving away from rigidity and towards flexibility.

  • Finding self-confidence in living up to ideals, values, and potential.

  • Discovering your voice through grief and loss.

  • The beauty of the aging process.

  • Learning to see people soul-to-soul, human-to-human.

  • Balancing social justice reform beliefs.

  • Reconnecting, accepting, and respecting your body — flaws and all.

ABOUT JACQUE MULAR:

Jacque Mular, MS, RDN, LMFT has devoted her life’s work to helping others heal their relationships with food, exercise, and body image. Additionally, Jacque is Level One trained in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. Prior to moving into her role as Clinical Director of the Eating Disorder Center of Portland (EDCP), Jacque served as a Registered Dietitian at the Eating Disorder Center of California and Primary Therapist at Monte Nido Vista. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Idaho and went on to earn two graduate degrees— her Masters in nutrition from California State University at Northridge and her Masters in psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles.

Jacque co-authored Real World Recovery and is a contributing author to Monte Nido Founder Carolyn Costin’s new book on multi-disciplinary treatment of eating disorders in special populations.

CONNECT WITH JACQUE MULAR:

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 @karinlewisedc on Facebook and Instagram.

 

A Spoonful of Sugar Makes the Oppression Go Down with Lindo Bacon, PhD

 
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Episode 31 - A Spoonful of Sugar Makes the Oppression Go Down with Lindo Bacon, PhD

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Lindo Bacon, a researcher and former professor, having taught courses in social justice, health, weight and nutrition for nearly two decades. Bacon holds a PhD in physiology with a specialty in nutrition, and Masters degrees in psychology and exercise metabolism. Bacon has mined their deep academic proficiency, their clinical expertise, and their personal experience to write two bestselling books, Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight, and the co-authored Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, or Just Plain Fail to Understand about Weight both of which are credited with transforming the weight discourse and inspiring a hopeful new course for the global body positivity movement. In their forthcoming book, Radical Belonging: How to Survive and Thrive in an Unjust World (While Transforming it for the Better), Bacon takes their inspiring message beyond size, to shaping a culture of empathy, equity and true belonging. A compelling speaker and storyteller, Bacon delivers a unique blend of academic expertise, clinical experience, and social justice advocacy, all couched in a raw honesty and compassion that touch and inspire.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • The dangers of government and healthcare professionals using weight stigma for health promotion.

  • Weight stigma is one of many body-based oppressions.

  • The problem is in injustice, not individuals.

  • Alienation from one’s body isn’t a result of personal failing; it’s a result of culture failing people.

  • For marginalized people, a focus on self-love can be a spoonful of sugar that makes the oppression go down.

  • The “school to prison pipeline” theory.

  • Being “othered” and the body shame it spurs is not “just” a feeling.

  • What happens when we try to fit into the expectations that society thrusts on us.

  • The challenges stemming from oppression, moving beyond self-love, and into belonging.

  • The beauty of connection, community, belonging, and truly “seeing” on another allows self-love to carry us to healing.

  • The belief that recovery means accepting humanity and taking care of yourself in it.

  • Lindo’s experience writing Radical Belonging: How to Survive and Thrive in an Unjust World (While Transforming it for the Better).

ABOUT LINDO BACON:

Dr. Lindo Bacon is fostering a global transformation – away from our obsession with body weight and to body respect. Their mission is to provide the critical thought, inspiring vision, and practical strategies needed to empower individuals, organizations, and institutions to respect all bodies and support compassionate self-care.

Bacon holds graduate degrees in physiology, psychology, and exercise metabolism with a specialty in nutrition. A professor and researcher, for almost two decades Bacon has taught courses in social justice, health, weight and nutrition; they have also conducted federally funded studies on health and weight and published in top scientific journals.

