The Emotional Eating (and Everything Else) Podcast

The Emotional Eating (and Everything Else Podcast) is for women who want to change their relationship with food, their bodies, and themselves. How we use food and how relate to our bodies is complicated. That’s why we’ll be talking about everything that has anything to do with emotional eating. Like exiting our toxic diet culture, creating new coping skills, learning how to respect your body, and adopting an Intuitive Eating lifestyle. Yes, we’ll be covering it all! So if you’re ready to find freedom with food and your body, grab a notebook, find a comfy spot to sit, and let’s talk about emotional eating--and everything else.

The Power of IFS: Kali and Amanda's Stories 04/08/2025

The Power of IFS: Kali and Amanda's Stories It's episode 100 of the Emotional Eating (and Everything Else) Podcast--I can't even believe it! And to celebrate, I thought I'd invite two amazing women who I've had the honor of working with come into the show and share their experience with IFS. Kali and Amanda are two former clients who graciously agreed to talk about their struggles with food and their bodies and how IFS and Intuitive Eating have helped them to heal. They have very different histories and backgrounds, different body types, and different experiences, and I have no doubt that you will resonate with so much of what they share. In my interview with Kali, we focus on the constant need she felt to change her body due to the pressure from others. She discusses the numerous diets she tried (including the high-protein diet that led her to eat a meat cake for her birthday--yes, you read that correctly), the damage those diets have done, and the fear those programs created. We also discuss the impact of the medical community, food scarcity, and a certain infant part that led her to binge. Kali also shares her journey with IFS--not just in terms of changing her relationship with food and her body, but also in getting to know herself. Indeed, she states, ”IFS has changed my relationship with myself entirely.” Amanda's experience is different, as she doesn't recall outside pressure to be thin. Regardless, she was never comfortable in her own skin, and her eating disorder was a way to control her world. She discusses the secrecy involved in her eating disorder, the lack of attention by the medical community, and how the wellness industry sent her spiraling even further. We also talk about what was missing in other types of therapy she tried, and how IFS finally got to the heart of her eating patterns. We end with her sharing that she is finally able to truly feel love for herself: ”I’m worth all the work that it takes.” I'm so thankful to Kali and Amanda for sharing their stories with us, and I know you'll hear yourself in some (or a lot) of what they're saying. Take a listen! Where to find me: Email: Sign up for my new podcast, /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/36047510

Let's Talk About...Food Rituals 03/02/2025

Let's Talk About...Food Rituals I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that at some point in your life, you've tried to change what you're eating. Perhaps because you started a diet. Or you were trying to "eat healthier." Or maybe you were trying to move toward a more Self-led or Intuitive Eating approach to food (where you're really tuning into your body and feeding your body in ways that work well for it). Regardless of why you were trying to change what you were eating, it probably wasn't all that easy. There may have been foods that you tried to cut out but couldn't, foods that you stopped eating but found yourself dreaming of, or even foods that you restricted and then binged on. And there are likely a few different reasons for this, the first being that our parts like certain foods--and they miss those foods! But they may also like the rituals that you have surrounding those foods. The shopping, the preparing, the anticipation, the cooking, the aroma that fills your kitchen. Or perhaps the evening at your favorite restaurant where you feel cared for and attended to. Or maybe even the gatherings with friends, where everyone brings their favorite dishes and you get to eat things you've never tried before. All of those rituals have an impact on our parts. And when we lose them, our parts can feel real grief. On this week's podcast, we're talking about these food rituals and the impact they can have. Sure, our parts can get very attached to specific foods, but they also get attached to all of the rituals surrounding food. And I think it can be really helpful to get curious about these rituals. In fact, it might be helpful to think about your favorite foods and/or the ones you have a hard time changing (even when you know they don't sit well with your body). Is it the food itself that's hard to give up? Or is it everything else? Take a listen, and try to get curious! Where to find me: drkimdaniels.com /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/35502605

Let's Talk About...Episode 98: Let's Talk About...Connecting to Your Body’s Hunger and Fullness Cues 02/13/2025

Let's Talk About...Episode 98: Let's Talk About...Connecting to Your Body’s Hunger and Fullness Cues On the last podcast, we talked about "blocking parts." And by blocking, I meant parts that tend to come up when you’re trying to get to know another part. Like when you’re headed for the kitchen and a part of you says, "I should get to know the part that’s leading me to the kitchen right now" but another part comes up and says, "Nope! I don’t want to get to know that part. I’ll do it next time." I hope that the episode was helpful and that you noticed more of those parts over the past couple of weeks. This week, I thought it would be helpful to focus on another group or cluster of parts that many folx have that I’m calling "disconnecting parts." These are parts that disconnect you from your body for various reasons. They can show up in various ways, such as: Not feeling hunger or fullness cues Not noticing physical cues from your body Having difficulty knowing where parts are within your body Difficulty or reluctance to focus on physical self-care Inability to experience enjoyment or pleasure Those are just a few examples. You may be noticing other ways in which parts may disconnect you from your body. If that's the case, just be curious. Disconnecting parts tend to be protectors who for whatever reason feel the need to separate us from what our body is telling us. They're trying to help us. On this week's podcast, we're focusing on the parts that disconnect us from our body and make it difficult to connect with hunger and fullness cues. We're focusing on: What disconnecting parts are Why they're there How they show up and block hunger and fullness cues What to do about them AND I'm sharing some suggestions from Intuitive Eating that can help you connect to your body even more. We go through four exercises from the that help you to tune into your body as well as your hunger and fullness cues. If you're someone who feels as though you're unable to read your body's cues, you may have some disconnecting parts in your system. Take a listen to find out! Where to find me: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/35265825

