The Language of Recovery with Carmen Cool, MA, LPC

Episode 46 -
The Language of Recovery with Carmen Cool, MA, LPC

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

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IN THIS EPISODE:

This week, I am joined by Carmen Cool, MA, LPC, a politicized therapist, educator, speaker, and activist helping people heal their relationships with food and their bodies. For the past 20 years, Carmen has been working to dismantle diet culture, support the next generation of body liberation leaders, and shift the psychotherapy profession toward justice. She has also started and run a nonprofit, created youth programs, and speaks internationally on Health At Every Size ®, feminism and eating disorders, and weight stigma.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• Owning and respecting oneself despite what other people think.

• Recovering from an eating disorder vs recovering from weight stigma.

• How personal views can change over time.

• Doing “whatever it takes” to heal from an eating disorder.

• Who decides what “recovered” looks like?

• There is no “one-size-fits-all” eating disorder or recovery and the paths are unique to the individual.

• Challenging and embracing anger

• How meeting societal expectations/misconceptions can be an achievement when one is in their eating disorder.

• The diagnostic criteria used by insurance companies as a contributing factor to weight stigma.

• Believing in the healing and preventative strength of activism.

• Looking at how outside influences affect one’s relationship to their body.

ABOUT CARMEN COOL:

Carmen Cool, MA, LPC is a politicized therapist, educator, speaker, & activist helping people heal their relationships with food and their bodies. For the past 20 years, Carmen has been working to dismantle diet culture, support the next generation of body liberation leaders, and shift the psychotherapy profession toward justice. She has also started and run a nonprofit, created youth programs, and speaks internationally on Health At Every Size ®, feminism and eating disorders, and weight stigma. Carmen served as the Board President of the Association for Size Diversity and Health, was named “Most Inspiring Individual” in Boulder, Colorado, and was the recipient of the Excellence in Eating Disorder Advocacy Award in Washington, DC.

CONNECT WITH CARMEN COOL:

• You can learn more about Carmen at CarmenCool.com.

• Learn more about Carmen’s therapy, supervision, and speaking services

• Follow Carmen on Instagram

• Listen to Carmen on:

  • "Anti-Fat Bias and Weight Stigma in Psychotherapy w/ Hilary Kinavey & Carmen Cool" for Embodied and Awake

  • "Moving Past 'The Rebellious Streak' with Carmen Cool" with Summer Innanen

  • "How Anger Can Help in Diet Recovery and Body Acceptance with Carmen Cool" for Food Psyche

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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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One Size Does Not Fit All with Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D.

Episode 41 - One Size Does Not Fit All with Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D.

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

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IN THIS EPISODE:

Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Associate at McLean Hospital, and Lecturer at Harvard Medical School. His research and clinical focus on eating disorders and body image in males spans over 25 years. He co-authored The Adonis Complex, the first book of its kind detailing various manifestations of body image problems in males. Roberto also specializes in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). He has spoken on numerous podcasts and webinars and presents at many talks and conferences around the country.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• What behaviors and high-risk medical complications look like in males with eating disorders.

• How the shame attached to the stigma of males with eating disorders often acts as a barrier to receiving support.

• The difference in timeline and prognosis for males with eating disorders compared to those of females.

• The drastic, different, and mixed messages males receive from society and the media.

• How advertising has shifted to extend its reach and messages to the male population.

• The complexity of ADHD and eating disorders.

• The lack of (and need for) research dedicated to males with eating disorders.

ABOUT ROBERTO OLIVARDIA:

Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Associate at McLean Hospital, and Lecturer at Harvard Medical School. He maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Lexington, Massachusetts, where he specializes in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), executive functioning issues, and issues that face students with learning differences. Roberto also specializes in the treatment of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and in the treatment of eating disorders in boys and men.

Roberto is co-author of The Adonis Complex, a book that details the various manifestations of body image problems in men. He has appeared in publications such as Time, GQ, and Rolling Stone, and he has been featured on Good Morning America, CNN, and VH1. He has spoken on numerous radio shows, podcasts, and webinars and presents at many talks and conferences around the country.

Roberto currently sits on the Scientific Advisory Board for ADDitude and serves on the Professional Advisory Boards for CHADD, Attention Deficit Disorder Association and the National Association for Males with Eating Disorders. He is a featured expert on Understood and an active member of Decoding Dyslexia–Massachusetts. He is a member of the International OCD Foundation, International Dyslexia Association, Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association, and the American Association of Suicidology.