Bacon is co-author of the paradigm-shifting Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, or Just Fail to Understand about Weight. They also wrote the iconic and bestselling Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth about Your Weight. In their forthcoming book, Radical Belonging: How to Survive and Thrive in an Unjust World (While Transforming it for the Better), Bacon takes their inspiring message beyond size, to shaping a culture of empathy, equity and true belonging.

Bacon’s advocacy for body respect has generated a large following on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, health and nutrition listservs and specialty blogs, and the international lecture circuit. Bacon is committed to centralizing the ways in which power, privilege and disadvantage complicate our experience of our bodies. Health professionals – as well as people on their own personal journeys to body appreciation – call Lindo’s work “life-changing” and “transformative,” providing the tools and confidence for personal change and inspiring others. A compelling speaker, writer and storyteller, Bacon delivers a unique blend of academic expertise, clinical experience, and social justice advocacy, all couched in a raw honesty and compassion that touch and inspire.

CONNECT WITH LINDO BACON:

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 @karinlewisedc on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Intuitive Healing with Anna Sweeney, MS, RD, LDN, CEDRD-S

 
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Episode 30 - Intuitive Healing with Anna Sweeney, MS, RD, LDN, CEDRD-S

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Anna Sweeney, MS, RD, LDN, CEDRD-S, a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian and Supervisor, Certified Intuitive Eating Specialist and owner of Whole Life Nutrition Counseling, a weight inclusive nutrition therapy practice dedicated to the thoughtful treatment of eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image concerns. A nationally respected eating disorder dietitian and serving as an expert in a variety of media forums, Anna is dedicated to empowering her clients to notice and refute the influence of diet culture in their lives. She provides compassionate, no-nonsense support to her clients and followers, and challenges oppressive forces that make being in a body challenging, helping them to understand that interaction with food, body and movement are both unique and personal. Anna is also a full-time disabled person and uses her lived experience to enhance the work she does. You can find Anna at @dietitiananna on Instagram.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • The barriers to treatment for humans in marginalized bodies.

  • Racial disparity as a deciding factor when to who gets care.

  • The harm of weight stigma existing within a diagnosis.

  • Challenging the norms of healthcare standards.

  • Relating through and with her clients.

  • Intuitive eating and its role in wellness culture and eating disorder recovery.

  • The pervasive ways in which diet culture infiltrates the media and our lives.

  • Anna’s insight from having a sibling with an eating disorder and how that experience has shifted over time.

  • Anna’s motivation to get into the field of dietetics, specifically eating disorders.

  • The wisdom gained from Anna’s personal experiences as well as her professional work as a dietitian supporting those in recovery from an eating disorder.

  • Using her anti-diet voice as a means to combat and challenge the narrative how we talk about food, our body, and ourselves.

ABOUT ANNA SWEENEY:

Anna Sweeney is a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian, Certified Intuitive Eating Specialist and owner of Whole Life Nutrition Counseling. She is an expert in the treatment of individuals struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating, and emotional eating. Anna combines her knowledge of the science of nutrition and experience in the treatment of eating disorders with direct, compassionate, and heartfelt care to help her clients realize the pleasures of living a whole life.

Anna received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Food Science and Nutrition and her Masters Degree of Nutrition and Health Promotion from Simmons College, Boston. While earning her Masters' Degree, Anna served as Lead Dietitian of the Partial Hospitalization Program at Walden Behavioral Care, LLC, an eating disorder and psychiatric facility outside of Boston.

After working at all levels of eating disorder care - partial hospitalization, residential, and inpatient - she was promoted to the position of Coordinator of Nutrition Services where she managed the nutrition department, supported nutrition staff, and developed nutrition protocols for the treatment of inpatient adolescent patients.

Anna served as the first dietitian for Monte Nido at Laurel Hill, a residential eating disorder treatment facility in Boston, Massachusetts, and held the title of National Director of Nutrition Services for the organization until 2018.

Anna is member of the Massachusetts Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (MAND), the Massachusetts Dietetic Association (MDA), and is an active member of the Multiservice Eating Disorder Association (MEDA), the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED), the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals Foundation (IAEDP), and the International Federation for Eating Disorder Dietitians (IFEDD).