Let's Talk About...Blocking Parts 01/21/2025

Let's Talk About...Emotional Eating 12/17/2024

Unburdened Eating, with Jeanne Catanzaro 11/15/2024

Unburdened Eating, with Jeanne Catanzaro This week's episode features , who's a bit of an IFS rockstar. Jeanne has been one of the strongest voices in the IFS community in regard to food and body concerns, and I'm so thrilled to have her on the podcast! Just a little about her: Jeanne is a clinical psychologist who has specialized in the treatment of disordered eating and trauma for over twenty-five years. She trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing®, and eye movement-desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) before discovering the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model. Jeanne is known for her compassionate and intuitive appreciation of the relational dynamics, internal and external, that keep people stuck in painful relationships with food and their bodies. In addition to serving as a leader of the IFS Institute, Jeanne facilitates IFS consultation groups, workshops, and retreats on Unburdened Eating. Jeanne is also the author of , a wonderful book that just came out earlier this year. And she also wrote a really fantastic article for the IFS Institute (that we discuss in this episode) called . This article explicitly states that the IFS Institute does not support intentional weight loss due to the harm it can cause. Throughout this week's episode, Jeanne and I touch upon: The differences between IFS and other therapy models in how they approach food and body concerns How diet culture perpetuates the belief that there’s something wrong with your body The fact that all negative feelings about the body come from outside of us The importance of being curious toward our parts Having compassion toward all of our parts, including those who are trying to manage our bodies by focusing on food and weight What is “unburdened eating” The need for community when working on food and body concerns Jeanne also gives us some great advice in terms of how to start working on food and body concerns. She suggests that we ask ourselves the following questions: What would it be like if I wasn’t always trying to fix my body? What would it be like if I wasn’t always criticizing my body? What if my body wasn’t a problem to be solved? Can I get curious about the parts of me that feel like my body needs to change? You might have already noticed parts surfacing just by reading those questions. When you can, take some time to really sit with and answer them. We cover a lot of important ground in this episode, and I'm just thrilled and honored to have one of the best on my show. A huge thanks to Jeanne for taking the time and for all of the wisdom she imparts. Check it out! Where to find Jeanne: Other resources that were mentioned: Where to find me: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/33950017

Let's Talk About...Healing Body Shame 10/16/2024

Understanding Binge Eating Disorder, with Amy Pershing 09/19/2024

Understanding Binge Eating Disorder, with Amy Pershing On today's episode, I'm so excited to be joined by Amy Pershing to talk about Binge Eating Disorder (BED). Amy is essentially THE expert on treating BED with IFS, and I'm so thankful that she's sharing her wisdom with us! We've been trying for months to record an episode, and we finally did it! Just a little about her, Amy Pershing, LMSW, ACSW, CCTP-II, is the Founding Director of Bodywise, the first BED-specific treatment program in the United States, and President of the Board of the Center for Eating Disorders in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She is the founder of Pershing Consulting, which offers training to clinicians treating BED and trauma worldwide. Amy is also the co-founder of "Attune", an online coaching program for attuned eating and recovery support. Amy is an internationally known leader in the development of treatment paradigms for BED, and one of the first clinicians to specialize in BED treatment. Based on 35 years of clinical experience, Amy has pioneered an approach to BED recovery that is strengths-based and trauma informed, incorporating Internal Family Systems (IFS) and body-based techniques to heal the deeper issues that drive binge behaviors. Her approach integrates a non-diet body autonomy philosophy, helping clients create lasting change with food and body image. Amy is also the author of the book (Taylor and Francis, 2018) and , with co-authors Judith Matz and Christy Harrison (PESI Publishing, 2024). She also offers a variety of trainings on BED treatment through PESI. Amy maintains her clinical practice in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Amy begins the podcast episode by discussing her own history with binge eating disorder and how, thanks to the relentless messages from diet culture, she believed that her body "needed to be fixed because it was fat." Throughout the episode, we touch upon: How IFS views Binge Eating Disorder The role of Binge Eating parts Shame as a coping mechanism How to build trust between Self and parts What Self-led eating looks like Developing trust in your body Amy also emphasizes the fact that Self cannot be damaged by trauma, and Self does not accept body shame narratives. She states, “There’s never a time that you’re in-Self and accepting a body shame narrative. It just doesn’t happen. Self knows that body shame doesn’t exist.” We ended the episode speaking directly to therapists, both those who work with food and body issues and those who don't. Amy noted that all therapists are working with clients who live in a body and we're therefore all working with body stigma to some degree. She further notes that all clinicians really need to think about how their parts feel about their own body, food, weight stigma, and health. And finally, she states, "If you treat BED, you’re treating trauma. We have to understand the binge eating in the context of their history." Amy gives us so many pearls of wisdom in this episode that you'll want to listen to it more than once (and take notes). Even if you aren't someone who binges, how she talks about body shame is applicable to everyone in a body. Take a listen! Where to find Amy: Where to find me: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/33117042

Let's Talk About...Creating a Parts Check-in Practice 08/28/2024

Let's Talk About...Anxiety (and why our parts eat when we're anxious) 08/06/2024

Let's Talk About...Accepting Your Body 07/10/2024

Let's Talk About...Accepting Your Body What's the first thing that comes to your mind when I say the word acceptance? As in accepting who you are and accepting your body, right here, right now? For many if not most people, the thought of acceptance brings up parts saying, "No! I won't give up!" Or, "I can't acceptance myself the way I am--I'm not good enough." Yeah....acceptance is really hard....Which is why we're discussing it on this week's podcast. First, let me just say that I think working toward acceptance needs to happen on multiple fronts, because there are numerous factors that contribute to the negative feelings so many of us have toward our bodies. How we feel about our bodies is shaped by how we personally experience them, how others treat them, the messages we get about them, how they function, how much they differ from others--the list goes on and on. I can't cover all of that on just one podcast--it would be 57 hours long. So on this week's episode, we're just focusing on one factor that contributes to our negative body image and our difficulty accepting ourselves. And I think it's one of the main factors: the beauty industry. Thanks to the beauty industry, most of us have spent time, energy, and money focused on our appearance. And it's really impacted how we feel about ourselves and our bodies (and others' bodies) in an extremely negative way. In this episode, I'm sharing a lot of research completed by Dr. Renee Engeln, a psychologist who focuses on what she calls the "Beauty Game." She wrote a fantastic book called "" that's chock full of information on this topic. She's also done a couple of TED Talks on the subject, and she contributes regular articles to . Just to give you a little idea of what we're up against, here are some research findings on the topic: 34% of five-year-old girls engage in deliberate dietary restraint at least sometimes (yes, you read that right--five-year-old girls) Between the ages of five and nine, 40% of girls say they wish they were thinner Almost one-third of third-grade girls report they are “always” afraid of becoming fat By age 13, girls report significantly more body shame than boys In the United States 69-84% of women experience body dissatisfaction, desiring to be a lower weight than they currently are Unfortunately, all of that isn't even the half of it. The bad news goes on and on and on and on. The beauty industry (and the diet industry) have wreaked so much havoc on women in particular that it's no wonder we have such a hard time feeling good about ourselves. Here's a quote by Dr. Engeln that speaks to some of this: "The more easily identifiable you are as a woman, the more you will be objectified. The more you are objectified, the more your body will begin to feel like a performance piece instead of the home in which you live." Our bodies should feel like our homes. We should want to care for and nourish them well. But thanks to the pressures we experience about our appearance, we often don't. My hope in focusing on this topic is that parts of you will really start realizing that any negative thoughts and feelings you have about your body and your appearance are not authentic to you. They're internalized messages from our appearance-obsessed culture. They're learned. Which means they can be unlearned. So, on this week's podcast we're looking at lots of research, and we're also talking about: What acceptance actually IS (it's NOT just giving up) What the "Beauty Game" is (defined by Dr. Engeln as a collection of cultural pressures that make women feel like all that matters is how they look) The impact of the media on our self-image The link between beauty and power I also give you ten ways to start working toward exiting the Beauty Game and working toward acceptance. I'm not gonna lie--I personally think this is an important episode, because so many of our parts think that the negativity we feel toward ourselves is justified and valid. IT'S NOT. It's been cultivated by an industry that makes tons of money off of our insecurity. I think it's incredibly important for your parts to have the correct information on this, so I hope you'll take a listen! Check it out! Where to Find Me: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/32075102

