Understanding Disordered Eating: Eating Disorder Recovery and Body Image Healing
Episodes
194. 4 Ways Body Image Work Goes Wrong in Therapy
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever done all the "right" body image work, challenged the thoughts, said the affirmations, stared into the mirror like you were told to, and...
193. 4 Things We Mean When We Say "Let Go of Control" (And 1 Thing We Don't)
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"Eating disorders are about control." It's one of those phrases that gets repeated so often it starts to sound like an unquestionable truth. But when ...
192. The 5 Non-Negotiables of Eating Disorder Recovery
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Let's be honest: if eating disorder recovery were just about wanting it enough, none of us would be here. You'd read one book, listen to one podcast, ...
191. Why You Can Be Doing Everything Right and Still Feel Worse
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever hit that point where you're doing recovery "right" and instead of relief, you feel like absolute garbage? Like… you gave up the behavi...
190. Unmet Childhood Needs & Eating Disorders: Healing the Roots, Not Just the Symptoms
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever been told that you need to "heal the root" of your eating disorder, but no one ever really explained what that actually means, this epi...
189. What To Do When Treatment Feels Stuck (For Clinicians) with Jack Heinemann, LCSW-R, BCD
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Understanding Disordered Eating, I'm joined by Jack Heinemann for a live, supervision-style conversation that explores what's often...
188. How to Recover in a Weight Loss and GLP-1 Obsessed World
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever felt like you're living in a completely different reality than everyone around you? Like you're doing the hard, slow work of healing you...
187. Understand Hypothalamic Amenorrhea with Dr. Nicola Sykes (Rinaldi), PhD and Gemma Lewis
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You know when someone says, "Oh, that's normal", but something in your body clearly doesn't feel right? Maybe you've lost your period and brushed it o...
186. The Anti-Resolution: Listen to This Before You Make Your Resolutions
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
January has a way of making everything feel louder. The pressure to start over, "fix yourself", and come back "better" than before. If you've ever fel...
185. Emotional Eating at Night
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For so many of us, nighttime feels like stepping into a different version of ourselves. One that feels "fine" all day, but starts to unravel the momen...
184. Hope, Healing, and the Bucket List You Didn't Know You Needed with Dr. Jeffrey DeSarbo
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Struggling to find motivation in recovery, or trying to make sense of what keeps people pushing through something as painful as an eating disorder, op...
183. How Do I Work With Clients Who Don't Want to Gain Weight?
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you're supporting others or navigating your own process, this episode offers language and perspective to help you sit with the messiness rathe...
182. PCOS, Eating Disorders, and GLP-1's with Julie Duffy Dillon, MS, RDN, NCC, LDN, CEDS-C
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever wondered why PCOS feels so confusing, why the symptoms don't line up, why the advice is contradictory, why the solutions feel like gues...
181. What If I Relapse? Did I Fail?
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Relapse isn't the end of recovery. It's part of it. There's this moment that happens for so many people in recovery, that sinking feeling when you rea...
180. Will I Ever Feel Normal Around Food Again?
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever looked around and wondered how everyone else seems to have such an easy, peaceful relationship with food? They order what they want at r...
179. Trauma and Eating Disorders with Giulia Suro, Ph.D., CEDS
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The holidays are a time of joy, connection, and celebration. But they can also stir up difficult emotions, memories, and patterns, especially if you'v...
178. How to Quiet the Food Noise
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever felt like your mind just won't shut off about food? You're in a meeting, at school, or out with friends, and instead of focusing on what...
177. What Does Treatment for an Eating Disorder Actually Look Like?
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to eating disorder treatment, one of the biggest questions people have is simple: What does it actually look like? The reality is that t...
176. Body Image with Sydney Greene, MS, RDN
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever feel like nothing in your closet feels good, no matter how many outfits you try on? Or maybe you've found yourself spiraling about what people wi...
175. Real Recovery and How to Get There with Carolyn Costin, MA, MEd., MFT, CEDS, FAED
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it really mean to be fully recovered from an eating disorder? For decades, the conversation has been clouded by vague definitions, conflicti...
