House on Fire with Caryn Raba

 
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Episode 37 - House on Fire with Caryn Raba

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Caryn Raba, a recovered eating disorder recovery coach, and substance abuse counselor. Working in the eating disorder field independently for over 3 years, Caryn's work as an eating disorder recovery coach has taken her all over the world both physically and through fostering virtual connections.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • Working in the “here and now” by openly addressing eating disorder behaviors and how they affect individuals.

  • The bravery and courage needed to allow a recovery coach into your home.

  • How restriction can often be the driving force and/or precursor for bingeing and purging.

  • Evaluating the intentions behind movement and exercise.

  • How the eating disorder manipulates honest people to dishonest acts, such as stealing food.

  • The importance of reaching out to someone who can hold and validate one’s struggle.

  • Facing challenges and struggles with coping skills.

  • How the eating disorder and recovery process teaches and allows one to be in the world.

ABOUT CARYN RABA:

Caryn Raba has been an athlete since the age of four. She worked as a counselor and mentor in Substance abuse treatment for 10 years before coming into eating disorder recovery Coaching. Caryn is a Certified Eating Disorder Coach with the Carolyn Costin Institute and works independently and with Recovered Living as one of their eating disorder recovery coaches.

Caryn knows the importance of meeting a client where they are at, yet encouraging them to challenge themselves, as that is what was so important in her own recovery. She believes that strong, supportive relationships are key to getting better and the only people who don’t recover, are the ones who stop trying.

Caryn currently lives in Lives in Los Angeles, California USA, and is available for virtual sessions or 24/7 live in's both domestically and internationally.


CONNECT WITH CARYN RABA:

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.

 

Just Tell Her to Stop with Becky Henry, CPCC

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

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

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:

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.

 

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

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

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

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

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • The importance of breathwork to get through difficult times.

  • Finding purpose and meaning in recovery.

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT CRYSTAL BOWLBY:

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

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

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

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

CONNECT WITH CRYSTAL BOWLBY:

ABOUT KARIN LEWIS:

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

 

The Slower You Go, The Faster You Get There with Sarah Chipps, PsyD, CEDS-S

 
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Episode 27 - The Slower You Go, The Faster You Get There with Sarah Chipps, PsyD, CEDS-S

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this week’s episode, I am joined by Dr. Sarah Chipps, PsyD, CEDS-S. Sarah is the Chief Clinical Officer of Sanctuary, the Founder and Clinical Director of Well Williamsburg Psychotherapy, and a noted speaker on Intuitive Eating. Specializing in the treatment of eating disorders, substance abuse, and trauma, Sarah is also a regular presenter at conferences on topics such as diversity issues in the treatment of eating disorders, the client/therapist relationship, and the treatment of co-occurring eating disorder and substance abuse diagnoses. Sarah’s personal recovery from an eating disorder and substance dependence give her an inside perspective that helps both support and challenge clients.


SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • The consequences of early childhood trauma and caregiver inattentiveness/absence.

  • How often trauma and eating disorders coexist, which is why dual diagnosis treatment is necessary.

  • The difference between the big “T" and the little “t" in trauma.

  • The effects of feeling “outside of the connection.”

  • How there is no “perfect” way to recover.

  • The intersection of eating disorders and substance abuse.

  • Rejection and relationship fears.

  • The importance of finding a community for multidimensional support.   

  • Recovery is not linear, you will make mistakes, and that’s ok!   

ABOUT SARAH CHIPPS:

Sarah Chipps, PsyD is the Chief Clinical Officer of Sanctuary, the Founder and Clinical Director of Well Williamsburg Psychotherapy. She is a New York State licensed psychologist (license #020206). Sarah specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, substance abuse, and trauma.

Sarah received her master's and doctorate degrees in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology in San Francisco. Since 2008, she has had the privilege to work with people with diverse identities and histories, in a variety of settings. Prior to opening a full-time group practice, she was clinical director at Monte Nido's residential program for women with eating disorders in Irvington, NY.

Sarah is a regular presenter at conferences on topics such as ethnic diversity, the client/therapist relationship, and the treatment of eating disorders, trauma, and substance abuse. Her own recovery from an eating disorder and substance dependence give her an inside perspective that helps her both support and challenge clients.

CONNECT WITH SARAH CHIPPS:

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 Karin 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.

 

Igniting Something Spectacular with Greta Gleissner, LCSW

 
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Episode 25 - iGniting something spectacular with greta gleisSNer, lcsw

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by Greta Gleissner, LCSW. Greta is a NYC-based psychotherapist specializing in eating disorders. In recovery since 2001, Greta has firsthand knowledge of the challenges individuals face in the eating disorder recovery process, particularly during transitions. Her personal recovery and expertise in the field was the primary impetus for the co-creation of Eating Disorder Recovery Specialists and the Sanctuary Healing trauma intensive outpatient program. Greta is also the author of Something Spectacular: The True Story of a Rockette’s Battle with Bulimia, a raw, personal chronicle of the devastating effects bulimia had on her personal and professional life during her time as a Radio City Rockette.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • Fighting against the label of “chronic.”

  • Igniting even the tiniest flames of “hope” and setting fire to recovery.

  • How dance can support recovery.

  • How eating disorders numb out the feelings that accompany abuse and neglect/CPTSD.

  • Healing from an eating disorder in an entrenched family system.

  • The importance of finding and/or creating a sense of community and safety.

  • Managing the limitations of and creating our own “family.”

  • The multidimensional aspect of recovery may require the addition of treatment team members.