Let's Talk About...Restriction 06/25/2024

Let's Talk About...Restriction On this weeks' podcast episode, we're talking about restriction. This is a topic that I know I've mentioned a number of times on the show, but I've never talked about it in depth. And given how common it is, it's about time that I do. What comes to mind when you think about the word "restriction" (as it relates to food)? For me, I tend to think about the diagnosis of anorexia. I picture someone who's not eating nearly enough to sustain their body. Someone who has parts that are terrified of eating or of weight gain. Someone who's body is breaking down due to a lack of nourishment. You might picture the same. But I think that's a very narrow idea of what restriction often looks like. While certainly there are folx who are engaging in that level of restriction (research shows that up to 4% of women and up to .3% of men are diagnosed with anorexia at some point in their lifetime), many, many people restrict their food intake to a lesser degree. And I think many of those people don't really even realize that how they're eating would be considered restrictive. For example, dieting is actually restriction. So is not eating certain foods or limiting how much of those foods you're eating. Restriction is also believing that you need to earn food with exercise. Or counting out exactly 19 grapes (or whatever the "correct" serving size of grapes might be) regardless of how hungry you are. And there are probably dozens upon dozens of other examples of restriction that we don't typically think of as restriction. At this point, you may be thinking, "Hey--I do some of those things--so what? That's normal." Well, you're right--it is normal in our culture to engage in restrictive eating behaviors. But should it be? To me, restrictive eating behaviors aren't Self-led. And in my humble opinion, being Self-led with food as what we're aiming for. I truly believe that our Self wants our body to be nourished and healthy. And I don't believe that Self supports restricting. Which means that restriction comes from our parts. Let me say that again: restrictive eating comes from our parts. And on this week's episode, we talk about the four most common reasons that our parts restrict food: Restriction is seen as "normal" and desirable in our culture To lose weight, maintain weight, or prevent weight gain As a means of controlling the chaos in one's life To feel special We also talk about what restriction is (i.e. it's not just anorexia), what it can look like, and how our protectors use restriction to protect exiles. Quick example: say you have an exile who carries body shame from being told that your body is too large. This exile may be protected by a part who works really hard at trying to lose weight, thinking that if your body is just smaller that exile would no longer feel shame. If you know you have parts that restrict food (or are now curious about whether or not you do), take a listen to this week's episode. My hope is that you'll have a much better understanding of--and appreciation for--these restricting parts. Take a listen! Where to find me: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/31875872

Sexuality and Eating Concerns with Esther Hooley 06/12/2024

Sexuality and Eating Concerns with Esther Hooley On this week's podcast, we're talking about something that I haven't talked much about at all on the show: sexuality. Thankfully, since this is not my speciality, I'm joined by Esther Hooley, a psychologist who presented a really informative workshop that I attended a few months ago on sexuality and eating concerns. Esther is a psychologist in Waco, TX and practices telehealth across the U.S. She has been a therapist for over a decade and has worked in group practices, university counseling centers, IOP/PHP for eating disorders, and private practice. Esther has spent the past three years receiving advanced training and supervision in sex therapy. This, coupled with her early training in trauma and spirituality, has led her to find her therapy "home" at the intersection of sexuality, trauma, and spirituality. Esther recently finished writing her first book, , on sexuality and purity culture. On this episode, we started our conversation on what exactly is sexuality. We then went on to discuss such topics as: What shapes one's sexuality Common myths about sexuality, including: The frequency of sex (i.e. believing "everyone is having sex all of the time, and they're having more than I'm having") The myth of spontaneous desire Feeling responsible for sexually satisfying one's partner One's sexual and gender orientations are fixed Myths about sexual satisfaction The connection between shame and restriction How to become more embodied during sexual experiences Esther also talked about the Good-Enough Sex Model, a model of sexuality created by Barry McCarthy that she uses with clients. to a podcast episode with the creator of the model. We also talked about Purity Culture, a "painful, powerful" movement that came about in the 1990s that created a set of rules surrounding sex and sexuality. Esther noted that Purity Culture "really divided people from themselves and their wants and even their higher power." And again, she's written a new book on the topic--head to check it out! Esther shared how she helps people get unstuck in their sexuality and look at "what are the things I'm scared of looking at, and feeling, and experiencing when it comes to sexuality." She suggested looking at the "sexual script" you were given and really noticing what actually fits for you and what doesn't. She gave the example of herself being told that women should be submissive and quiet, and that their job is to give their bodies for other peoples' pleasure and use. She reevaluated this script for herself and created a new narrative. Within this process, she asked a great question: "If I knew everything would be ok, what would I want?" And finally, we talked about what therapists can do to feel more comfortable discussing sexuality with our clients (which of course starts with our own work!). Esther suggested asking clients the questions that began this email: What's your relationship with your sexuality? What's your relationship with your body? What's your relationship with pleasure? This is such an important topic, and I'm so thankful to Esther for coming onto the show to discuss it. Take a listen! Where to find Esther: Her book: Books Esther mentions: Where to find me: Where to find me: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/31724957

Becoming Embodied: Three Exercises, with Heidi Andersen 05/29/2024

Becoming Embodied: Three Exercises, with Heidi Andersen On my last podcast episode, and I had a fantastic discussion about embodiment and how vital it is to be in your body in order to heal your relationship with it. (If you didn't listen to it yet, check it out !) After Heidi and I recorded that episode, I told her she had an open invitation to come back onto the show and expand on anything that we had just discussed. This invitation turned into the idea of her walking me through some embodiment exercises on the show that you could do as well. We immediately scheduled another recording and voila! This week's episode was done! Just a reminder about Heidi and why she's the perfect person to be talking about this topic. Heidi is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor, Certified Body Trust® Specialist, Certified Safe and Sound Protocol Provider, Registered Yoga Teacher and Embodiment Specialist. She currently supports clients with Reclaiming Beauty, an outpatient group practice of body-centered psychotherapists specializing in weight inclusive treatment for the intersection of trauma, attachment wounds, and eating disorders through a body liberation lens and somatic approach. Heidi believes embodiment heals and combines her studies of Somatic Internal Family Systems, Embodied Recovery for Eating Disorders, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and the Center for Body Trust® in her support of her clients. She is also the author of the Reclaiming Beauty Journal and Wisdom Deck, a resource created to support women in building a self-compassionate relationship with their body. As we discussed in last week's episode, Heidi defines embodiment as: The ability to land safely in our body in the present moment, just how we are. For many of us, this takes some practice, patience, and guidance. And this is where Heidi comes in. When we discussed this episode, Heidi told me that she had a "million" embodiment exercises. In the interest of time, she chose to do three. We start the episode with talking about why it's so important to work toward embodiment. Some of the many reasons for this are: Noticing how your body can be a resource (this might be news to your parts!) Learning how your body can help you regulate your nervous system Helping to shift the "violent" thoughts we tend to send toward our bodies Feeling comfortable with no longer avoiding your body Heidi then walks me through three different exercises, checking in with my parts as we go along. It was an insightful experience for me, and I know it will be for you too! Again, connecting with your body is a necessary part of healing your relationship with it, and I hope that these exercises help you to either begin that journey or further the work you're already doing. Take a listen! /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/31520272