Anna is certified by the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals as a dietitian with eating disorder expertise and is also an IAEDP approved supervisor. CEDRD status is earned by dietitians who have met rigorous educational and skill requirements, have accumulated a minimum number of hours of qualifying work experience, and have made a commitment to stay abreast of current developments in the field through Continuing Education.

Whole Life Nutrition Counseling in Concord, MA, works exclusively with clients with eating disorders, disordered eating, or an interest in intuitive eating. At Whole Life Nutrition, Anna’s goal is to help her clients to heal their relationships with food and body, trust their own wisdom, appreciate self-care, and to enjoy every bite along the way. Anna’s extensive history working with eating disorder clients on an outpatient basis allows her bring her expertise, experience, and enthusiasm to Whole Life Nutrition Counseling and the MetroWest Community. 

Anna is a recognized public figure on social media, where she does not shy away from talking about chronic illness, wellness culture, and how to navigate these tenuous spaces. Foreseeing that many would not be able to access the support they may need due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Anna created Virtual Connection, a weekly free hour of support for those struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image concerns.

Anna also proudly identifies herself as a disabled woman. In the context of Anna’s disability and inability to access nature in ways that she once could, Anna created the #inaccessibleviews hashtag where she asks for photos and videos of places, around the world, that a disabled body cannot experience. With over 10K views, #inaccessibleviews powerfully bridges the gap between the able-bodied and disabled worlds.

CONNECT WITH ANNA SWEENEY:

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 @karinlewisedc on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Mountain Top Moments with Nicole Siegfried, PhD, CEDS

 
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Episode 29 - Mountain Top Moments with Nicole Siegfried, PhD, CEDS

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Nicole Siegfried, a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) and licensed clinical psychologist, treating eating disorders for over 20 years. As a recovered clinician, Nicole is a recognized leader in the field of eating disorders and serves as the Chief Clinical Officer for Alsana Eating Recovery Communities. Nicole is an international speaker and has published research, magazine articles, and book chapters in the field of eating disorders and suicide. She is the founder and past president of the Alabama Regional Chapter of iaedp and currently a board member of the International iaedp Board. She is also a member of the Academy of Eating Disorders (AED) and former Co-Chair of the Eating Disorders and Suicide Prevention AED Special Interest Group.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • Deciding if the person you are in your eating disorder is the person you want to be.

  • The clinician and client healing journey.

  • The need for a “safe space” for clients to talk about suicidal thoughts.

  • Moving away from your eating disorder and into your values.

  • The importance of having self-compassion when dealing with critical thoughts.

  • Meeting clients at their "psych-ache.”

  • Growing through what you are going through.

  • The most difficult moments often result in the most beautiful moments.

  • Holding hope and trust in the recovery process.

  • The value of “Mountain Top Moments” on the path to recovery.

ABOUT NICOLE SIEGFRIED:

Dr. Nicole Siegfried, is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) and a licensed clinical psychologist, treating eating disorders for over 20 years. She is a recognized leader in the field of eating disorders and serves as the Chief Clinical Officer for Alsana Eating Recovery Communities. In addition, Nicole is an Adjunct Associate Professor at University of Alabama at Birmingham and has also served as Associate Professor of Psychology at Samford University.

Nicole is an international speaker and has published research, magazine articles, and book chapters in the field of eating disorders and suicide. Nicole is the founder and past president of the Alabama Regional Chapter of IAEDP and a current member of the International Association for Eating Disorder (iaedp) Board of Directors. She is a member of the Academy of Eating Disorders (AED) and former Co-Chair of the Eating Disorders and Suicide Prevention AED Special Interest Group.

