Bodies Aren't a Trend with Christina Grasso

Episode 44 - Bodies Aren't a Trend with Christina Grasso

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

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IN THIS EPISODE:

This week we welcome Christina Grasso, also known by the nickname ‘The Pouf,” writer, digital creator, eating disorder advocate, and bad-ass woman. In addition to her professional roles, Christina is also the co-founder of the non-profit peer support network, The Chain. The Chain is aimed at women in the fashion and entertainment industry struggling with eating disorders and was partially inspired by Christina’s own recovery journey from anorexia, which she has dealt with for nearly 20 years.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• The heightened challenges faced for those struggling with an eating disorder in the fashion and entertainment industry.

• The fear that an eating disorder is necessary to succeed and stay relevant within the industry.

• How The Chain is responsibly addressing the heightened triggers that come with being in the fashion industry.

• Answering the question of how to not let an eating disorder strip you of a fulfilling career.

• Body diversity and the importance of young consumers seeing bodies that look like their own.

• How recovery success rates increase when treatment is sought sooner rather than later.

• The ways in which the notion of not being "sick enough" can transform into unhealthy eating disorder “goals.”

• Challenging the barriers to recovery due to loss of structure and connection during the pandemic.
  

ABOUT CHRISTINA GRASSO :

Christina Grasso is a writer, digital creator, and eating disorder advocate. Over the past decade, she has worked with top fashion and beauty brands including Chanel, Cynthia Rowley, Dermstore, Oscar de la Renta, Reebok, Yves Saint Laurent, and more, and is currently represented by Wilhelmina Models’ influencer board.

In addition to her professional work, Christina is the co-founder of The Chain, a 501c3 non-profit peer-support network for women in fashion and entertainment coping with eating disorders. The Chain was partially inspired by her own recovery from anorexia, which she has dealt with for nearly 20 years.

Christina graduated in 2011 from Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN, with concentrations in Communication and Italian. She lives in Manhattan with her cat, Stevie Nicks.

CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA GRASSO:

• Learn more about The Chain peer support-network

• Make a donation to The Chain

• Follow Christina on Facebook and Instagram

• Read Christina’s articles written for StyleCaster including:

  • “These Celebs Are Shattering the Stigma Around Mental Illness"

  • “Can You Ever Fully Recover From an Eating Disorder?”

  • “How Learning to Surf Helped Me in my Eating Disorder Recovery”

• Watch “Getting Frank About Eating Disorders Featuring Christina Grasso”

• Find Christina and The Chain's press mentions below:

  • "How Two Fashion Insiders Are Fighting Eating Disorders In the Industry" by Shape

  • “The Founders Of The Chain Shine A Light On Eating Disorders In Fashion And Media” by Forbes

  • “The Founders Of The Chain Get Real About Eating Disorders And Fashion Week” by Elle

  • “Let’s Make the Fashion Industry a Better Place for Those Struggling With Eating Disorders” by Fashionista

  • Click here for more press mentions

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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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Holding Space for Healing with Jennifer Gaudiani, MD, CEDS-S, FAED

Episode 43 - Holding Space for Healing with Jennifer Gaudiani, MD, CEDS-S, FAED

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

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IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, we are joined by Jennifer Gaudiani, MD, a nationally recognized internist for her work on the medical complications of eating disorders. Known as “Dr. G” to her patients and their families, Dr. Gaudiani is the founder and Medical Director of the Gaudiani Clinic in Denver, a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS), and Fellow in the Academy for Eating Disorders (FAED). Dr Gaudiani is passionate about the medical care of adolescents and adults who have a complicated relationship with food and their body. Dr. Gaudiani is also the author of Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• Caring for the whole person through a collaborative and communicative approach.

• Recognizing the deep harm endured at the hands of medical professionals.

• Removing the medical barriers to recovery makes room for more authentic feelings and may not appear as "bubbly.”

• Speaking in metaphor serves as a “rainbow bridge” of connection.

• Looking at ourselves as a two-sided coin and allowing the feelings that come with each side.

• The importance of treatment professionals approaching care without judgment or impositions so that they can truly see their client’s whole self.

• Honoring the client’s decision-making process while simultaneously holding the dangers of their eating disorder.

• The steps in one’s healing may be outside the box, but it doesn’t mean recovery is not possible.

• Following eating disorder “rules” moves one away from what they value most.

