Episode 6: Navigating Vulture Coaching, Vulnerability, and Empowerment in Recovery
Release Date: 12/03/2024
Episode 32: You Do Not Owe the World a Smaller Body
Food Shrinks
In this unapologetically honest and deeply validating conversation, the Food Shrinks crew dives into one of the hottest topics in food addiction recovery: weight as a false measure of success. Why do some professionals in the recovery field still equate smaller bodies with deeper healing? And what happens when people in larger bodies feel excluded—even when they're abstinent and thriving? Molly, Clarissa, and MP break down the damaging impact of internalized weight stigma, explore why body size is not a clinical marker of recovery, and call out harmful assumptions that show up even in...
info_outline
Episode 31: The Healing You’re Avoiding - Why Group Work Changes Everything
Food Shrinks
In this spontaneous and heart-forward episode, Molly C., Clarissa, and Molly P. crack open the resistance so many of us feel toward group work, and why that resistance might be precisely the sign we need more connection, not less. Together, the trio explores why group healing matters, how co-regulation works, and what it means to feel seen, safe, and mirrored in community. From AA meetings to clinical groups to retreats full of “I-don’t-do-group” folks turned soul sisters, they share raw stories about belonging, shame, and the life-changing magic of not doing recovery alone. If you’ve...
info_outline
Episode 30: GLP-1s in Food Addiction Recovery: Game-Changer or Controversy?
Food Shrinks
The Food Shrinks are back with a spicy, heartfelt conversation about one of the most polarizing tools in the recovery world right now—GLP-1 medications (like Ozempic and Wegovy). In this episode, they tackle the growing buzz (and backlash) around these drugs in eating disorder and food addiction spaces. Are GLP-1s a betrayal of “real” recovery, or can they be a supportive tool for healing? The hosts spill some behind-the-scenes tea, share their personal and clinical experiences, and ask hard questions: Who gets to decide what recovery looks like? Why is there so much shame around using...
info_outline
Episode 29: “Chronic Relapser”? Don’t Talk About My Friend Like That
Food Shrinks
In this compelling episode, the Food Shrinks team tackles one of the most used—and deeply harmful—labels in recovery spaces: “chronic relapser.” With both fire and tenderness, the Shrinks dismantle this shame-based term and offer a new way to understand recurrence through the lens of chronic ambivalence, self-compassion, and trauma-informed care. You’ll hear why language matters, how shame can block healing, and why we must stop reducing people to their most painful patterns. Instead, the team explores what it means to stay curious, build emotional safety, and make your recovery as...
info_outline
Episode 28: Let’s Talk About Volume
Food Shrinks
In this deeply honest and layered conversation, The Food Shrinks—Clarissa Kennedy, Molly Carmel, and Molly Painschab— dive into one of the most misunderstood and rarely talked-about experiences in food addiction recovery: volume of whole foods in food addiction recovery. What begins as a casual check-in quickly becomes a masterclass on the biological, psychological, and emotional roots of overeating. 🔍 What you’ll learn: 🌸Volume addiction might be harder to heal from than sugar and flour because it’s not just about what you eat, but how much and why. 🌸For many, volume eating...
info_outline
Episode 27: Help, I Posted on TikTok and Now I Need Therapy!
Food Shrinks
In this vulnerable and fiery episode, the Shrinks crack open a raw conversation about what happens when you dare to speak your truth in a world that’s not always ready to hear it. Molly C. shares the emotional fallout of going viral on TikTok — and getting slammed for it. What started as a conversation about food boundaries quickly turned into a deep dive on childhood bullying, impostor syndrome, clinical appeasement, and the gut-punch of online criticism. The shrinks hold space for one another while exploring big themes: Why it’s so hard not to dim your light when people don’t agree...
info_outline
Episode 26: When You Just Don’t Wanna: Recovery in a Motivation Slump
Food Shrinks
Feeling like you're slogging through sludge in your recovery? You're not alone. In this vulnerable and validating episode, the Shrinks get real about what to do when the motivation to stay on track just… isn’t there. From functional freeze to emotional flatness, we unpack what it means when everything feels like too much—even when you know what to do. We explore: Why recovery can feel like pushing through quicksand What “motivation collapse” and “functional freeze” look like in real life The grief that comes with ongoing transformation Why nervous system fatigue and willpower...