174. Is This An Eating Disorder or Disordered Eating?
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered where the line really is between disordered eating and a true eating disorder? It's not always as clear as we'd like to think. ...
From the Vault: The Neurobiology of Eating Disorders With Dr. Jeffrey DeSarbo, DO [Episode 23]
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While we're on summer break, we're bringing back some of the most impactful episodes that deserve a second listen—and this one is just too good to p...
From the Vault: Eating Disorders and the Mind/Body Disconnect with Danielle Novack, Ph.D [Episode 27]
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're diving into the archives this summer to bring you some of our most memorable and impactful conversations — and today's episode is just too goo...
From the Vault: The Connection Between Trauma and Eating Disorders with Heather Ferguson, LCSW [Episode 57]
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While we take a little breather, we're diving into the archives to bring you some of the most powerful, thought-provoking episodes from the past. Thes...
From the Vault: Examining the Harmful Implications of the AAP's Guidelines on Weight Loss Medication and Surgery for Children with Jessica Setnick, MS, RD, CEDRD-S [Episode 72]
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're continuing our summer throwback series with a powerful episode that's simply too important to leave behind. While we're taking a short break thi...
From the Vault: Food and Desire with Dr. Judith Brisman [Episode 73]
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're kicking off our summer throwback series with an episode that's just too good not to share again. While we take a little summer break, we'll be r...
173. Being Present and Eating Disorders
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Let's be honest—most of us would love to be the kind of person who "lives in the moment." You know, one of those magical unicorns who wakes up excit...
172. Imposter Syndrome and Eating Disorders
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If imposter syndrome were a person, most of us would be in a very toxic, on-again-off-again relationship with it. And just like any clingy ex, it love...
171. Healing the Hidden Wounds of Disordered Eating with Dr. Katheryn Zerbe
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we're diving back into the murky waters of secrets with none other than the incredible Dr. Katheryn Zerbe. If you've been around the UDE fam fo...
170. The Perfectionist Paradox
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is all about what happens when you combine years of working with people navigating eating disorders, a healthy dose of sarcasm, and way t...
169. Weight, Worth, and Why We're Still Talking About BMI with Dr. Erin Knopf
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Forget everything you think you know about eating disorders—this episode goes way beyond the old myths about "willpower" and "control." Today, we're...
168. Healing Binge and Emotional Eating
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I'm diving into the messy and complicated cycle of restriction and bingeing—not just with food, but with all the things we tell our...
167. How to Achieve Full Recovery with Ilene Fishman, LCSW-R, ACSW, FAED
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with therapist and author Ilene Fishman to explore what it really takes to achieve lasting recovery. We dive into the comp...
166. Exercise and Eating Disorder Recovery
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to exercise and movement, we believe it is this wonderfully balanced, healthy thing, right? But for a lot of us, it's… complicated. Ma...
165. Why Avoiding Your Feelings Makes Everything Worse with Jenna Hollenstein
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You know that feeling when you'd rather do literally anything than sit with your own emotions? Like, suddenly, cleaning out your junk drawer or reorga...
164. OCD and Eating Disorders
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
People like to say that OCD and eating disorders go together. They even sometimes like to use fancy words like "co-ocurring." Then they talk about how...
163. Clinicians in Recovery with Sarah Rzemieniak
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alright, let's be real—working in the eating disorder field while navigating your own relationship with food? That's messy. Like, "double-booked the...
162. Eating Disorders and Control
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever talked about eating disorders for more than five seconds, someone always drops the classic line: "It's not about the food; it's about c...
161. Eating Disorders and Low Self-Esteem
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alright, let's talk about self-esteem. Have you ever felt like you're just one awkward social interaction away from a full-blown identity crisis? Like...
160. Intuitive Eating Updates You Need to Know with Elyse Resch MS, RDN, CEDS-C, Fiaedp, FADA, FAND
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever felt that tiny bit of excitement about breaking a "food rule?" Like finally getting your hands on the "forbidden" chocolate cake, only t...