Embodiment as the Antidote to Negative Body Image, with Heidi Andersen 05/13/2024

Embodiment as the Antidote to Negative Body Image, with Heidi Andersen On this week's episode, I'm speaking with Certified Body Trust® Specialist Heidi Andersen about the topic of embodiment, something that she sees as vital to the healing of food and body issues. And in case you're not quite sure how to define embodiment, Heidi describes it as: The ability to land safely in our body in the present moment, just how we are. How lovely is that?? Can you image how your food and body issues would just melt away if you experienced this? Let me back up here for a minute and introduce Heidi to you. Heidi Andersen is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor, Certified Body Trust® Specialist, Certified Safe and Sound Protocol Provider, Registered Yoga Teacher and Embodiment Specialist. During her therapist career, she has worked as a therapist in residential, PHP, IOP and outpatient levels of care with people struggling with eating disorders. Heidi currently supports clients with Reclaiming Beauty, an outpatient group practice of body-centered psychotherapists specializing in weight inclusive treatment for the intersection of trauma, attachment wounds, and eating disorders through a body liberation lens and somatic approach. Heidi also provides consultation, mentorship and consult groups for professionals, as well as trainings, workshops and retreats. Heidi believes embodiment heals and combines her studies of Somatic Internal Family Systems, Embodied Recovery for Eating Disorders, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and the Center for Body Trust® in her support of her clients. She is also the author of the Reclaiming Beauty Journal and Wisdom Deck, a resource created to support women in building a self-compassionate relationship with their body. As you can see, she really knows what she's talking about! Heidi and I cover a lot of ground in this episode, but the key takeaway is this: you must heal your relationship with your body in order to heal your relationship with food. I'll let Heidi say it herself: “You can’t really heal what’s happening in the body unless you really bring the body to the forefront.” Heidi discusses how previous (and unfortunately current) eating disorder treatment models don't involve the body at all--they're merely focused on the mind. This makes absolutely no sense, since eating disorders are very often a result of body shame and/or a disconnection from the body. Therefore, working on being in your body is a giant piece of the work. On this episode, Heidi and I also talk about: How to talk about size and weight with clients Why anger can help us heal the shame that we’ve internalized The fact that diet culture is a reflection white supremacy culture, colonization, and racism How embodiment is the antidote to body image issues Why it’s wrong to say that body image is the last part of the process of healing from an eating disorder How to start becoming more embodied We also talk about the three categories of protectors that Heidi tends to see disconnecting us from our bodies. Those are: Self-Objectifying parts (those who have learned that you're an object, not a subject) Parts who are invested in diet culture as an attachment figure Parts who use disembodiment to avoid pain that the body is carrying related to past trauma As you can see, we covered a lot! Take a listen! Where to find Heidi: Other links we mentioned: Center for Body Trust Embodied Recovery for Eating Disorders Somatic IFS IFS Viewpoint on Dieting and Cultural Harm Diet Culture as an Attachment Figure Killing Us Softly, Then and Now Where to Find Me: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/31255887

Let's Talk About...GLP-1s and Food Noise 04/29/2024

Let's Talk About...GLP-1s and Food Noise I'll get right to it and be honest. Part of this week's podcast topic--GLP-1 medication--is not something I've really wanted to talk about. These are the medications that we're all hearing about nonstop--the ones that Oprah talked about in her recent special. I haven't wanted to give them much air time, because we hear about them so much everywhere else, and also because I don't really think my opinion on them matters. Although it's true that I have significant concerns about these medications and wish that we could move past weight loss as a goal, I also truly believe in bodily autonomy. If these medications seem right to you, what does it matter what I think of them? So, I do mention them on this week's podcast, but it's only briefly and it's only to say two things: If you're looking into taking them, please do your own independent research. Hopefully, you have a trustworthy physician who's looking out for your best interests. But if you don't, you might have someone who's not giving you all of the information. So please please please research the heck of them. If you do take them/are taking them, please listen to what your body is telling you. If you're having any type of negative side effects, please take that seriously. All medications can have serious consequences, so you definitely want to listen to your body. Moving on... What I really wanted to focus on this week is food noise. This is a term you've probably heard about because they tend to talk a lot about it when they talk about GLP-1s. And since it seems like people are always talking about GLP-1s, they're also talking a lot about food noise. Food noise isn't an official term or diagnosis--I don't know who coined it, but someone did and now that's how we refer to the constant internal chatter about food. This might be your experience: constantly thinking about food. That's food noise. It seems as though medication and even bariatric surgery have been found to quiet or at least decrease food noise in some people. But why is that? No one really knows (one of my many sarcastic parts just rolled her eyes and said "Of course not..."). Sure, it may be due to some physiological change that the medication or surgery causes, such as a change in hormones related to hunger. But I don't think for one second that it's entirely physical. I think it makes total sense that it's at least a little bit psychological. And of course, that relates to parts. In this episode, we're talking about the psychological factors that might be at play here in the quieting of food noise. I give you four reasons why I think food noise quiets with medications/surgery (spoiler alert: it's not because of the medication or surgery itself), which leads into a discussion on why you don't need medication or surgery to get food noise to soften. If you're someone who experiences loud levels of food noise, my heart goes out to you. I know that can be at the very least irritating and at times even debilitating. I can absolutely understand wanting to do whatever it takes to make it stop. Hopefully, this week's podcast can shed some light on how to do that without medication/surgery, or in tandem with them. /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/31038733

How an Early Lack of Nurturance Impacts Your Relationship with Food, with Colleen West 04/14/2024