CONNECT WITH NICOLE SIEGFRIED:

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 @karinlewisedc on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Smashing the Stigma with Aaron Flores, RDN

 
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Episode 26 - Smashing the Stigma with Aaron Flores, RDN

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Aaron Flores, a registered dietitian nutritionist based out of Los Angeles, California. Aaron came to this work after seeing the damage done by a focus on weight loss and diet culture. With over 10 years of experience, he has worked with eating disorders in a multitude of settings. Aaron currently works part-time at Center for Discovery and part-time in his private practice in Calabasas, CA. Aaron specializes in Intuitive Eating, Health at Every Size®, and helping clients reclaim Body Trust®. His goal is to help individuals leave behind the world of diets and body shame and instead embrace their relationship with food and their body with curiosity, self-compassion, and empathy. Along with his work with eating disorders, Aaron co-hosts the podcast, Dietitians Unplugged.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • How the silence of individuals of all bodies speaks volumes.

  • The harm of not being recognized, due to weight stigma.

  • The debilitating, cyclical effects of dieting.

  • The importance of accessible, weight inclusive care for all bodies, especially in treatment center settings.

  • How a lack of diagnosis and substandard medical care is harming individuals in larger bodies.

  • How transparency and open dialogue is imperative within the eating disorder community and supporting organizations.

  • The reality that individuals in larger bodies are being prescribed that which we are diagnosing in smaller bodies.


ABOUT AARON FLORES:

Aaron Flores is a registered dietitian nutritionist based out of Los Angeles, California. With over 10 years of experience, Aaron has worked with eating disorders in a variety of settings. A large part of his career was spent working at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System where he helped develop and launch one of the first Binge Eating Disorder programs to help Veterans struggling with this disorder. Since leaving the VA, Aaron has continued to work in the eating disorder community helping run groups and providing individual counseling to adolescents and adults. He currently works part-time at Center for Discovery as Senior Coordinator for Weight-Inclusive Care and part-time in his private practice in Calabasas, CA. Aaron is a Certified Body Trust® provider, and his main areas of focus are Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size®.

In his work, Aaron helps individuals learn how to make peace with food and develop body-positive behaviors. His work has been featured during Weight Stigma Awareness Week, in blogs for the National Eating Disorder Information Centre and National Eating Disorder Association. Aaron is a frequent speaker and has presented at the 2016 and 2017 Binge Eating Disorder Awareness Annual Conference, the 2018 and 2019 International Conference on Eating Disorders, and the 2018 Association for Size Diversity and Health Conference. Along with his work with eating disorders, he also is a co-host of the podcast, Dietitians Unplugged.

CONNECT WITH AARON FLORES:

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 @karinlewisedc on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Tutu Thin and Dancing Around the Issues with Dawn Smith-Theodore, LMFT

 
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Episode 24 - Tutu Thin AND Dancing Around the Issues with Dawn Smith-Theodore, LMFT

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Dawn Smith-Theodore, LMFT a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders and addictions. Dawn has a private practice in Agoura Hills and Westwood, CA, and she was the Director of Day Treatment Services for Monte Nido and Affiliates. She was the owner of “Carousel” a transitional living home for women with eating disorders and chemical dependency, with her colleague, Terry Eagan, MD. Dawn is also a former professional dancer and owned her own dance studio for 25 years. She is the author of the book, Tutu Thin: A Guide to Dancing Without an Eating Disorder. 

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • The need for perfection, especially with dancers.

  • Choosing life or choosing an eating disorder.

  • Finding a balanced life as a dancer.

  • The importance of education around harmful language that can perpetuate an eating disorder.

  • How the theme of being “enough” is commonplace in the minds of those with an eating disorder and dancers alike.

  • The competitive nature of dancers and those with an eating disorder.

  • How nourishment allows dancers to feel the music and feel their bodies.


ABOUT DAWN SMITH-THEODORE:

Dawn Smith-Theodore, LMFT is a specialist in the treatment of eating disorders. Dawn has a private practice in Agoura Hills and Westwood, CA, and she was the Director of Day Treatment Services for Monte Nido and Affiliates. She was the owner of “Carousel” a transitional living home for women with eating disorders and chemical dependency, with her colleague, Terry Eagan, MD.

