The Full of Beans Podcast

Hannah Hickinbotham
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Mental Health
  • 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. 1d ago

    From Anorexia to Binge Eating: The Common Shift Few People Talk About with Emma Fairweather

    This week on the Full of Beans podcast, Han is joined by Emma Fairweather, a postdoctoral research scientist at the University of Liverpool. Alongside her day job, Emma volunteers with Empowered, an NHS programme across the North West of England that supports people with lived experience to help shape and improve eating disorder services. Emma shares her experience of the transition from anorexia to binge eating disorder, a shift that is common but rarely talked about. She also explains how she learned to rebuild trust in her body, and in her hunger and fullness cues, along the way. In this episode, we explore: Emma’s experience of anorexia and being diagnosed with binge eating disorderThe common but rarely discussed transition from anorexia to binge eatingThe unexpected similarities between anorexia and binge eating disorderHow “mental restriction” can continue even when eating looks normal to othersHow shame, more than fear, can keep an eating disorder goingRebuilding trust with your body and relearning hunger and fullness cuesHow diet culture erodes self-trust and can hinder recoveryEmma’s concerns about GLP-1 weight loss medications and eating disorder recoveryWhy an eating disorder might fully ‘disappear’, even once you’re “recovered”Connect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeFind out more about empowerednw here⚠️ Content Note: This episode discusses eating disorders, including anorexia and binge eating disorder, disordered eating behaviours, and weight loss medication. Please take care while listening. Thank you to Nightingale Hospital for sponsoring the podcast.

    From Anorexia to Binge Eating: The Common Shift Few People Talk About with Emma Fairweather

  2. Oct 26

    Caring for Daughters with Eating Disorders: A Parents Perspective with Veronica Kamerling

    This week on the Full of Beans podcast, Han is joined by Veronica Kamerling. Veronica, has over 24 years' experience supporting carers, drawing on her own lived experience of caring for two daughters with eating disorders and a brother with schizophrenia. She runs her own organisation, Eating Disorders & Carers, has worked alongside the NHS for over two decades, and has been recognised with the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Carer Contributor of the Year Award and an Eating Disorders National Award from Beat. At the heart of Veronica's work is a simple belief: carers should be heard, valued and recognised for the vital contribution they make. In this episode, we explore: Veronica's experience caring for two daughters , both with different eating disorders aWhat it was like navigating eating disorder services and support three decades agoWhy an eating disorder can be serious even when someone "looks well"The isolation and lack of understanding Veronica faced from friends and wider supportHow co-dependency developed in Veronica's caregiving, and the changes she made toLetting go of blame and guilt as a parent and the power of 'teamwork'The "triangle of care" and why carers need their own role, training and supportUsing a family genogram to understand generational patterns, and how it helped rebuild Veronica's relationship with her daughterConnect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Veronica on LinkedInLearn more about Veronica's work via her website here⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, and other mental health conditions. Please take care while listening. Thank you to @Nightingale Hospital for sponsoring the podcast.

    Caring for Daughters with Eating Disorders: A Parents Perspective with Veronica Kamerling

  3. Oct 19

    Is Full Recovery From an Eating Disorder Actually Possible? with Tiffany Luxford

    In this week's episode of Full of Beans, Han is joined by Tiffany Luxford. Tiffany is a 24-year-old psychology student at King's College London and an expert by experience, whose own journey with anorexia in her late teens now sits at the centre of both her professional focus and personal work. She contributes to co-production research and shares her story in the training of current and future clinicians, helping ensure the voices of people with lived experience remain central to how eating disorder care is shaped. Tiffany also works with services across the UK to help design more compassionate and accessible treatment pathways, and is soon launching The Recovery Wave, a website of resources for anyone navigating recovery, particularly those without access to care or who haven't yet found support that fits their needs. In this week's episode, we discuss: The bullying and social pressure that triggered Tiffany's eating disorderThe impact of unsuccessful A&E trips and delayed eating disorder interventionsFalling between adult and child eating disorder services during COVIDBeing discharged from eating disorder treatment at 18 due to age, not readinessGaps in eating disorder treatment caused by multiple diagnoses, including OCDWhy connection in eating disorder treatment supports and hinders recoveryWhy university became the turning point in Tiffany's eating disorder recoveryDebunking the myth that eating disorder thoughts "never go away"Tiffany's lived-experience resource for eating disorder recovery, Recovery Wave⚠️ Content note: this episode discusses eating disorders, inpatient treatment, and mental health diagnoses including OCD and personality disorder. Please take care while listening. Connect with us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Tiffany via LinkedIn or check out her Tedx Talk