How an Early Lack of Nurturance Impacts Your Relationship with Food, with Colleen West I have a question for you. What do you know about your early years? Like from birth to age two? And what do you know about your mom's pregnancy with you? If you're like me, not a whole lot. Turns out, though, this is really good information to have. According to this week's podcast guest, Colleen West, these early years and your experiences within have an incredible influence on the development of your relationship with food. Especially when it comes to the nurturance and attunement given to you by your caretakers. I'll let Colleen explain it herself: "For babies that don’t get tended to reliably, they end up with more need to autoregulate, to soothe from the outside. And that often gets linked with food. And it begins a whole lot of other behaviors and deep burdens that last long into your life, unless those young parts get cared for." Did that just resonate with a lot of your parts? I know it did with mine. Preverbal parts are Colleen's specialty, and I'm thrilled to have her back on the show to take a much deeper dive than we did in our first conversation (catch that episode ). Colleen is all about creating connection: between you and your parts, between you and your loved ones, between you, your community, and the wider world. She is unabashedly optimistic about the human capacity to heal, to tap into the wellspring of compassion that is Self. Her professional focus is healing preverbal attachment trauma. As a Marriage and Family Therapist and IFS Consultant, she devotes herself to training and mentoring psychotherapists, and writing. Thanks to Zoom, she is training therapists all over the world. She is author of We All Have Parts: An Illustrated Guide to Healing Trauma with Internal Family Systems (2021) and The IFS Flip Chart (2023). She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and the fabulous dog Sky. In her leisure, she likes spending time in nature and preparing feasts for family and friends. More at and . On this week's podcast, Colleen and I talk about how those early years are so important, and how a lack of nurturance and attunement by parents (with even the best of intentions) can lead to the use of food--or the restriction of food--as a soothing mechanism. In the episode, we discuss: Why hunger can lead to feelings of panic How a lack of nurturance in infancy leads to feelings of loneliness, isolation, and fear, and how all of that can impact our relationship with food How our early experiences can lead us to disconnect from our bodies and their experiences of hunger The behavioral cues that indicate a lack of nurturance in infancy How IFS can help to heal the exiles that weren't cared for Colleen also leaves us with three important points: If you're currently a parent of young children, do your best to be present with them; If you're in therapy, slow down and notice your parts and your bodily sensations, and focus on your preverbal years; and Your own Self-Energy can heal your parts. This was truly a wonderful, aha-inducing episode that I know will resonate with your parts. Take a listen! You can find Colleen at: Where to find me: And if you'd like to take a deep dive into your own relationship with food, considering joining one of my Food and Body Freedom groups for and for . /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/30818293

Let's Talk About...How to Handle that Leftover Easter Candy 03/31/2024

Let's Talk About...How to Handle that Leftover Easter Candy If you celebrated Easter yesterday (and even if you didn't), you probably have some leftover candy in your house. Which means you also probably have some parts who are very anxious about this candy. Or who have already eaten quite a bit of it. Or who have put it high up on a shelf so that hopefully you'll forget about it. Having a lot of candy in the house can be difficult for some of our parts. It can also be a big party for others! Likely, you're going back and forth between wanting to eat it all and hoping your willpower holds out so that you don't eat any. Both sides of that polarization are extreme, aren't they? No, it's probably not great for your body to binge on a lot of chocolate. But it's also totally normal to eat candy. On this week's podcast, we're talking about how to handle this polarization. It's a pretty short episode so we aren't diving too deep, but I wanted to at least offer some perspective and support. So...what do you do about this candy? First and foremost, remind yourself that these are parts. It's very easy to become blended with these parts quickly and seemingly completely. But these are parts. They are not Self. Yes, your Self may enjoy some candy, but it's not feeling obsessed about eating it. Self is also not adamant that you don't eat the candy. Again--do your best to remind yourself that these are parts. Second, remind yourself that the parts that want to eat the candy and the parts who want to restrict the candy are all trying to protect you in the only way they know how. Take some time to get to know them and get curious about who they're protecting. Third, hold a little meeting with your parts. Ask anyone who has anything to do with the candy to meet with you and talk about what's going on for them. And ask them to give you space so that you get to know everyone. Try to figure out a way to handle the candy that everyone can agree to. That may not be possible, but I would almost guarantee that it will be a less extreme polarization than it was previously. And finally, if and when you do eat the candy, eat it mindfully. Really take the time to notice it, taste it, and enjoy it. Actually, if you slow down and eat it mindfully, you might realize that you don't even like it. Sometimes our kid parts take over and lead us to food that our adult selves just don't even like any more. I hope that helps, and I hope that you're able to feel more peaceful in your own home. Just keeping getting to know the parts of you that have anything to do with food, and you'll be ready for the next candy season! Where to find me: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/30615448

The Impact of Trauma on Food and Body Concerns, with Cinna Holsclaw 03/25/2024

The Impact of Trauma on Food and Body Concerns, with Cinna Holsclaw Trigger warning: on this episode, we're talking about trauma and how traumatic experiences can impact your relationship with food and your body. If you're just not up for this topic, take care of yourself and pass it by. Trauma and eating disorders often go hand-in-hand. Indeed, research has suggested that up to 50% of those diagnosed with eating disorders meet the criteria of PTSD. So if we're going to talk about food and body concerns, we need to talk about trauma. From an IFS perspective, it makes complete sense that some of your parts would use food to manage the impact of trauma. Providing traumatized parts with food is one way to comfort them. Food is also a great way to distract yourself and numb your system. And restricting food can be highly effective in distracting yourself and feeling a much-needed sense of control. It also makes complete sense that your parts would develop negative feelings toward your body if you've experienced trauma--especially trauma on or about your body. This is a topic that I really want to delve into, which is why I invited my colleague Cinna Holsclaw to join me in discussing it. Cinna is a licensed clinical social worker with a practice in Utah. She’s a certified level 2 trained IFS therapist who is also trained in EMDR and Brainspotting. Cinna specializes in PTSD and c-PTSD and is very much aware of the correlation between trauma and food and body concerns. She's also just one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life, so I’m really excited to have her on. Because this is such an important topic, Cinna and I will be recording a few episodes on trauma and food/body concerns, and we're also in the planning stages of developing trainings on the topic. We're also planning a retreat for therapists and practitioners who would like to look at their own trauma history and food/body concerns as well as learn how to help their clients (if you haven't already, please to indicate your interest in getting more info on the retreat). But on today’s episode, Cinna and I start with an overall discussion about trauma and how it relates to food and body concerns. We discuss: What is c-PTSD How parts use food in various ways to cope with trauma How food physically impacts your system (i.e. why we turn to carbs for comfort!) Epigenetics and legacy burdens Again, this is just the beginning of this very important discussion so stay tuned for more. Take a listen! Where to find Cinna: Where to find me: Where to find me: If you're a therapist, practitioner, or coach who’s interested in joining us for a retreat (likely in early 2025), head to let me know you'd like more info! /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/30539693

