The Full of Beans Podcast

Hannah Hickinbotham
  • 5.0 (6)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Full of Beans Podcast: Sharing the Unheard Voices in Eating Disorders Eating disorders are complex, often misunderstood, and wrapped in layers of stigma. That’s why Full of Beans is here - to open up the conversation and foster understanding through real, raw, and research-backed discussions. Hosted by Han, founder of Full of Beans and passionate mental health advocate, this podcast explores eating disorders through the lens of lived experience, clinical expertise, and the latest research. Each week, Han sits down with guests, including individuals with firsthand experiences, clinicians, researchers, and charities, who all share one goal: to raise awareness, challenge misconceptions, and support those affected by eating disorders. With a mix of heartfelt stories and professional insights, Full of Beans is a space for education, advocacy, and connection. Whether you're navigating your own eating disorder journey, supporting a loved one, or working in the mental health field, this podcast is here to provide knowledge, compassion, and hope. Join us in creating a community where eating disorders are understood, and no one feels alone in their struggles. (Please note: This podcast is for awareness and education purposes and is not a substitute for professional therapeutic support.)

  1. The GLP-1 Conversation: Why Nuance and Psychological Support Matter with Dr Courtney Raspin

    6D AGO

    The GLP-1 Conversation: Why Nuance and Psychological Support Matter with Dr Courtney Raspin

    Today I'm joined by Dr Courtney Raspin, a Chartered Counselling Psychologist and Clinical Director of Altum Health, a specialist eating disorders and mental health clinic in London. Courtney has over 25 years of clinical experience, including a decade in one of the NHS's largest eating disorder services. She's just co-authored a book called The Weight Loss Prescription with psychiatrist Dr Max Pemberton (available 26th Feb!) - a book about the psychology of GLP-1 weight loss medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro. Given her background in eating disorders, Courtney has a nuanced perspective on weight loss medications, which I think is really important to hear. If you’re in eating disorder recovery and feeling unsettled by the rise of GLP-1 medications… if you’ve noticed feelings of jealousy, confusion or fear around them… or if you’re trying to understand where health support ends and diet culture begins, this conversation is for you. Key Takeaways: How Courtney’s work in eating disorders shaped her approach to weight managementThe warning signs of high drive for thinnessWhy weight loss doesn’t automatically improve body imageThe difference between body neutrality and body positivityWhy GLP-1 medications aren’t inherently harmfulThe risks of unregulated access, online prescribing, and counterfeit medicationThe various causes of “food noise” and why GLP-1 medications may helpWhat psychological support in weight management actually involvesCourtney’s guidance on GLP-1s and eating disorder recoveryTimestamps: 00:00 Courtney’s journey into weight management05:00 Body neutrality and realistic body image work08:30 Understanding GLP-1s: benefits, risks and misconceptions12:00 Food noise and why context matters16:00 The psychological work behind lasting change21:00 Health vs the thin ideal27:00 Tensions within the ED field and professional responses31:30 What to consider before starting GLP-1s34:30 Courtney’s book and final adviceResources & Links Follow @drcourtneyraspin on InstagramConnect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating), restriction, weight loss, GLP-1 medications, and body image. Please take care when listening. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    39 min
  2. A Mother’s Story of Navigating Sensory Sensitivities, ARFID and Family Life with Jo Read

    FEB 9

    A Mother’s Story of Navigating Sensory Sensitivities, ARFID and Family Life with Jo Read

    In this episode of Full of Beans, Han is joined by Jo Read, a mum to two daughters, ARFID advocate and 1/3 of 3 Mums 1 Mission ARFID. Jo's youngest daughter, Ethel, is diagnosed with ARFID and is awaiting an autism assessment. Since supporting Ethel through her sensory-based eating difficulties, Jo has poured her energy into raising awareness, because when you’re living it, ARFID can feel unbelievably isolating. If you’re a parent or carer navigating food fears, sensory sensitivities, “helpful” comments that aren’t helpful, and the constant planning that comes with ARFID, this one is for you. You’re not doing it wrong. You’re responding to a very real, very complex need. Key Takeaways: The reality of ARFID as a genuine fear that can override hungerSensory sensitivities (texture, smell, predictability) are at the core of ARFIDWhy consistency and familiarity make certain foods feel saferThe limits of BMI as a marker of health in children with arfidHow sensory overload at mealtimes can increase food avoidanceThe impact of ARFID on family life, routines, siblings and social plansWhy “just stop feeding them” advice doesn’t work for ARFIDThe value of community, advocacy and finding people who understandHow progress in ARID can look small but still be meaningfulTimestamps: 00:00 Jo’s story and Ethel’s ARFID diagnosis02:20 Early Signs of ARFID 05:30 BMI and Nutrition10:50 Safe foods, Predictability and Super Senses 14:10 The Sensory Overload of Eating 17:00 Family Impact: Days Out, Siblilngs, Friends20:20 Social Judgement and Support29:00 Looking Ahead and Slow ProgressResources & Links Follow @eff_and_arfid on InstagramListen to the 3Mums1Mission ARFID PodcastConnect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, ARFID. Please take care when listening. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    37 min
  3. A Mother’s Story of Navigating ARFID, Anxiety and Autism with Sarah Woodruff