    Is Full Recovery From an Eating Disorder Actually Possible? with Tiffany Luxford

  4. Oct 12

    What the Research Says: ARFID, Genetics and Neurodiversity with Dr Sam Chawner

    This week on the Full of Beans podcast, Han is joined by Dr Sam Chawner, a senior research fellow at Cardiff University. Sam's research explores the complex links between eating disorders, genetics, neurodiversity and mental health, with a focus on groups who have historically been overlooked in research and clinical practice. His work looks at ARFID (avoidant restrictive food intake disorder) , and he is involved in the NHS Wales ARFID Steering Group and the EDGI (Eating Disorder Genetics Initiative) study, working alongside Beat, and those with lived experience to shape the future of ARFID research and care. In this episode, we explore: The links between eating disorders, genetics and neurodiversityWhy ARFID is still so misunderstoodThe different types of ARFID, including the four subtypesThe overlap between ARFID and neurodivergenceWhat the first ARFID twin study foundThe gaps in ARFID treatment researchThe EDGI study, and how families can take partConnect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Sam on LinkedInFind out more about ARFID hereFind out more about EDGI study here⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, ARFID, restrictive eating, and fears around choking and vomiting. Please take care while listening. Thank you to @Nightingale Hospital for sponsoring the podcast.

    What the Research Says: ARFID, Genetics and Neurodiversity with Dr Sam Chawner

  5. Oct 5

    Redefining ARFID Recovery with ARFID Acceptance with Shikha Chopra

    This week on the Full of Beans podcast, Han is joined by Shikha Chopra, a lived experience advocate living with ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) who is currently navigating pregnancy. Shikha is also autistic and is a member of the ARFID Connect lived experience advisory group, led by Cardiff University. Her advocacy work stems from her own struggle accessing ARFID support through the NHS and her local eating disorder clinic, as well as her experience with recovery and prevention language that didn't fit how she lives with ARFID. In this episode, we discuss: How a traumatic episode of sickness became a turning point in Shikha's ARFIDWhat it felt like for Shikha to finally have a name for her strugglesHow Shikha's GP supported her through her ARFID diagnosisGaps in NHS eating disorder treatment for adults with ARFIDHow peer support groups helped Shikha find validation for her ARFID experienceWhy "acceptance" fit Shikha's ARFID better than "recovery"The link between ARFID, autism and OCDNavigating ARFID and autism through pregnancyAdvocating for her needs during maternity care with an autism health passportShikha's advice for accessing support for ARFID⚠️ Content note: this episode discusses ARFID, disordered eating, trauma, and pregnancy. Please take care while listening. Connect with us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeFind out more about ARFID Connect hereCheck out Beat ARFID Page hereCheck out First Steps info on ARFID here

    Redefining ARFID Recovery with ARFID Acceptance with Shikha Chopra

  6. Sep 28

    Silencing the Eating Disorder Gremlins: Anorexia, ADHD & Inpatient Admissions with Ella Clarke