Dawn worked for seven years at Monte Nido Residential Treatment Center in Malibu, CA with women suffering from anorexia, bulimia, and exercise addiction. She has worked as a primary therapist as well as a facilitator of the weekly multi-family group, cognitive-behavioral, dance therapy, and creativity groups. She worked for 6 years as an Eating Disorder Consultant for Visions Adolescent Treatment Center in Malibu, where she worked with adolescents who suffer from drug addiction, alcoholism in addition to having an eating disorder. Dawn was the Clinical Director of the Eating Disorder Center of California in Brentwood (Los Angeles) for 5 years.

Dawn appeared on Health Zone with Amy Hendel and Recovery Talk Network as a therapist with a specialty in the eating disorder field. She has also been a guest teacher at Pepperdine University and California State Dominguez Hills. She spoke on a panel about Women’s Issues in Recovery at the Southern California Recovery Summit. Dawn appeared with Tracey Gold in the Lifetime Television show about the treatment of eating disorders entitled Starving Secrets. Dawn is an international speaker having recently spoken to the dance department at Boston Conservatory, The Joffrey Ballet School, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Steps on Broadway, The Washington Ballet, Kirov Ballet Academy, IADMS in Helsinki and Montreal, and the Frank Sinatra School of Performing Arts in New York City. Dawn is recovered from Anorexia Nervosa herself.

In addition to her work as a therapist, Dawn owned and operated her dance studio, A Step in Time School of Dance in Calabasas, CA for 25 years. During her ownership, Dawn has traveled the globe with her students giving them opportunities to perform at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Cruise Ships, the Sydney 2000 Olympics, and The Radio City Christmas Show at the Nokia Theatre as well as building self-esteem through performance. Dawn continues to teach dance and is currently working with dance conventions and Ballet companies to educate them about eating disorders and positive body images in the dance world. Dawn believes that education and early intervention with dance educators, young dancers, and parents can help decrease the number of dancers who develop an eating disorder. She is the co-owner of Cross Pointe Dance with her long-time friend, Dana Stackpole former American Ballet Theatre and Broadway Star. Cross Pointe Dance is a Master Class Series and Performance opportunity for young dancers, where Dawn has the ability to promote positive body image to young dancers. Dawn is also the author of the book about dancers and eating disorders, Tutu Thin: a Guide to Dancing Without an Eating Disorder.

CONNECT WITH DAWN SMITH-THEODORE:

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 @karinlewisedc on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Eating Disorders, Embodiment, and Social Justice with Andrea LaMarre, PhD

 
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Episode 22 - Eating Disorders, Embodiment, and Social Justice with Andrea LaMarre, PhD

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by academic and activist Andrea LaMarre, PhD. Recovered from her own eating disorder, Andrea is a researcher, writer, speaker, and aspiring filmmaker from Canada living in Auckland, New Zealand. She currently works at Massey University as a lecturer in critical health psychology. With a passion for improving access to quality, accessible, and appropriate care for people with eating disorders, Andrea’s focus is on working systemically and structurally to change healthcare policy to be more supportive of diverse experiences.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • The definition of recovery is not singular.

  • Being vulnerable is the antithesis of being in an eating disorder.

  • How black and white thinking can keep us from reaching recovery.

  • Social Justice and diversity in the eating disorders community.

  • Eating disorders don't have a "look".

  • Finding your passion post-recovery.

  • Going through treatment does not necessarily make you recovered.

ABOUT ANDREA LAMARRE:

Andrea LaMarre has always been social-justice-minded: one of her earliest forays into eating disorder research was an exploration of how one might understand eating disorders as a social justice issue, due to the many barriers to care that exist for those who do not fit the expected presentation of eating disorders (i.e., those who are marginalized along the lines of their ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, body size, etc.). As Andrea has become increasingly engaged with the eating disorder advocacy and activism community, however, she has been galvanized by the real stories of those who are let down by our current continuum of care for eating disorders.

