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Understanding Disordered Eating

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Understanding
Disordered Eating Podcast

 

 

Each week we explore the deeper meaning of our relationship with food and our body. I interview experts in the field of eating disorders and psychoanalysis to bring you the answers about why you do the things you do and bring you one step closer to a healthier relationship with food and yourself.  

 
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What People Got Incredibly Wrong About Eating Disorders

In this episode, I’m talking about how the media’s (and beyond) portrayal is not only wildly inaccurate but also dangerously misleading. That “sick enough” myth? It’s real. And let’s be honest, it’s all kinds of messed up. I’m unraveling the reason why those 19-year-old, emaciated models aren’t the majority, and how most people don’t fit neatly into a category. 

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Women's Hormones, Body Image, and Facts with Dr. Esther Rollhaus

We’re diving into the whirlwind of women’s health across the lifespan, from puberty (hello, acne and mood swings) to pregnancy (goodbye, all those shoes that are now too small) and beyond. Spoiler alert: expecting your body to stay the same through all this? Delusional. This isn’t just about biology. It’s about expectations. Why are we so hard on our bodies for doing what they’re literally designed to do?

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Cracking the Confidence Code: Part 2

Confidence isn’t about magically feeling good 24/7. It’s about learning how to trust yourself, even when you feel like a mess. We’ll be unpacking the "5 C's of Confidence" — Compassion, Curiosity, Courage, Connection, and, of course, Confidence — and showing you how to turn anxiety-fueled meltdowns into moments of growth.

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The Secret Sauce for Building Confidence: Part 1

In this episode, I’m diving into what actually builds confidence: relationships. Real ones. Consistent, validating, non-judgy, "I-got-you" type of relationship. The kind that reminds you you’re worthy, even when you’re sporting your least flattering sweatpants. 

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Fundamentally Disagree? The Key to Navigating Challenging Situations and Interactions with Jenna Hollenstein, MS, RD, CDN

Today we’re diving into something a little different: the dynamics of conversations themselves—specifically, how we’re terrible at them when things get heated. It’s about division, harm, and why we’re so quick to throw each other under the bus the second someone says the wrong thing. But more importantly, it’s about what comes next—repair, nuance, and figuring out how the heck we keep talking when everything feels broken.

In this episode, I’m joined by Jenna Hollenstein. Together, we’re talking about what’s happening in the field, how we navigate division, and what it looks like to move from conflict to connection.

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FBT Do's and Don't with Suzannah Neufeld, MFT, CEDS-C

In this episode, I’m joined by Susannah Neufeld—a licensed psychotherapist, certified eating disorder specialist and consultant, author, and all-around badass about how FBT turns the chaos of food fights into moments of healing. Spoiler alert: it’s as heartwarming as it is messy.

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Body Image is the Last to Go

Body image is complex, deeply personal, and tangled up in a lifetime of cultural, familial, and social messages. And newsflash—changing your body won’t magically deliver the love, confidence, and belonging you’re hoping for. If it did, then everyone with a so-called “ideal” body would be living in bliss, right?

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Fatness Doesn't Mean What You Think with Chelsea Levy, RD

Let’s be real: there’s a lot of confusion surrounding weight, health, and chronic illnesses like diabetes and PCOS. And if you’re like me, you’re probably tired of hearing the same old, tired advice. There are so many mixed messages when it comes to health and body size. Especially this myth that being in a larger body means you’re unhealthy. 

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Why Your Doctor Doesn't Need to Weigh You with Dr. Mara Gordon

In this episode, we cut through the jargon and get real about why BMI and weight-centric health advice might be doing more harm than good. Dr. Gordon shares her experiences, both personal and professional, that led her to ditch the "lose weight" script and actually listen to her patients. Spoiler: turns out, telling someone in a larger body to “just lose weight” is about as helpful as reminding them to drink water.

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Non-Food Eating Disorder Recovery Must Have

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 company. I mean, who doesn’t love the thrill of risking utter humiliation over finger foods and small talk, right? Spoiler alert: I don’t.

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Social Media and Eating Disorders with Lily Thrope, LCSW

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 love-hate relationship with it, and it’s the same story when it comes to how it impacts our relationship with food and body image. But, hey, why delete Instagram when you can just add more stress to your life, right?

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Caring Less About What Others Think

We’re talking about the age-old dilemma: caring way too much about what others think. And guess what? It’s not about magically not caring—because, spoiler alert, that’s just not human. Instead, we’re going to explore how to care in a way that doesn’t consume you and helps you navigate those tricky situations without becoming a people-pleasing puddle or a self-doubting wreck. 

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ADHD and Eating Disorders with Brittany Modell MS, RD, CDN

ADHD + a complicated relationship with food = a recipe for disaster. Am I right? If you’ve ever found yourself forgetting key ingredients at the grocery store or using snacks to calm your brain from its chaotic circus act. If you're nodding along and thinking, "Yep, that's me," then listen up. 

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Prevention with Marcy Forta

Flashback to your teenage years. What a blissful, uncomplicated time... said no one ever. Adolescence can be a confusing time—so confusing, in fact, that most of us can’t even make sense of our own teenage years even as adults. Prevention happens during these years, and because of that they are complicated.

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Normal Moms and Disordered Eating

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 grabbing the entire pint of ice cream, then stick with me, because I’m talking to you.

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Are Eating Disorders Considered Addictions? with Iris Epstein RD, CDCES, CEDS-S, CAI

It’s easy to think of eating disorders as, well, a disorder. But when we start to really dive into the nitty gritty, are they actually considered an addiction? We’ve all heard people throw the word “addiction” around casually, right? Like, "I'm addicted to coffee," or,  "I’m addicted to this podcast" (which, let’s be real, you probably are). But what happens when we start talking about it in the context of serious eating disorders? That’s where things get a bit sticky. Spoiler: This isn’t the food addiction conversation.

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The Problem With Our Culture and How To Change It with Michael Levine, Ph.D., FAED

How do we challenge cultural norms when society has a strong perception of how things “should” be? Cultural and environmental factors undeniably influence our understanding and experience of our relationship with food and our bodies. But, let’s reconsider them. This is an opportunity to examine how our personal, professional, and political actions can drive meaningful change.

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Cliff Notes: Everything You Need to Know About Eating Disorder Treatment Before You Begin

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 crash course—because who doesn't love a good cliff notes version?

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Substance Use and Eating Disorders with Sydney Greene

Have you ever noticed how sometimes substance use and eating disorders are intertwined? It turns out, these issues like to hang out together more often than not, complicating treatment and recovery. So, why do we keep these so separate in our conversations? There’s this illusion that some people can juggle their substance use with such precision. Spoiler alert: it's not as glamorous as it sounds.

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Eating Disorder Recovery Cannot Happen Without This

Here’s the thing: when you eat regularly and enough, a domino effect happens. Your food obsessions disappear, your physical health improves, and your focus, memory, and mood are back to a “normal” baseline.

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About Rachelle Heinemann Therapy - Brooklyn NYC LMHC.png
 

Meet Your Host

Rachelle is a licensed mental health counselor, eating disorder and analytic therapist. 

Rachelle works with clients in New York City and Brooklyn to make sense of life’s messy emotional experiences.

More About Rachelle