info_outline
Episode 25: You’re Not Fragile: Unpacking the Power of Fragilization
Food Shrinks
In this episode, the Food Shrinks crew explores a powerful, overlooked concept: fragilization. From personal stories to real recovery insights, the team explores how treating ourselves—or others—as too delicate can actually stall growth, deepen shame, and keep us stuck. Whether it’s in addiction recovery, mental health, or just day-to-day life, fragilization can quietly shape how we show up, ask for help, and relate to our own resilience. We talk about how fragilizing ourselves in depression or post-relapse moments can reinforce powerlessness, and how others fragilizing us—even with...
info_outline
Episode 24: Letting Go & Growing Up
Food Shrinks
Welcome to the Food Shrinks podcast! In this heartfelt and honest episode, the Food Shrinks team dives into a powerful listener-submitted question: What happens when the people, places, and things that once brought us comfort no longer fit in our healing and recovery journey? This week, we explore the grief and growth that come with outgrowing relationships, hobbies, environments, and identities that once felt like home. You’ll hear reflections on: • Why things that once felt safe can suddenly feel unbearable • How identity shifts in recovery can affect our...
info_outline
Episode 23: Why Can’t I Stay Abstinent—Even After a Health Scare?
Food Shrinks
In this powerful episode, we tackle a question that resonates deeply for so many in recovery: "Why can’t I stay off sugar, even after a life-threatening diagnosis?" We received a heartfelt listener question from someone who has been struggling with sugar addiction for years—even after a cancer diagnosis. This sparked a deep, honest conversation about the nature of addiction, why even fear or facts aren't always enough to inspire change, and how recovery takes more than just motivation—it takes connection, community, repetition, and reframing. 💬 In this episode, we cover: 🌱Why fear,...
info_outline⚠️Please forgive the poor internet connection in this episode!
In today’s episode, the Shrinks go off-script to discuss a topic that lit a fire in Molly C.’s heart last night while scrolling Instagram. This raw and authentic conversation unpacks the challenges, complexities, and nuances of navigating advice in the recovery and coaching space—especially when it comes to weight loss, bariatric surgery, and GLP-1 medications.
Molly C. shares her visceral reaction to a controversial Instagram post suggesting that people should only consider medical interventions after “getting straight with God.” From there, the discussion evolves into exploring the fine line between empowerment and victim-blaming, the ethical responsibility of coaches and counselors, and the dangers of relying solely on personal experience without professional training.
Key Topics Discussed:
✴The importance of integrating spirituality, science, and evidence-based care in recovery journeys.
✴ People face vulnerabilities when seeking support and how predatory marketing can exploit that.
✴How to discern if a coach or counselor is qualified to provide the help you need—questions to ask and red flags to watch for.
✴Why it’s okay (and essential) to fire a professional who isn’t serving your best interests.
✴The power of GLP-1 medications and bariatric surgery as tools for recovery and the myths and stigma surrounding them.
✴The broader cultural implications of moralizing health interventions and the importance of meeting people where they are.
Takeaways for Listeners:
✴There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to recovery. Every journey is unique, and the right tools vary for everyone.
✴It’s vital to find practitioners who are trained, compassionate, and genuinely invested in your healing—not in keeping you sick.
✴Be wary of shame-based messaging that suggests you’re not “doing enough” or “faithful enough” to heal.
✴Your recovery is valid, whether it includes medical interventions, spiritual growth, or a mix of both.
✴Always hold onto hope—healing is possible, and you deserve the best care and support available.
Listener Challenge: We’d love to hear your thoughts on this conversation! Have you experienced shame-based coaching? How do you choose the proper support in your recovery journey? Please share your insights and stories with us at [email protected].
Resources Mentioned:
✴Questions to Ask a Coach or Counselor Before Working with Them (from a previous Food Junkies episode) https://www.foodjunkiespodcast.com/episodes/episode-151-molly-painschab-clarissa-kennedy-bethany-mazereeuw-what-to-look-for-in-a-counsellor
✴Dr. Rhona Epstein: A trusted Christian food addiction counselor with decades of experience. https://drrhona.com/
Follow Us: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Please stay connected for more honest conversations about recovery, tools, and hope.
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.foodshrinks.com
Instagram: @foodshrinks
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.