    FEB 2

    A Mother’s Story of Navigating ARFID, Anxiety and Autism with Sarah Woodruff

    In this episode of Full of Beans, Hannah is joined by Sarah Woodruff, mum to Grace and 1/3 of the podcast 3Mums1MissionARFID. Sarah co-created the podcast after feeling deeply isolated navigating her daughter’s eating difficulties, wanting to create a space where parents could hear stories that reflected their own and feel less alone. In this conversation, Sarah shares Grace’s journey in more depth, including the years of uncertainty, dismissal, escalation, and the ongoing reality of supporting a child with ARFID and autism. This episode is for parents, carers, and SEN professionals who are feeling unheard or wondering whether they’re “overreacting.” It offers reassurance that you’re not imagining it, permission to trust your instincts, and comfort in knowing that others have walked a similar path. Above all, it’s a reminder that ARFID is complex, individual, and never a result of bad parenting. Key takeaways: What ARFID can look like beyond early childhoodWhy the term “late-onset ARFID” deserves questioning.How autism, sensory overwhelm and anxiety can affect eatingWhy emetophobia (fear of vomiting) can make eating feel genuinely unsafeHow school stress and transitions can exacerbate ARFID in childrenHow ARFID differs from “fussy eating” How food avoidance can lead to weight loss, distress, or social isolationHow lowering pressure around food can support ARFID recoveryThe power of parental intuition, even when professionals dismiss concernsTimestamps: 02:50 Grace’s early eating and when things began to change07:40 Anxiety, school stress, and the escalation of food restriction10:10 ARFID, emetophobia, and reaching crisis point13:30 Hospital care, NG tube feeding, and diagnosis22:50 Autism, masking, and questioning “late-onset” ARFID29:00 What helped: reducing pressure and rebuilding safety36:20 A message for parents who are questioning themselvesResources & Links Listen to the 3Mums1Mission ARFID PodcastConnect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, ARFID, NG tube feeding. Please take care when listening. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    44 min
  4. A Mother’s Story of Navigating ARFID, Choking Fears and PEG Feeding with Michelle Jacques

    JAN 26

    A Mother’s Story of Navigating ARFID, Choking Fears and PEG Feeding with Michelle Jacques

    In this week's episode, Han is joined by Michelle Jacques. Michelle is a devoted mum of two who has lived with ARFID since her son started weaning. Through her own experience of supporting her son with ARFID, she has become a passionate advocate, working tirelessly to raise awareness and support others navigating life with this complex food intake disorder. She is the founder of @arfid_life_uk, where she raises awareness of ARFID by sharing her family's experience. This episode holds space for the grief, the guilt, the fight, and also the hope, including the unexpected shift Michelle has seen as her son’s body becomes nourished again. This week, we discuss: What ARFID can look like and how it can go beyond “picky eating.”How sensory differences, autistic eating, and ARFID can overlapHow illness can trigger choking fears and a trauma response that reinforces food avoidanceWhat it’s like when a child’s intake drops to just a couple of “safe” itemsWhat a PEG (gastrostomy tube) is and how PEG feeding can support ARFIDThe emotional impact of PEG decisions for parents, including grief andguiltWhy nutrition can change anxiety, rigidity, and capacityThe role of advocacy in ARFID awarenessHow to document ARFID symptoms to report to a doctorTimestamps: 03:10 Sensory differences, autism, and how ARFID developed over time07:40 Illness, choking fears, and how trauma can collapse food intake09:15 Hospitalisation: constipation and appendix surgery18:30 What a PEG is (and what people often misunderstand about it)29:40 How PEG feeding can support ARFID41:30 Guilt, grief, and learning to let the feelings exist45:10 ARFID Advocacy workResources & Links Follow @arfid_life_uk on InstagramListen to the 3Mums1Mission ARFID PodcastConnect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, ARFID, NG tube feeding. Please take care when listening. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    55 min
  5. Voices of Experience in Eating Disorders with Kel O'Neill