Let's Talk About...The Binge/Restrict Cycle (i.e. polarizations) 03/11/2024

Let's Talk About...The Binge/Restrict Cycle (i.e. polarizations) Let me ask you a question: have you ever thought of yourself as a binge eater? Or maybe you've noticed that you have a part that binges? This is something that many people engage in at least sometimes, and for some folx it happens daily. But what exactly is binge eating? I find that many of my clients describe themselves as binge eaters, but they actually aren't. And to me, if you're going to use a label, be sure it's accurate. According the field of psychiatry and the DSM-V, a binge is characterized as: Eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g., within any 2-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances The sense of a lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g., a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating) Honestly, I don't find this definition particularly helpful (and I go into why that is on this week's podcast episode). But, in general, binge eating is eating a large amount of food and feeling out of control. It's not merely eating foods that you "shouldn't" or eating in response to your emotions. I think many people don't realize this. They consider a binge to be eating three cookies after a stressful work meeting. That may be emotional eating, but that's not bingeing. On this week's podcast, we're talking about binge eating. We get into: What binge eating technically is and why the diagnostic criteria are problematic Why it happens from a physical perspective Why it happens from a psychological perspective (i.e. how does IFS view binge eating) Then we get into what's known as the binge/restrict cycle. This is a pattern wherein people go back and forth between binge eating and restricting (dieting) and back to binge eating again. This can happen over the course of a day, a week, a couple months, or even a few years. It's an extremely frustrating cycle that's very hard to get out of. In IFS terms, this cycle is a polarization between binge eating parts and restricting parts. Each side takes over at different times, leaving you stuck in a ping pong match between your parts. We discuss this cycle at length in the podcast, and we talk about how to get out of it. If you think you've ever binged, this is a great episode to listen to. I hope that it clarifies some things for you. And I hope that it gives you some ideas on how to stop the cycle. And speaking of gaining more clarity, just a reminder that the is starting on Tuesday, March 19th, 2024. I've got three experiential workshops planned that will help you to understand: why you use food the way you do the familial and cultural influences on your relationship with food and your body how to treat your body with kindness You can do all three workshops or pick and choose the ones that appeal to you. Where to find me: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/30330458

IFS and the Enneagram, with Tammy Sollenberger 02/25/2024

IFS and the Enneagram, with Tammy Sollenberger Are you familiar with the Enneagram? The "test" that views personality as nine interconnected types? I wasn't, until about three years ago. And even then, I took an online test, bought a book, read the chapter that corresponded with my "type," and never looked at it again. But.... I've had parts in the background of my mind who have been curious about it. And every time I see one of Tammy Sollenbergers' posts about the Enneagram or a new group that she's starting to help you incorporate the Enneagram and IFS I think, "I need to look at that again." So I decided to reach out to Tammy and ask her to come on to the podcast to talk about it. And thankfully, she agreed! is an IFS therapist and the host of the One Inside Podcast. She's also the author of The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self. And she co-leads a course with Joan Ryan, an Enneagram expert, on using IFS and the Enneagram to "observe your patterns, unblend from parts, and make new choices." In this week's podcast Tammy and I talk about the Enneagram and how well it integrates with IFS. Both models can help you to know yourself at a much deeper level, but using them together can add even more awareness and understanding. And, at least for me, knowing that there are aspects of my personality that are hard-wired to see the world in a certain way, at least to some degree, helps my parts to be much less critical of how I think and what I do. In this episode, Tammy talks about how each part has a "focus of attention," meaning a certain thing that really matters the most to them, and she goes through each type and explains that focus. She also explains how our parts will respond differently to things based on our Enneagram type. Like you and I could have the exact same experience, but if our types are different, our parts will react differently. AND, we get into a discussion about how the Enneagram can help you understand your relationship with food. Tammy was able to speak to this but also connected me with Joan Ryan, an Enneagram expert, who'll be coming onto the podcast to take a much deeper dive into this. It's all pretty fascinating, if you ask me. And I think the combination of IFS and the Enneagram can lead to much deeper self-understanding, and ultimately a deeper level of healing. Sign me up! If all of that sounds interesting to you, take a listen! Where to find Tammy: Joan Ryan's Type Cards: The we discuss My upcoming for Therapists and Practitioners for Non-Therapists Where to find me: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/30099588

Let's Talk About...How to Keep Your Eating Parts from Taking Over 02/14/2024

Becoming "Comfortably Uncomfortable," with Celia Clark 01/28/2024

Becoming "Comfortably Uncomfortable," with Celia Clark Changing your relationship with food and with your body can be quite the complicated process, can't it? It seems like we often take two steps forward and four (or more?) steps back. I think that's because sometimes we go too far too fast, and we experience a backlash from parts. Let me give you an example. Say you feel out-of-control with food sometimes (or a lot of the time). You decide to control your eating by putting certain parameters around it. Maybe you cut down on carbs or tell yourself you can't eat past a certain time of the day. And maybe you do that for a while, and you feel more in-control. And then one day, you (actually, your parts) say, "f* it. I want some bread! And a late-night snack!" And you start eating, seemingly with reckless abandon. In IFS, this is what we call a backlash. You went too far in one direction (restriction) and parts rebelled against it (by breaking the rules you had set with food). It makes total sense when you think about it. Our parts are using and/or restricting food for a reason, and when we just try to change what they're doing, they don't like it. We're changing their job and taking away the only way they know how to help us. This is why we need to take smaller steps when we're working toward change. In this week's podcast, I'm talking about the concept of being "comfortably uncomfortable" during the process of healing your relationship with food and your body with my guest, Celia Clark. Celia is a Food and Body Image Specialist who began her therapy career working in addictions. She has completed advanced education in Eating Disorders and Complex Trauma is trained in various modalities, including Person-Centred Counselling, Family Therapy, EMDR and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Celia now works primarily through a parts lens and believes the parts of ourselves invested in impulsive or compulsive eating behavior as a solution often have positive intentions and are unaware of the consequences. By getting to know these parts, we begin to build safety and trust within our internal system and heal the shame-based wounding and internal disconnection that so often drives our challenges with nourishment. This safety and trust also supports a return to the body, where our sense of belonging originates. By learning to reconnect with ourselves in this way, our body again becomes a place to live in and from, a place to call home. Celia and I talk about a few things in this episode, including: The concept of nourishment and how she considers nourishment to be a two-part process: that of giving nourishment to our parts and that of our parts receiving it from Self How helpful IFS has been to her own system as well as to her clients in healing food and body concerns What Celia calls the "confusion around chaotic controlled eating" The need to become "comfortably uncomfortable" when we work toward change How to begin slowly providing for your parts’ needs I truly enjoyed our conversation, and I hope that you do too! Head here to listen, and check out all of Celia's offerings . Where to find me: Therapy website (for therapists and practitioners): Coaching website (for non-therapists): /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/29677358