ABOUT GRETA GLEISSNER:

Greta Gleissner, LCSW (NY 083574), is a therapist who specializes in eating disorders and trauma, In 2013, Greta founded Eating Disorder Recovery Specialists (EDRS)–pioneering an in-home, on-campus, and virtual post-acute therapeutic care and recovery support model for adolescents and adults with eating disorders. EDRS utilizes over 150 recovery specialists, utilizing in-person and virtual recovery support nationwide.

Greta's most recent and exciting new project is Sanctuary, the first intensive outpatient program (IOP) in NYC that treats PTSD and related disorders, which she co-founded with Dr. Sarah Chipps. Sanctuary has a unique approach, utilizing top-down and bottom-up therapeutic modalities together to soothe the mind, body and nervous system simultaneously and expedite the path to healing.

Greta’s interest in eating disorders and trauma grew out of her recovery from eating disorders and complex PTSD, which provides her with both a personal and professional lens through which to support clients. Having been a professional dancer, she knew from the age of 16 if she could ever heal from her eating disorder it would be her life’s mission to help others. Shortly after graduate school at New York University, Greta published her first book, Something Spectacular: The True Story of a Rockette’s Battle with Bulimia, a raw, personal chronicle of the devastating effects bulimia had on her personal and professional life during her time as a Radio City Rockette.

In addition to founding Eating Disorder Recovery Specialists and Sanctuary trauma intensive outpatient program, Greta maintains a small private practice on the Upper West Side and is trained in EMDR, CBT, DBT, and Motivational Interviewing.

CONNECT WITH GRETA GLEISSNER:

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.

 

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.

 

Wasted and the Phenomenon of the Trainwreck Girl with Marya Hornbacher

 
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Episode 23 - Wasted and the Phenomenon of the Trainwreck Girl with Marya Hornbacher

by Karin Lewis, MA, LMFT, CEDS

“Healing requires one thing above all - it takes action.
This will not be done for you.
Eventually, you, yourself, will have to choose how to do it, how to live.
Recovery is a choice.”
— Marya Hornbacher

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, I am joined by award-winning essayist, journalist, novelist, poet, and New York Times bestselling author of five books, Marya Hornbacher. Her first book, the memoir Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia, appeared when she was 23, and was shortlisted for a Pulitzer Prize. In May 2014, 15 years after the original date of publication, the book was updated with a Postscript by Hornbacher. While she doesn’t sugarcoat the hard work of recovery, she does assure that healing is attainable and within reach. With a new ending to her story that adds a contemporary edge, Wasted continues to be timely and relevant.

SOME OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • The motives behind the raw, graphic nature of Wasted.

  • The phenomenon of the “trainwreck girl” during the memoir boom of the 1990s.

  • The unintentional/intentional “glamorization” of eating disorders in the media.

  • The invasiveness of social media consumption and the role of personal responsibility.

  • The line between being “triggered” and being an educated consumer.

  • Recovery is “messy” because life is “messy.”

  • Accepting our personal limitations vs beating ourselves up over them.

  • Why self awareness and self compassion are vital in the process of healing.

  • How Marya uses the Twelve Step model in her recovery and current life.

ABOUT MARYA HORNBACHER:

In 1998, Marya Hornbacher published her first book, Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia, to international renown. Her first book, the memoir Wasted, appeared when she was 23, and was shortlisted for a Pulitzer Prize. This book earned Hornbacher a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize in nonfiction, and over the years has become a worldwide classic. Her first novel, The Center of Winter, was published in 2005 to international acclaim. The New York Times named the book an Editor’s Choice, and Booklist called Hornbacher “a master storyteller.” Her third book, Madness: A Bipolar Life, was an immediate New York Times Bestseller, and earned her more praise in the Times, which wrote, “Hornbacher is a virtuoso writer.” Her fourth and fifth books, Sane: Mental Illness, Addiction, and the Twelve Steps and Waiting: A Nonbeliever’s Higher Power, both published by Hazelden, have found passionate audiences who are working toward recovery from addictions of all kinds. Waiting, published in 2011, examines the role of spirituality in a non-believer’s life, and was a finalist for both the Books for Better Life Award and the Minnesota Book Award. Marya’s sixth book, We’ve Been Healing All Along: Real Lives and Real Strategies for Mental Health Recovery, tells the personal stories of dozens of people with mental health disorders who are defining, and achieving, personal success on their own terms.

Hornbacher’s work is available in more than twenty languages, which has earned her an international reputation. A three-time Morse Fellow at Yale, and a regular speaker on humanism and ethics at Harvard, she has also spoken on the topics of recovery, spirituality, and mental health at Columbia Medical School, Vassar, UC Berkeley, Swarthmore, Skidmore, Wesleyan, Amherst, the University of Michigan, and many others. While she lectures widely in academic settings, she is closely engaged in advocacy for mental health recovery, and is a frequent pro bono visitor to community-based mental health groups of all sizes and kinds, including NAMI, DBSA, and RAISE.

Born in San Francisco, Hornbacher has long made her home in Minneapolis. The recipient of a host of awards for her books, journalism, teaching, and research, including the Annie Dillard Award for Creative Nonfiction and the Fountain House Humanitarian Award for Mental Health Activism, she is a current Logan Nonfiction Fellow at the Carey Institute for Global Good. Marya is hard at work on her seventh book, a collection of essays on the subject of solitude in women’s lives. She teaches creative writing and journalism at Augsburg University and the University of Nebraska.

CONNECT WITH MARYA HORNBACHER:

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.