    JAN 19

    Voices of Experience in Eating Disorders with Kel O'Neill

    Kel O’Neill is a UK-based counsellor, educator, researcher, and lived-experience advocate specialising in eating disorders. She is the founder of Mental Health Bites, creator of The Eating Disorder Recovery Companion, and the curator of VOXED – Voices of Experience in Eating Disorders. Kel’s work focuses on ethical, trauma-informed practice, challenging stigma, and bridging the gap between lived experience and professional knowledge. This week, we discuss: What VoxED is and why Kel created it.Why eating disorder education often feels inaccessible, and what VoxED is doing differently.How VoxED broadens “lived experience” to include clinicians, carers, researchers and community voices.Why lived experience shouldn’t be tokenistic, and how it can be valued as expertise.Why the eating disorder field needs shared spaces for nuanced, difficult conversations.How recovery goes beyond food and weight to identity, meaning and living.Timestamps: 00:00: What is VoxED?02:10 :Where did the idea began (EDAW 2021)05:10: Who's speaking at VoXED06:40: Moving beyond “tick-box” lived experience08:10: The purpose of VoxED: shared space + shared power14:40: Why change has been slow in eating disorders (and what’s missing)21:10: Recovery beyond food and weight: identity, meaning, and living42:10: VoxED details: date, access, recordings, and low-cost ticketsVoxED conference details: Date: Friday 13th FebruaryFormat: Fully online (9:00–18:30, with breaks)Tickets: self-select pricing options £20 / £37 / £50Resources & Links Follow Kel on Instagram (@kel_mhb)Visit Kel's website (www.counsellingandtraining.co.uk) to find out more about VOXEDSubscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeIf you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    47 min
  6. 3 Mum’s 1 Mission ARFID (Part 1) with Michelle Jacques, Sarah Woodruff and Jo Read

    JAN 12

    3 Mum’s 1 Mission ARFID (Part 1) with Michelle Jacques, Sarah Woodruff and Jo Read

    In this week's episode, Han is joined by Michelle Jacques, Sarah Woodruff and Jo Read. Together, they are the hosts of 3Mums1MissionARFID, which is on a mission to raise awareness regarding ARFID as a result of their experience of navigating their own experience of supporting their children with ARFID. This week, we discuss: What ARFID is and how it differs from “fussy eating”How sensory sensitivity, gag reflexes, and nervous system overload affect eatingHow fear of choking and emetophobia (fear of vomiting) can drive food avoidanceHow illness and medical trauma can cause sudden drops in food intakeWhat it feels like to parent a child with ARFID, including guilt, grief, and constant vigilanceHow dismissal and judgment from professionals and others impact familiesWhat an ARFID diagnosis can offer, and where support often still falls shortHow NG and PEG feeding can become part of ARFID care and the complex emotions that come with itHow school stress, anxiety, and social pressures can contribute to late-onset ARFIDWhy peer connection and lived-experience support are so powerful for parentsTimestamps: 04:20 Why they started Three Mums One Mission: ARFID11:00 Jo: sensory sensitivity, gag reflex, and “typical” feeding advice that didn’t fit20:50 Michelle: illness triggers, supplements, and PEG feeding32:00 Sarah: late-onset ARFID, school anxiety, crisis point + hospital experienceResources & Links Follow @3Mums1MissionARFID on Instagram Connect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, ARFID, NG tube feeding. Please take care when listening. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    53 min
  7. How Hypnotherapy Can Support Disordered Eating Recovery with Melanie Davies