159. Your Eating Disorder Diagnosis Doesn't Matter
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many often question whether they're "sick enough" or feel like their struggles don't fit into a neat little box. So let's talk about it. This week, we...
158. Tools for Dissociation
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we're diving headfirst into practical tools to deal with dissociation —the kind of techniques that are handy to have when you feel ...
157. What People Got Incredibly Wrong About Eating Disorders
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The media often portrays eating disorders as affecting ultra-thin, hospital-bed-bound college girls. While this happens, it's not the majority of what...
156. Women's Hormones, Body Image, and Facts with Dr. Esther Rollhaus
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Picture this: you're 18, your body is one way. Then you blink, and suddenly you're navigating a new shape, new rules, and oh, a closet that betrays yo...
155. Cracking the Confidence Code: Part 2
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to 2025, where we're leaving behind unrealistic New Year's resolutions and that tired idea that confidence is about power poses and pretending...
154. The Secret Sauce for Building Confidence: Part 1
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I'm diving into what actually builds confidence: relationships. Real ones. Consistent, validating, non-judgy, "I-got-you" type of rel...
153. Fundamentally Disagree? The key to navigating challenging situations and interactions with Jenna Hollenstein, MS, RD, CDN
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You know that feeling when a conversation veers off the rails, but you can't look away because the train wreck is oddly fascinating? Yeah, we're about...
152. FBT Do's and Don't with Suzannah Neufeld, MFT, CEDS-C
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when "just eat" isn't the solution, and the stakes are literally life or death? Picture this: you're at the dinner table. Your teenager i...
151. Body Image is the Last to Go
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Body image is one of the most overused but essential topics in mental health. So why does poor body image seem to be the last clingy guest at the reco...
150. Fatness Doesn't Mean What You Think with Chelsea Levy, RD
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Body size does NOT equal health status. Let's be real: there's a lot of confusion surrounding weight, health, and chronic illnesses like diabetes and ...
149. Why Your Doctor Doesn't Need to Weigh You with Dr. Mara Gordon
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tweetable Quotes "It's pretty rare to find a doctor who practices from a weight-inclusive perspective." - Rachelle Heinemann "Obesity stigma is ext...
148. Non-Food Eating Disorder Recovery Must Have
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever stood on the brink of a party, heart racing, contemplating whether to take the plunge into a sea of social awkwardness, you're in good ...
147. Social Media and Eating Disorders with Lily Thrope, LCSW
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you are active on social media or not, it's probably had an impact on your life in one way or another. Let's be honest—most of us have a lov...
146. Caring Less About What Others Think
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Stop caring what others think about you. Now that I've got your attention, let me back up. We've all been there—so consumed by "what will they think...
145. ADHD and Eating Disorders with Brittany Modell MS, RD, CDN
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
ADHD + a complicated relationship with food = a recipe for disaster. Am I right? If you've ever found yourself forgetting key ingredients at the groce...
144. Eating Disorder Prevention with Dr. Marcy Forta
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Flashback to your teenage years. What a blissful, uncomplicated time... said no one ever. Adolescence can be a confusing time—so confusing, in fact,...
143. Normal Moms and Real Solutions
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Calling moms everywhere: if you have ever found yourself standing in front of the fridge, starving but too tired to decide between a sandwich or just ...
142. Are Eating Disorders Considered Addictions? with Iris Epstein RD, CDCES, CEDS-S, CAI
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are eating disorders actually a type of addiction? It's easy to think of eating disorders as, well, a disorder. But when we start to really dive into ...
141. The Problem With Our Culture and How To Change It with Michael Levine, Ph.D., FAED
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do we challenge cultural norms when society has a strong perception of how things "should" be? Cultural and environmental factors undeniably influ...
140. Cliff Notes: Everything You Need to Know About Eating Disorder Treatment Before You Begin
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The idea of eating disorder treatment can feel very overwhelming. If you aren't sure where to start, then this episode is for you. Think of it as your...