Andrea’s research centers around recovery, which may seem a lesser concern in the face of these serious issues with access to care for eating disorders. However, Andrea has seen how hope for the future can be a powerful thing through engagement with various advocacy efforts over the years. She strongly believes that understanding recovery in a more complex, situated, systemic, and relational way can help to build supportive systems of care that are accessible, timely, and appropriate for the complexities of the people who seek them. In Andrea’s research, she aims to better understand what recovery means to diversely embodied (i.e., people from different ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, genders, body sizes, etc.) sufferers and their families. Andrea contends that by sharing lived experiences of recovery in the form of digital stories (short films about lived experience created in a facilitated workshop) one can create spaces for engaging in productive dialogue between healthcare providers, policy makers, and those with lived experience. This dialogue can help to understand what people and their families need in order to reach recovery.

Andrea’s overall goal in all of her work is to increase access to health and wellness for diversely embodied people who have experienced eating distress. Approaching eating disorders with a systemic, social justice lens allows people to look beyond a perspective that positions them as issues of individual responsibility and vanity; it allows people to begin to understand how individuals interact with social and political systems and how this impacts their health. Research, to Andrea, is about more than simply producing scholarly knowledge. It is about deeply engaging with communities to work toward a world that honors diversity and breaks down barriers to access. It is about hearing the stories of those who are being let down, and, rather than being immobilized, working to create alternative possibilities.

Andrea obtained her PhD in 2018 at the University of Guelph, where she used qualitative and arts-based approaches to explore eating disorders recoveries from the perspectives of people in recovery and their chosen supporters. Andrea is a member of a number of organizations for eating disorder professionals, including the Academy for Eating Disorders and the Eating Disorders Association of Canada, and volunteers for the National Initiative for Eating Disorders in Canada.

In her spare time, Andrea watches really bad TV, reads young adult fiction, and spends entirely too much time on Twitter. She can also be found hiking with her husband or attending too many conferences.

CONNECT WITH ANDREA LAMARRE:

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.

 

Bringing the Eating Disorder Into the Room with Joe Sciarretta, LCSW

 
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Episode 21 - Bringing the Eating Disorder Into the Room with Joe Sciarretta, LCSW

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Joe Sciarretta, licensed clinical social worker and owner of Earnest Therapy, LLC, a private practice specializing in helping people find hope during the chaos of eating disorders, anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma, and PTSD. Since 2010 Joe has worked within intensive eating disorder treatment and has served individuals suffering from a wide variety of symptoms. Joe is passionate about helping those suffering from mental health problems and sees recovery is attainable for anyone. When asked how he got into this particular line of work, Joe’s response is that he “found my passion for helping people with eating disorders by accident, but stayed with them on purpose”.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • Understanding (and honoring) ambivalence.

  • The difference between “fixing” and “healing.”

  • Looking through the lens of someone who hasn't experienced an eating disorder.

  • Why does getting better feel so bad?

  • Bringing the eating disorder into the room...even if you don’t want to.

  • The importance of education and insight when doing family work. "There's a lot of heat; but until there is education, there is not a lot of insight".

  • Eating disorders and suicide.

ABOUT JOE SCIARRETTA:

Joseph (Joe) Sciarretta, LCSW is a licensed therapist who focuses his career on the treatment of people with eating disorders, anxiety, depression, OCD, and trauma.

Joe received his BA in Psychology from The College of New Jersey in 2011 and his MSW from Rutgers University in 2014. Since completing his graduate education, Joe has held a variety of positions in the world of eating disorder treatment including Admissions Coordinator, Recovery Coach, Primary Therapist, and finally Lead Therapist. Joe is a fully credentialed Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of New Jersey. Joe is also a member of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Joe also offers training workshops on eating disorders to other healthcare professionals.