    JAN 5

    How Hypnotherapy Can Support Disordered Eating Recovery with Melanie Davies

    In this week’s episode of Full of Beans, Hannah is joined by Melanie Davies, a sleep and stress consultant and clinical hypnotherapist, to explore how hypnotherapy can support anxiety regulation, emotional overwhelm, and disordered eating patterns. Together, Hannah and Melanie unpack what hypnotherapy actually involves, how it works with the emotional and unconscious mind, and why nervous-system-based approaches may help when behaviour-focused treatments feel limiting or incomplete. This week, we discuss: What clinical hypnotherapy is and how it differs from stage hypnosisHypnosis as a naturally occurring state of focused attentionThe role of the unconscious mind in habits, urges, and emotional eatingAnxiety, stress responses, and food-related coping behavioursEmotional regulation as a foundation for sustainable habit changeHypnotherapy as a complementary approach alongside existing treatmentUsing imagination to support neural rewiring and behaviour changeAnchoring techniques to support self-soothing and nervous system calmingEvidence and emerging research in hypnotherapy, disordered eating, and IBSEthical practice, contraindications, and the importance of assessmentTimestamps 02:10 – Why hypnosis isn’t “mind control” and what actually happens in session05:40 – Focused attention, suggestibility, and everyday hypnotic states09:10 – Emotional drivers of binge urges, restriction, and food noise13:30 – Individualised treatment and why one-size-fits-all approaches fall short16:50 – Reconnecting with bodily cues, fullness, and interoceptive awareness20:30 – Supporting long-term change: maintenance, self-hypnosis, and autonomy24:10 – Calming cortisol, anchors, and nervous system retraining27:50 – Clinical evidence: bulimia, impulsive eating, IBS and the gut-brain axis33:20 – Integration with medical care, ethics, and suitability36:00 – Accessing support and next stepsResources & Links Visit Melanie’s website: MelanieDaviesMindSolutions.comConnect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, disordered eating behaviours, anxiety, and binge eating. Please take care when listening. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    40 min
  8. Zara’s Story & The APPG Report: Preventing Eating Disorder Deaths

    12/29/2025

    Zara’s Story & The APPG Report: Preventing Eating Disorder Deaths

    In this week’s episode of Full of Beans, Hannah is joined by Debs Taylor, mum to Zara Taylor, to talk about Zara’s life, her battle with anorexia, and the new APPG report on preventing deaths from eating disorders, which is dedicated to Zara. Debs is the Operations and Project Manager at Dump the Scales CIC, bringing a unique blend of lived experience, organisational expertise, and campaign passion to the team. As a devoted parent and carer with over a decade supporting her daughter through an eating disorder, she has become a dedicated advocate for improved awareness, support, and systemic change. Debs also serves on the UK FEAST Executive team and represents FEAST within the Wales Eating Disorders Clinical Implementation Network. This conversation is a tribute to Zara’s kindness, courage and determination to recover, and a call for urgent change in how eating disorders are understood and treated. This week, we discuss: Zara's experience of anorexia and her diagnosis journeyZara's treatment experience of a decade of inpatient admissions Why being labelled “complex” triggered a sense of hopelessnessZara's motivation to recover and lack of clinical supportThe preventable loss of Zara and the devastation for her familyA look Inside the APPG “Prevention of Deaths” report Calls for a national strategy, proper training and real accountabilityTimestamps 05:00 – Zara’s early life, character, and dreams for the future10:00 – First signs of illness, delayed diagnosis and early admissions18:00 – Years in inpatient units: isolation, tube feeding and lack of continuity24:00 – “Complex cases”, blame, and the impact of hopeless language31:00 – Zara’s growing wish to recover and barriers to appropriate care36:00 – Zara’s death, the inquest, and why Debs believes it was preventable44:00 – Inside the APPG “Prevention of Deaths” report and its main asks52:00 – How listeners can support the campaign and honour Zara’s legacyResources & Links Visit the Dump the Scales website to read the APPG report and find out more.Connect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast hereFollow Full of Beans on Instagram hereCheck out our website hereListen on YOUTUBE here⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders and suicide. Please take care when listening. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    41 min
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5
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About

Full of Beans Podcast: Sharing the Unheard Voices in Eating Disorders Eating disorders are complex, often misunderstood, and wrapped in layers of stigma. That’s why Full of Beans is here - to open up the conversation and foster understanding through real, raw, and research-backed discussions. Hosted by Han, founder of Full of Beans and passionate mental health advocate, this podcast explores eating disorders through the lens of lived experience, clinical expertise, and the latest research. Each week, Han sits down with guests, including individuals with firsthand experiences, clinicians, researchers, and charities, who all share one goal: to raise awareness, challenge misconceptions, and support those affected by eating disorders. With a mix of heartfelt stories and professional insights, Full of Beans is a space for education, advocacy, and connection. Whether you're navigating your own eating disorder journey, supporting a loved one, or working in the mental health field, this podcast is here to provide knowledge, compassion, and hope. Join us in creating a community where eating disorders are understood, and no one feels alone in their struggles. (Please note: This podcast is for awareness and education purposes and is not a substitute for professional therapeutic support.)

Information

  • Creator
    Hannah Hickinbotham
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    257
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Full of Beans Podcast 2021
  • Show Website
    The Full of Beans Podcast

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