139. Fertility and Nutrition with Rachelle Mallik MA, RD, LDN
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How many old wives' tales have you heard about nutrition and fertility? More importantly, how often have doctors told you that intentional weight loss...
138. Substance Use and Eating Disorders with Sydney Greene, MS, RDN
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever noticed how sometimes substance use and eating disorders are intertwined? It turns out, these issues like to hang out together more ofte...
137. Eating Disorder Recovery Cannot Happen Without This
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Recovery is overwhelming. If it feels like trying to solve a Rubik's cube blindfolded, you're not alone. But guess what? There's one (okay, maybe two,...
136. Critical Thinking about Anti-Diet Messages
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"This intuitive eating thing is BS, I tried it and it didn't work." Sound familiar? Trust me, you're not alone. Today we're talking about another hot ...
135. Relationships with Eli Weinstein LCSW
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Saying "no" sometimes means saying "yes". Okay, don't let me misguide you here. What I mean, is that sometimes when you say "no" in one area of your l...
134. GLP Medications and Eating Disorders with Dr. Kim Dennis
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Remember the last time we dipped our toes into the hot world of Ozempic and other GLP meds? Yeah, we barely scratched the surface. The world is absolu...
133. 5 Tips for Summer and Body Image/"Out of Control" Food Struggles
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ah, summer—the time of year when the sun is blazing, the BBQs are sizzling, and the body image issues are... lurking. If the thought of putting on y...
132. Parents and Families with Judy Krasna from FEAST
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You know, parents have an intuition for a reason. If you ever feel like your child is getting worse or not receiving the right treatment, trust your g...
131. Real Nutrition Information Minus the Shame with Claire Chewning RDN
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you team strict diet or team intuitive eating? Or maybe, the team thing is kind of ridiculous. When it comes to nutrition, it often feels like we'...
130. So You Think Processed Foods Caused Obesity and the Answer is Weight Loss
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is really considered an "expert" opinion? When we talk about topics like weight loss or body positivity from an emotional angle, it's easy to pai...
129. The Deeper Meaning of Your Eating Disorder + What to Do About It with Karen Koenig MED, LCSW
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Communication shapes our world. The words we use don't just reflect our thoughts; they shape our experiences, both internally and in our relationships...
128. Sex and Eating Disorders with Dr. Judith Brisman
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Food, desire, intuition, and… sex. We often get stuck in the food and body image loop when discussing eating disorders. But let's be real, it's so m...
Special Announcement!
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Check out all of the things we have going on this month! Body Image. WTF Even Is it? - Body Image group hosted by myself and Sydney Green. Book your i...
127. Response to Washington Post's "As Obesity Rises, Big Food, and Dietitians Push 'Anti-Diet' Advice."
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"The food industry pays 'influencer' dietitians to shape your eating habits". Yep, you read that right. Recently, the Washington Post put out an artic...
126. Lying, Deception, and Eating Disorders with Tom Wooldridge, PsyD, ABPP, FIPA, CEDS-S
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last Episode in April! See you in May! From an early age, we're taught that lying is bad. But, is it? What drives someone to lie? Is all lying inhe...
125. Postpartum, Body Image, and Eating Disorders with Pam Skop LMHC, CEDS, RYT
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Pregnancy is beautiful (for some). Postpartum is raw. There is so much more to a person's fertility journey than just pregnancy. But there seems to be...
124. How the ED People Are Pushing the Masses Away
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Has the eating disorder community pushed the envelope a little too far? It's a nuanced conversation, one that doesn't lend itself to easy answers. As ...
123. The Beauty Ideal with Nechami Tennenbaum, CEO Defiance Beauty
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When we talk about eating disorders, the conversation often revolves around body image – from the harmful effects of body shaming to the empowering ...
122. Ozempic, Wegovy, & Mounjaro with Laura Cipullo RD CDCES, CEDRD-S, RYT
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone knows Ozempic. Everyone wants Ozempic. There's a sea of misinformation out there because medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro h...