Let's Talk About...Hunger (are you hungry? or is it a part?) 01/16/2024

Let's Talk About...Hunger (are you hungry? or is it a part?) I have a question for you: are you hungry? If your answer is yes, how can you tell? If your answer is no, how you can tell? And if your answer is, I have no idea, you're in the right place! Not surprisingly, the topic of hunger comes up a lot with my clients. It's hard to talk about eating and food issues without talking about hunger. And one of the questions I hear a lot is: Am I hungry? Or is it a part? How can I tell??? If this is a question that's come up for you too, then this week's podcast is right up your alley. Hunger can be confusing for many of us, even though it's really very simple. Hunger is just our body's way of telling us it needs food. Simple. But it's become a thing. Especially for womxn. Diet culture has taught us to ignore, distrust, and even fear our hunger. How many times have you heard one of these lines: You're not hungry--you're bored. If you're hungry, just drink some water. Be sure to eat every 2-3 hours so you never get hungry. Advice like this just teaches you to ignore what your body is telling you. That's essentially like ignoring your body when it tells you to sleep. To use the bathroom. To sneeze. Imagine telling someone, hey--if you're thirsty, just go eat a steak. How preposterous is that???? And yet that's the same thing as drinking water when you're hungry. Thirst isn't hunger. Water isn't food. On this week's podcast, we're talking about the topic of hunger and everything that comes with. We're discussing: The difference between physical and emotional hunger (i.e. am I hungry or is this a part?) How to notice physical hunger cues What may be blocking you from noticing your hunger cues, such as: Never being taught to notice them Chronic dieting that taught you to ignore or fear hunger Trauma Body hatred What hunger may mean to you We're also talking about the fact that hunger is normal! It shouldn't be ignored or feared. It's just your body telling you it needs fuel. So, if you had a hard time answering my question above, or if you have a difficult time noticing or connecting to your hunger cues, definitely take a listen! Click below for information on my upcoming groups: Where to find me: Therapy website (for therapists and practitioners): Coaching website (for non-therapists): /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/29501603

Let's Talk About...the Scale (to weigh or not to weigh) 01/03/2024

Let's Talk About...the Scale (to weigh or not to weigh) Quick trigger warning here: lots of talk today about diets and the scale. If you're not up for it, no worries--just skip it. It’s January, and you know what that means. It’s diet season. Ugh....I turned on the tv this morning and saw an ad for a diet program within five seconds. About one minute later, there was one for a weight loss medication. Yep. We'll be completely inundated with ads for diet programs, gyms, medications, etc. for the next few weeks. And it’s hard not to get dragged into all of this, isn’t it? I sometimes have parts that will think, "Maybe we should do that" when they see this information nonstop. It's hard not to think that. But this podcast isn't about diet culture and whether or not you should be dieting or focusing on weight. It's about one aspect of diet culture: the scale. In a new series called "Let's Talk About...," we'll be focusing on various topics related to emotional eating, IFS, diet culture, body image, etc. These are the topics that have been on my list for awhile, so I'm getting to them this season. And whether or not to step on that scale has been on that list for quite awhile now. On this week's podcast, we talk a little about the history of the scale, and then move into a discussion on whether or not to weigh yourself. And of course the answer to that comes down to parts. Who is the part that's leading you to the scale? Why are they wanting you to weigh yourself? And more importantly, what are they afraid will happen if you don't step on that scale? We also talk a bit about the polarizations within many of our systems related to weight and the scale, and how the scale is related to the this idea that we can and should be controlling our bodies. We end on how to approach the scale at your physician's office. So if you have a complicated relationship with the scale (who doesn't?), this one's for you! And if you're an IFS or IFS-informed therapist or practitioner who's curious about how to help your clients with food and body issues, join me for the ! We’ll be covering such topics as helping clients get to know their eating parts, working with polarizations, legacy burdens, body image, and Self-led eating. We'll be meeting as a group every other Monday from 12:00-2:00 pm EST starting on January 22nd, and you also get two individual consultation sessions with me over the course of the master class to use however you choose. Head to check it out! Where to find me: Therapy website (for therapists and practitioners): Coaching website (for non-therapists): /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/29318373

Navigating the Holiday Food Minefield with the Help of IFS 12/20/2023

Navigating the Holiday Food Minefield with the Help of IFS Here we are, smack-dab in the middle of holiday season. Maybe the holiday you celebrate has passed already, and all you have left is New Years. Or maybe it hasn't happened yet. Either way, we're not done yet! I don't have to tell you that the holidays can be a really tough time of year for people who struggle with food. This time of year can feel like a food minefield that's nearly impossible to navigate. I think there are few reasons for this. First off, food is everywhere right now. It's hard to resist. And some of it is food that you only get this time of year, so there's a real pull to dive in. In addition to that, the holidays can be really stressful. It just seems like there's too much to do, and not enough time to do it. From all of the expectations we put on ourselves to all of the expectations that others put on us, it can feel really overwhelming. And finally, if this time of year brings up difficult emotions for many of us. Maybe family gatherings are difficult to attend. Or you're feeling isolated. Or you're remembering loved ones who are no longer here. Yes, lots of strong emotions are brought up this time of year. So if you're someone who turns to food to manage stress, comfort yourself, or distract from painful emotions, this is a tough time of year, to be sure. But as difficult as it may be, it's not impossible. And here's where IFS can be really helpful. On this week's podcast, we're talking about why this time of year can be so difficult in terms of food and how to navigate it with the help of IFS. Some of what we're talking about is: Remembering that the parts that lead us to food are trying to help us! Maintaining realistic expectations for ourselves Setting boundaries The need for curiosity and compassion Regularly checking in with parts We're almost across the finish line! You got this! But if you need a little extra help, take a listen to this week's podcast! And if you're really curious about your own eating system and/or helping your clients with theirs, I have some exciting groups for you! Where to find me: Therapy website (for therapists and other helping professionals): Coaching website (for non-therapists): /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/29160178