    This week on the Full of Beans podcast, Han is joined by Ella Clarke, a lived experience advocate currently working for LENs as an Expert by Experience. Ella has her own lived experience of an eating disorder and ADHD, and spent three years in hospital under a section. She now uses that experience to spread awareness and give others hope that recovery is genuinely possible. Outside of her advocacy work, Ella volunteers at Redgate Farm animal sanctuary, is proud crazy cat lady to Bella, a 14-year-old cat she adopted from Redgate last year, and this year travelled to Borneo to volunteer at a sanctuary for orangutans and sun bears. In this episode, we discuss: What motivates Ella to work as an Expert by Experience in eating disorder recoveryElla's experience of hospital admission and treatment for an eating disorderWhy listening to the person, not just the diagnosis, matters in eating disorder treatmentElla's experience of misdiagnosis and falling through the gaps between mental health servicesHow Ella's ADHD diagnosis became a turning point in her eating disorder recoveryThe overlap between ADHD, anorexia and binge eating disorderThe small, incremental steps that helped Ella rebuild her relationship with foodWhy normalising food, rather than commenting on it, supports eating disorder recoveryReconnecting with hobbies, identity and life beyond the eating disorder, including Ella's trip to Borneo⚠️ Content note: this episode discusses eating disorders, hospital admission, self-harm, and mental health diagnoses including ADHD and personality disorder. Please take care while listening. Connect with us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Ella via LinkedIn

    Silencing the Eating Disorder Gremlins: Anorexia, ADHD & Inpatient Admissions with Ella Clarke

  7. Sep 25

    Untangling Autism, ARFID and Anorexia with Shannon Travers-Spencer

    This week on the Full of Beans podcast, Han is joined by Shannon Travers-Spencer, who has lived experience of anorexia, autism, ADHD, ARFID and chronic illness, and shares their journey online. Shannon is a passionate advocate for inclusive care for neurodivergent individuals within eating disorder services, and spoke at this year's Dump The Scales march about navigating the UK's eating disorder system, and the barriers and accommodations they faced along the way. In This Episode: Shannon's experience of ARFID from childhood, and anorexia developing later as a teenagerUntangling autism, ARFID and anorexia when they overlap so closelyWhy an autism diagnosis partway through inpatient treatment changed everything about Shannon's careThe nuance clinicians face in adapting treatment without it being exploited by the eating disorderHow Shannon and a dietitian mapped out "autism-safe" versus "anorexia-safe" foods to understand what was really driving their eatingHow undiagnosed autism may have contributed to the development of Shannon's eating disorderPractical, simple adjustments that can make a significant difference in autistic-affirming careWhy listening to the patient, and being willing to adapt language and approach, matters more than any grand overhaulThe importance of joined-up care between eating disorder services and mental health teams⚠️ Content note: this episode discusses eating disorders, ARFID, autism, suicidality, and inpatient psychiatric treatment. Please take care while listening. Connect with us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Shannon via Instagram @a.froggy.lifeWatch Shannon's Dump The Scales speech hereCheck out the Peace Pathway here

    Untangling Autism, ARFID and Anorexia with Shannon Travers-Spencer

  8. Sep 14

    Looking Fine, Feeling Possessed: The Realities of Bingeing and Purging with Lexie Kirwan-Jones

    This week on the Full of Beans podcast, Han is joined by Lexie Kirwan-Jones. Lexie is a psychology student at Durham University, an eating disorder peer support worker, and someone involved in research relating to eating disorders and neurodivergence. As Lexie shares, her university experience hasn't been a straight line, but is one that might sound similar to those who have been navigating an eating disorder at university. After taking a year out of her costume design degree due to her eating disorder, she re-evaluated her career plans and returned to university in 2024 to study psychology to pursue a career in clinical psychology. In this episode, we discuss: Lexie's honest account of living with bulimia and disordered eatingWhy bulimia and binge-purge cycles can feel worse than restrictive eating disorders, despite looking "healthy" on the outsideHow weight-focused feedback in eating disorder treatment can reinforce disordered behavioursUnderstanding binge eating disorder: what a binge actually feels like, and why it isn't about willpowerThe turning point in Lexie's eating disorder recoveryWhy the right GP can make all the difference in accessing eating disorder treatmentHow university stress and perfectionism fuelled Lexie's eating disorderTaking a year out of university for eating disorder recovery, and the fear of judgementLexie's advice for navigating university with an eating disorder⚠️ Content note: this episode discusses eating disorders, including restriction, binge eating and bulimia, and disordered eating behaviours. Please take care while listening. Connect with us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube

    Looking Fine, Feeling Possessed: The Realities of Bingeing and Purging with Lexie Kirwan-Jones
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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
    294
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Full of Beans Podcast 2021
  • Show Website
    The Full of Beans Podcast

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