121. The Comparison Trap and Eating Disorders
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"Here's what I eat in a day as an *insert social media influencer title here*" If you're active on social media, chances are you have scrolled through...
120. Disordered Eating VS Eating Disorder, Which Is It?
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There's a fine line between disordered eating and an eating disorder. These are terms we've all heard, but have you ever stopped to consider the diffe...
119. You Don't Look Like You Have an Eating Disorder
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"You don't look like you would have an eating disorder." Crazier things have never been said. Here's the thing, eating disorders don't have a look. It...
118. Navigating Parenthood and Eating Disorders With Dina Cohen, MS, RDN, CEDS-C
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Parenthood can be both beautiful and stressful. Firstly, it's okay to admit that. There are no sick days, there is no PTO, you work 24/7 shifts and yo...
117. Weight Loss and Eating Disorder Recovery
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Weight loss and Eating disorder treatments? Pft. Talk to the hand. Okay, let me clarify. This used to be my point of view. I couldn't quite understand...
116. Bariatric Surgery and Eating Disorders with Dr. Marianne Miller
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Just last year, The American Academy of Pediatrics put out (terrible) guidelines, that in a nutshell, give the "go-ahead" to evaluate children for wei...
115. How To Recover When Everyone Around You Is Dieting
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why does it feel like everyone is anti-recovery? It's like we live in this world where everyone is either dieting, jumping on a health trend, or count...
114. What Every Therapist Wished Psychiatrists Knew About Eating Disorders
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As a therapist, there are so many things I wish that psychiatrists knew when it comes to eating disorders. Now before we hash this out, here's my cav...
113. Highly Sensitive People and Eating Disorders
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Everybody has emotions. This isn't a new concept. However, in more recent years, we've started to give names to everything as a way to "label" each...
112. Medical Assistance In Dying and Eating Disorders with Dr. Anita Federici
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Let's get controversial. Can the concept of medical assistance in dying be used for individuals who are suffering from "severe" and persistent eati...
111: How To Eat When You Don't Feel Like It
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year! Can I be honest? I'm not a huge fan of New Year's resolutions. I get that there's this idea of a "new year, new me". There's almost li...
110: Body Positivity is a Farce + All Foods Are Not Equal
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, we delve into a crucial discussion about the evolving landscape of traditional eating disorder treatment. What comes to mind when ...
109. Kosher Eating Disorder Recovery for Orthodox Jews with Devorah Levinson
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Addressing the impact of eating disorders within the Orthodox Jewish community holds personal significance for me. Within this community, there are ma...
108. The 1 Thing That Affects Every Single Person with an ED
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
100% of people who struggle with their relationship with food, also struggle with assertiveness and boundaries. Okay, now that I have your attention, ...
107. The Rules of the Therapy Game with Dr. Dana Satir, PhD, CEDS
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you do therapy? Are there "rules"? What are they? Questions most of us have probably never considered before we start therapy. When we look at ...
106. How to Understand and Utilize Your Dreams to Maximize Growth with Jennifer Neely, LCSW-R
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What's the deal with our dreams? How often do you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night, from a crazy dream, wondering how you were even ...
105. The Root of Your Emotional Eating
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do we define binge eating? In this episode, we're diving into all things binge eating and emotional eating. We're breaking down what these term...
104. How Anti-Diet Culture Became Like Diet Culture with Jessica Brown
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There is no doubt that I disagree with diet culture. But recently I've been noticing that a lot of these things that frustrate me with this culture ar...
103. What To Do When You Feel Stuck with Sondra Kronberg
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling stuck isn't exclusive to one area of life; it can strike at any moment. Whether you're battling with your career, your relationships, or, as i...
102. My Kid's Being Bullied, ARFID, and More *Podcast Listener Questions Answered*
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Listener questions: answered. To be totally honest, my inbox has been filled with amazing questions from podcast listeners. While I usually integrate ...
101. How To "Deepen" the Treatment
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let's get personal. In the therapy world, sometimes we think that we want a CBT therapist, a psychodynamic therapist, a DBT therapist, or whatever oth...