Joe got his start working in the eating disorder field sort of "by accident". After looking through a binder of internships held by previous students in his undergraduate psychology department, he had his interest piqued by the idea of learning in the most professional setting he could find, and so applied to intern at a hospital-based eating disorder program. Although he knew very little about eating disorders then, he was given a chance to learn and became the first male intern the program took on. During this experience, Joe had the privilege to help people as they started their journey in a state of illness and then gradually moved through their healing process. After witnessing many people go through meaningful transformations, Joe was so inspired that he decided to dedicate his professional career to the care of people with eating disorders.

Since that internship in 2010, Joe has been working with people who have eating disorders at a number of reputable treatment centers in the New Jersey-New York area. He has made it a point to serve people with eating disorders at all levels of care: from outpatient office visits, day treatment programs, residential centers, and inpatient hospitals. Having been a long-time staff member of Monte Nido's residential treatment center in Irvington, NY, Joe emphasizes the Monte Nido therapeutic approach outlined in the "8 Keys To Recovery From An Eating Disorder" book. He also heavily incorporates effective evidence-based principles from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and Family Therapy.

At present, Joe owns and operates Earnest Therapy, LLC - a private practice dubbed for his tendency to eagerly support and encourage his client's true selves. At Earnest Therapy, he continues his tradition of directly serving people suffering from eating disorders, anxiety, depression, OCD, and trauma.

CONNECT WITH JOE SCIARRETTA:

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.

 

Feeling and Feeding with Emily Estes, MS, RD, LMNT

 
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Episode 20 - Feeling and Feeding with Emily Estes, MS, RD, LMNT

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Emily Estes, MS, RD, LMNT. Emily’s recovery from her own struggle with an eating disorder, anxiety, and depression led her to create community and resources to empower others on the journey. Emily owns Sage Nutrition, LLC where she serves as a Registered Dietitian. Her work revolves around her motto that "food is meant to nourish our bodies, not nurture us." Emily is also the author of Affirming ME, diminishing ed and CRAVE: Discovering God’s Goodness in Food and Body.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • Finding the emotional strength to be an advocate in your recovery. 

  • Turning the media's negative messages into positive, creative affirmations.

  • You don't have to fit into a box or a stereotype.

  • You are not one dimensional except for when you're in an eating disorders.

  • Recovery becomes non-negotiable when others become more important than the eating disorder.

  • The role that faith and spirituality can have on recovery.

  • When you invest the amount of energy you put into your eating disorder, into recovery, you can change your world.


ABOUT EMILY ESTES:

Emily Estes earned her Masters of Science in Nutrition and Health Science at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL). Through the completion of her dietetic internship at UNL, Emily held a special interest for developing skills to engage in eating disorder treatment. Her passion for education, treatment, and prevention of eating disorders led Emily to enter private practice following her dietetic internship. She is the Founder of Sage Nutrition, LLC where services are specifically geared toward food, exercise, and body image struggles. Her treatment philosophy encompasses a Health At Every Size approach with a goal to see individuals move toward self-acceptance while finding joy and pleasure in their relationship to food and body. 

Emily has long been an advocate for bringing eating disorder treatment opportunities to the Lincoln community. Emily is passionate about bringing community providers together to provide networking and continuing education opportunities. She is the Co-Founder of the Nebraska Eating Disorder Network (NEDN). In an effort to provide on-going support and resources to the eating disorder community (survivors, encouragers, and professionals), Emily developed the Recovery Box – a combination of tangible recovery tools as well as free web-based resources available to each area of the eating disorder community. Emily is the author of Affirming ME, diminishing ed and CRAVE: Discovering God’s Goodness in Food and Body.

In her time away from work, Emily enjoys the outdoors, spending time with her golden doodle pup, traveling, and exploring her creative outlets.

CONNECT WITH EMILY ESTES:

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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