ABOUT DR GAUDIANI:

Jennifer L. Gaudiani, MD, CEDS, FAED, is the Founder and Medical Director of the Gaudiani Clinic. Board Certified in Internal Medicine, she completed her undergraduate degree at Harvard, medical school at Boston University School of Medicine, and her internal medicine residency and chief residency at Yale.

From 2008 to 2016, Dr. Gaudiani was one of the leaders of the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health. She left after serving as its Medical Director and as an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine to found the Gaudiani Clinic, which provides outpatient in-person and telemedicine medical care to patients of all genders with eating disorders and disordered eating and to those in recovery. The Gaudiani Clinic is a HAES®-informed/weight-inclusive provider that cares for people of all shapes and sizes.

Dr. Gaudiani has lectured nationally and internationally, is widely published in the scientific literature as well as on blogs, is a current member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Eating Disorders and the Academy for Eating Disorders Medical Care Standards Committee. Dr. Gaudiani’s book Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders was published in 2018. Sick Enough offers patients, their families, and clinicians a comprehensive, accessible review of the medical issues that arise from eating disorders by bringing relatable case presentations and a scientifically sound, engaging style to the topic.

On a personal note, Dr. Gaudiani is fluent in Spanish and speaks conversational Italian, loves hiking and spending time outdoors, is a voracious reader especially of young adult fantasy fiction, and lives with her wonderful husband and two daughters in Denver.

CONNECT WITH DR GAUDIANI:

• Visit the Gaudiani Clinic online to learn more about their eating disorder services

• Learn about Dr. Gaudiani’s consulting for patients, professionals & organizations

• View a list of Dr. Gaudiani’s trainings for professionals and agencies

• Contact Dr. G. to request consulting services or to invite her to speak

• Learn more about Dr. Gaudiani’s book Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders

• Purchase a copy of Sick Enough on Amazon

• Follow the Gaudiani Clinic on Facebook and Instagram

• View Dr. Gaudiani’s video, blogs, and press

• Listen to more of Dr. Gaudiani:

  • Dietitians Unplugged podcast

  • ED Matters podcast

  • It’s Not About the Food podcast

  • Listen to more podcasts featuring Dr. Gaudiani

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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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Growing Pains with Rachel Gerretsen, LMFT, CEDS

EPISODE 42 - Growing Pains with Rachel Gerretsen, LMFT, CEDS

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

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IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Rachel Gerretsen, LMFT, CEDS. With a passion for helping people, Rachel has worked in the eating disorder field helping individuals, collaborating with families, and supporting providers in the healing process for over a decade in both private practice and treatment settings. Her goal is to help her clients live a more fulfilling, authentic, and meaningful life by reconnecting them to their most desirable self.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• The harm double standards produce in regards to culture’s view of what an “appropriate” appetite looks like across genders.

• Judging someone’s relationship with food based on what is seen and not what is true.

• How age plays a role in children/adolescents’ ability to express internal struggles.

• Working with children/adolescents also means working with their family too.

• The fine line of holding trust and confidentiality with a client while acknowledging that they are a minor.

• What supporting vs punishing looks like for children/adolescents in eating disorder recovery.

• The need for family and caregivers to seek out their own individual therapy and safe space to hold fears and frustrations and to promote healing.

• How the unintentional attempts to protect children/adolescents from the outside world can lead to opposite results.

ABOUT RACHEL GERRETSEN:

Rachel Gerretsen is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, and owner of Rachel Gerretsen Therapy. With a passion for helping people, Rachel works with children/adolescents, couples, individuals, and families of all ages using a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy, family systems, humanistic therapy, positive psychology, and solution-focused therapy.

After obtaining her Bachelors in Psychology from her hometown college, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Rachel Gerretsen began her development as a therapist and completed her Masters in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy, from Pepperdine University in Malibu.

Rachel has worked as a therapist for 12 years in Southern California in private practice and spend a decade in the treatment facility setting at Monte Nido, one of the leading eating disorder treatment centers in the country. As a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, Rachel confidently and competently treats Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, and various forms of disordered eating.

Rachel has worked with adolescents and adults with a variety of difficulties and has collaborated with families and supporting providers to help heal each client. Her goal is to help her clients live a more fulfilling, authentic, and meaningful life by reconnecting them to their most desirable self.

CONNECT WITH RACHEL GERRETSEN:

• Visit Rachel’s website or contact her directly to learn more about her therapy services

• Inquire about Rachel’s therapeutic and program development consulting services

• Learn about Rachel’s clinical supervision for intern therapists

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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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