CONNECT WITH ROBERTO OLIVARDIA:

• Learn more about Roberto here and by visiting Roberto’s Harvard Catalyst Profile

• Click here to view more of Roberto’s publications, articles, webinars, and podcasts

• Read some of Roberto’s writing:

  • The Adonis Complex: How to Identify, Treat and Prevent Body Obsession in Men and Boys

  • The Voice of Males with Eating Disorders for Veritas Collaborative

  • Psychology Today’s interview Eating Disorders in Men: An Interview With Dr. Roberto Olivardia

  • Food Is My Heroin written for ADDitude Magazine

• Listen to Roberto on:

  • The Surprising Origins and Prevalence of Bigorexia and Male Body Image Issues for the Art of Manliness Podcast

  • Mindful Eating with ADHD for the ADHD reWired Podcast

  • Adolescents, Adults, and ADHD for McLean’s Mindful Things Podcast

  • The Surprising Origins and Prevalence of Bigorexia and Male Body Image Issues for the Art of Manliness Podcast

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

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

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

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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.

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

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

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

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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:

• Learn more about Hannah by visiting here

• Follow Hannah on Instagram

• Read The Grunion’s article highlighting Hannah’s recovery “Long Beach Halfway Home For Eating Disorders Gets Revamped”

• Watch Hannah in ABC’s news segment raising awareness about addiction and eating disorders here.

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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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Just Tell Her to Stop with Becky Henry, CPCC

Episode 35 - Just Tell Her to Stop with Becky Henry, CPCC

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

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IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Becky Henry, an Eating Disorder Parent Coach, Speaker, National Award-Winning Author and Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC). Becky founded Hope Network, LLC in 2003 to change the way parents are supported when caregiving. As a mom & coach who has walked this journey since 2000, she saw a huge gap in supporting families and decided to be the change. Becky's mission is to change the way caregivers are supported and change the standard of care for eating disorders treatment to include caregiver support. Becky is also the author of Just Tell Her To Stop; Family Stories of Eating Disorders.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• Changing the standard of care for caregivers and supports.

• The disservice that caregivers and supports are the "forgotten ones."

• How supporting someone with an eating disorder can lead to an overwhelming vacuum of emotions.

• The value of holding a safe space for caregivers to express their emotions.

• The coexistence of joy and sorrow.

• The financial impact of eating disorder treatment.

• How maintaining boundaries keep loved ones safe.

• The support options available for caregivers with loved ones in need of higher levels of care including interventions.

ABOUT BECKY HENRY:

Becky Henry is an Eating Disorder Parent Coach, Speaker, National Award-Winning Author and Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC). A National Award-Winning Author, Henry first published, Just Tell Her To Stop; Family Stories of Eating Disorders in 2011 to reduce caregiver isolation, expose the reality of eating disorders, and reduce stigma. The Revised Second Edition will be available in ebook and physical format soon.

Becky uses her lived experiences and skills as a Certified, Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) to coach families to let go of fear and panic, tolerate a loved one’s distress, set effective boundaries, and become effective supporters for their loved one in eating disorder recovery.

Becky founded Hope Network, LLC in 2003 to change the way parents are supported when caregiving. As a mom & coach who has walked this journey since 2000, she saw a huge gap in supporting families and decided to be the change. Becky's mission is to change the way caregivers are supported and change the standard of care for eating disorders treatment to include caregiver support.

CONNECT WITH BECKY HENRY:

• Head to the Hope Network to learn about caregiver services and resources

• Follow Becky on Facebook and Instagram

• Follow Becky’s blog on the Hope Network

• Purchase a copy of Just Tell Her To Stop; Family Stories of Eating Disorders

• Learn more about Hug Toolkits and Recovery Roadmap Series

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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.

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Dismantling Fatphobia with Ragen Chastain

Episode 33 - DISMANTLING FATPHOBIA WITH Ragen Chastain

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

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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:

• Head to SizedforSuccess to learn more about Ragen’s activism

• Subscribe to Ragen’s blog danceswithfat.org

• Follow Ragen on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

• Purchase Fat: The Owner's Manual and The Politics of Size

• Read Ragen’s writing and publications by visiting her featured press

• Listen to more of Ragen:

  • Redefining Health and Wellness radio

  • Redesigning Wellness podcast

  • Do No Harm podcast

  • Listen to all of Ragen’s radio and podcast interviews here

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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.

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

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

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

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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:

• Visit the Eating Disorder Center of Portland to learn about the EDCP and other Monte Nido programs

• Follow Jacque on Facebook

• Connect with Jacque on LinkedIn

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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.

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

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

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

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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:

• Visit LindoBacon.com to learn more, view testimonials, contact Lindo, and more

• Stay informed of Lindo’s workshops, speaking engagements, writings, and more by subscribing here

• Read Lindo’s mission statement and book them for your next speaking engagement

• Follow Lindo on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter

• Watch Lindo in Inspiring Appreciation for All Bodies

• Read Lindo and Sabrina String’s article The Racist Roots of Fighting Obesity written for The Scientific American

• Purchase Lindo’s books below:

  • Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth about Your Weight
    (Bookshop) (Amazon)

  • Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, or Just Fail to Understand about Weight
    (Bookshop) (Amazon)

  • Radical Belonging: How to Survive and Thrive in an Unjust World (While Transforming it for the Better)
    (Bookshop) (Amazon)

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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.

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