Are You Healthy? (what does that even mean?) 12/04/2023

Are You Healthy? (what does that even mean?) What comes to mind when I ask you this question: Are you healthy? My guess is, if your answer is "yes," you started running down a list of physical metrics that support your answer. Like, your recent bloodwork was good, you exercise regularly, you "eat right." I'm also going to guess that if your answer is "no," you also ran down a list of physical metrics that support your answer. Things like, I don't workout enough, I don't eat "good" enough, my A1C is too high. But here's my other question: why, when I asked about health, did you only focus on your physical health? (Unless of course you focused on other things and if that's the case, good for you!) We seem to live in a world where when we think of health and wellness, we only think about our physical body. But in reality, there are eight different aspects of health. Yeah--I didn't know that either. Any idea what they are? See if you can guess...I'll wait... How many of these did you get: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and environmental. Eight different aspects of health. I think that's really important to remember, and I'll tell you why. First of all, there is so much more to us than just our physical bodies. We all have relationships to nurture, jobs to do, money to manage, and brains to build. And, of course, we all have feelings and emotions that are incredibly important to attend to as well. And secondly, we live in a world that equates weight with health. So when we focus predominantly on physical health, we tend to focus far too much on weight. And that can be really damaging to the other aspects of health. I've seen time and time again clients who are essentially engaging in disordered eating in order to achieve a weight that (supposedly) makes them physically healthy (I say supposedly because weight loss does not always result in a marked improvement in health. In fact, weight loss very often leads to weight gain, and this cycle can damage your physical health) That's not health. I can't say that often enough or loud enough. Damaging your emotional health for the sake of physical health isn't health. Period end of story. On this week's podcast, we're talking about what being healthy actually means, and how to make sure you're doing what contributes to good health for you. Spoiler alert: it may not be what the rest of the world says it is. I think this is a really important topic as we head into the holiday season (because I'm guessing you have parts that are concerned about all of the holiday treats in your near future and whether or not eating them is "healthy") and of course into January (when diet culture BS will be in full-swing!). Take a listen! /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/28912173

How to Accept Your Body and Show it Gratitude 11/22/2023

How to Accept Your Body and Show it Gratitude It's Thanksgiving week here in the US, and that always brings up the topic of gratitude. Last season at this time, I did an episode called (the two things being our body and our emotional eating behaviors), and this season I'm doing something similar. But this time, I'm just focusing on giving thanks to your body. Since most of us tend to be at least mildly critical of our bodies, I think there's always a need for talking about showing them gratitude. My guess is, even if you listened to last year's podcast and dozens of others just like it, you didn't do a complete 180 on how you feel about your body (but if you did, woo-hoo!). The feelings and beliefs our parts carry about our bodies run deep. And since we've all grown-up with a barrage of messages teaching us to hate our bodies, I think we need a barrage of messages teaching us how to accept them. And part of acceptance is gratitude. Since I like to try to sound intelligent, I googled the word gratitude so that I could quote the exact meaning. Here it is: "the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness." I have to say, I didn't think that the Oxford dictionary would include the word kindness when it defined gratitude, but I love that it did. So in addition to showing your body acceptance and gratitude, let's add kindness in there too. It sounds so simple doesn't it? Maybe it can be. On this week's podcast, we're talking about how to show your body gratitude. And that doesn't mean standing in front of the mirror and saying things that you know you're supposed to say to yourself but that you don't mean. There's nothing about that that's helpful. Instead, we're talking about how to truly show your body some gratitude. And we're checking in with our parts while we're doing it. All bodies deserve respect, gratitude, acceptance, and kindness. And if those are something that you struggle with, this is the episode for you. Take a listen! Where to find me: Therapy website: Coaching website: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/28753163

Nutrition Therapy Through an IFS Lens, with Diana Dugan Richards 11/07/2023

Nutrition Therapy Through an IFS Lens, with Diana Dugan Richards On this week's episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with , a Nutrition Therapist with a private practice (Namaste Nutrition) in Watertown, MA. As a registered, licensed dietitian for 25 years and nutrition therapist since 2011 and from a springboard of yoga and exercise philosophy, Diana offers nutrition counseling in a weight-neutral approach and sets a foundation of curiosity for clients to discover and shift into their own eating philosophy and beliefs. Diana is also a Certified IFS practitioner and combines her skills in IFS, Ayurveda nutrition, and yoga therapy to guide clients toward achieving integration and balance in their relationship with food. In other words, she does things very differently than most dietitians! Diana is a level 3 trained Certified IFS Practitioner and as you'll notice during our discussion, Diana approaches her clients with huge amounts of curiosity and compassion, allowing them to explore the parts of them that are using food in various ways. Diana also talks about what she calls the "erroneous beliefs" that we've all learned from diet culture. She gives the example of, "If you're really hungry, the apple looks good." "When there's a shouldn't we hear inside, there's always a should." Other points that we discuss: The prevalence of polarities within peoples' systems. Cultural body ideals and how body diversity "has been with us for centuries" Why Intuitive Eating and/or Health at Every Size doesn't work for everyone The importance of listening to your body and how Diana works with clients to notice the parts of them that aren't noticing their body's cues And yes, we talk a little about weight loss and how focusing on that often backfires for people. Diana is incredibly knowledgeable, open, and curious, and I'm so thankful for the work that she's doing. Take a listen! Where to find Diana: Book: Where to find me: Therapy website: Coaching website: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/28546202

When Did Your Relationship with Food Begin? (Hint: it may have started with your grandmother) 10/23/2023

When Did Your Relationship with Food Begin? (Hint: it may have started with your grandmother) We've talked before about how your relationship with food starts on day one. And I used to think of "day one" as being in utero, or even infancy. But I was wrong about that. Your relationship with food has the possibility of starting three generations ago. Like with your grandmother. Let me explain. I've been reading the book by Mark Wolynn, which you may have read. The book talks about inherited family trauma and how we now know that trauma is passed down through our DNA. There's no way that I can possibly understand how all of that works, but it got me thinking about food. If trauma is passed down, that includes food trauma. And there's not a person on this planet who has an ancestral line that hasn't experienced some type of food trauma, i.e. food scarcity. Which means that you may be carrying some of the trauma of your ancestor's food trauma. That part isn't actually news--us IFS folks talk about legacy burdens all the time. And we absolutely get handed beliefs and messages about food and bodies from our families. But since food is a basic need that's absolutely necessary for survival, your ancestor's experience with it could very well have gotten passed on to you. In the book, Mr. Wolynn explains how all of us have been in potential since our grandmother was pregnant with our mothers, since your mother's eggs were being created during your grandmother's pregnancy. So your grandmother's experience with food could have had an impact on you. If she was experiencing scarcity and wasn't able to eat in a nourishing way, that impacted you. And of course your mother. And how your mother's experience with food most definitely had an impact on you as well. On this week's podcast, we're talking all about how far back this goes, and how it may be influencing your relationship with food now. And we're also talking about how your caregiver's response to your food needs has very likely shaped your relationship with food. For example, if your hunger needs weren't attended to, you may have disconnected from your hunger cues very early on. You may still have difficulty noticing hunger and fullness cues because you had to suppress them for so long. I find all of this fascinating, and illuminating, and I hope that you do too. Take a listen! Where to find me: Therapy website: Coaching website: /episode/index/show/eeandee/id/28401911

The Emotional Eating (and Everything Else) Podcast

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