The Aleo Podcast

The Aleo Podcast
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  • Mental Health

Welcome to The Aleo Podcast, a show about eating disorders, body image, and more. Whether you’re struggling with your relationship with body image, eating, or food, or are a clinician wanting to learn more, this podcast is for you. Members of The Aleo Collective, eating disorder clinicians, and your hosts: Lee Thomas MSW RSW, Raquel Griffin MSW RSW, and Courtenay Vickers RD. The Aleo Collective provides services to clients in Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia in Canada. 

Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    Ep 11: Is laxative use a big deal?

    Is it really all that bad to use laxatives? What should I know about them? When should I be worried about my laxative use? Where’s the line for laxative use becoming an eating disorder behaviour? Yep, Courtenay and Lee talk about poop today! They bust some myths and misconceptions about laxatives, explain what they actually are, the 3 main different types, how they each work, and what are the potential harms/risks of laxatives when not used appropriately. They also provide listeners some helpful “yellow flags” to look for in considering your relationship with laxatives as an eating disorder, compensatory behaviour. They provide listeners some concrete harm reduction strategies and tips you can implement with your laxative use today.  Connect with The Aleo Collective though: ⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠website

  2. Jun 15

    Ep 10: How can I start mindfulness today?

    If mindfulness is noticing the present moment on purpose, what might that actually look like in practice? What does it sound like? What’s an example of a mindfulness practice? Lee and Raquel give some examples about how we can practice mindfulness even in the way we talk or articulate the problems, concerns, or pain that we experience as humans. Raquel also shares her go-to practice she likes to use in sessions with clients to introduce them to the concept of mindfulness. Somehow, a connection is made between mindfulness and the classic thriller film JAWS, and the hosts touch on how mindfulness can help with body image concerns.  Connect with The Aleo Collective though: ⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠website

  3. May 18

    Ep 9: What is a compensatory behaviour?

    Do you do anything to counter or compensate for what you’ve eaten? Feeling compelled to rid your body of unwanted calories? Noticing any compulsive behaviours following a meal? In this episode, Lee and Courtenay clarify and outline the umbrella term of “compensatory” eating disorder behaviours. They summarize a variety of compensatory behaviour examples, distinguish what can be considered a form of purging, and also cover other behaviours that could be considered a form of compensating for food that we might not necessarily think about. They describe the difficulty of identifying these behaviours as problematic considering how many compensatory behaviours are normalized in our world. They attempt to answer whether there is a spectrum of harm when it comes to these behaviours and offer some important reflections for listeners in determining whether they might have a problem.  Connect with The Aleo Collective though: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website

  4. Apr 20

    Ep 8: WTF even is mindfulness?

    Hour-long, silent meditations? Adopting zen, chill vibes only? Yoga pants and speaking in hushed tones? What even is mindfulness?  In this episode, Raquel and Lee cover some of the most common myths and misconceptions about mindfulness and settle the score on what it actually is (and it’s much more simple and realistic than you’d think). They discuss the role and costs of avoidance on our psyches and well being and why making contact with the present moment (and on purpose) can be key in cultivating a more flexible and peaceful relationship with our bodies.  “Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges             though paying attention                                         on purpose,                                                     in the present moment,                                                                            and non judgementally                                                                                           to things as they are” - Williams, Teasdale, Segal, and Kabat-Zinn Connect with The Aleo Collective though: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website

  5. Mar 23

    Ep 7: What's your most common one-liner to clients?

    All three members of The Aleo Collective are joined together this episode: Raquel Griffin MSW RSW, Courtenay Vickers RD, and Lee Thomas MSW RSW. They share and have a discussion about their most often used one-liners in client sessions.  Raquel shares about the importance of noticing the present moment before being able to do much of anything else, Courtenay reminds us that getting enough calories is step 1 in nutrition, and Lee explores how making contact with our core values may result in us making changes that we can feel proud of. Connect with The Aleo Collective though: ⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠website

  6. Feb 9

    Ep 6: Diet culture 2026 edition

    February is well underway: those New-Year-New-You vibes are starting to wear off and you feel that shame creeping in as it dawns on you more and more… those food/eating/body new years resolutions are slipping away.  Join eating disorder clinicians Courtenay and Lee for a conversation where they reflect on what even is diet culture, what is it looking like so far in the year 2026, and what ditching those diet-y news years resolutions could look like in the years to come.  Christy Harrison’s definition of diet culture Connect with The Aleo Collective though: ⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠website

  7. Feb 2

    Ep 5: Is group therapy for me?

    Does the idea of group therapy make you run for the hills? What if it actually ended up being the thing that truly unlocked something for you? What would it mean for you to come out of group therapy feeling more at peace with your body? Eating Disorder clinicians Raquel and Lee's Body Image Group: Befriending Your Body is coming up fast and they're taking this opportunity to hype up that group work magic and set at ease the common worries and fears folks may have about group therapy. Raquel and Lee talk about why they're so passionate and believe so much in group work-- from their personal recovery journeys, to their professional experience as clinical social workers. Cohort 3 of the Body Image Group: Befriending Your Body begins March 2026. Register by Feb 10th to get the early bird rate! Learn more and register here. Connect with The Aleo Collective though: ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠website

  8. 11/05/2025

    Ep 4: What is structured eating?

    What is structured eating? And how do I know if it's right for me and my recovery from disordered eating? Join eating disorder clinicians Courtenay and Lee for a conversation exploring structured eating where they will help answer some of these common questions: What does structured eating even look like? And, how do I know I'm ready to move beyond structure? Connect with The Aleo Collective though: ⁠instagram⁠ ⁠website

  9. 10/27/2025

    Ep 3: How to love your eating disorder

    Showing love and compassion for your eating disorder means you can actually change your relationship with it. In this episode of The Aleo Podcast, eating disorder clinicians Lee and Raquel challenge traditional perceptions of eating disorders being an evil adversary to overcome in battle and instead offer reframing eating disorders as painful parts of us with good intentions.  Lee’s perspective is informed by their work in IFS (Internal Family Systems therapy).   QUOTES: “When we frame eating disorders solely as illness, we super de-contextualize it. And there’s no compassion in that. And it also makes it more difficult for us to see patterns. If we sort of see our eating disorder just as an illness that sort of strikes out of nowhere, like a virus […] then when we ‘relapse’, we’re missing out on an opportunity to think ‘what’s going on for me here?’ “ (Lee) “When people see their disordered relationship with food as something that’s so personally their own failing, and so shameful, it makes sense that leaning into [the eating disorder] is actually a sickness and is evil, feels really comforting.” (Lee) “Being able to go ‘this thing that brings you so much pain and so much shame actually really loves you”, and if you’re able to love it and have compassion for it, you can actually change your relationship with it”. (Lee) QUOTES: “When we frame eating disorders solely as illness, we super de-contextualize it. And there’s no compassion in that. And it also makes it more difficult for us to see patterns. If we sort of see our eating disorder just as an illness that sort of strikes out of nowhere, like a virus […] then when we ‘relapse’, we’re missing out on an opportunity to think ‘what’s going on for me here?’ “ (Lee) “When people see their disordered relationship with food as something that’s so personally their own failing, and so shameful, it makes sense that leaning into [the eating disorder] is actually a sickness and is evil, feels really comforting.” (Lee) “Being able to go ‘this thing that brings you so much pain and so much shame actually really loves you”, and if you’re able to love it and have compassion for it, you can actually change your relationship with it”. (Lee) Connect with The Aleo Collective though: ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠website

  10. 10/27/2025

    Ep 2: Eating with flexibility in eating disorder recovery

    Are you feeling strict with your recovery meal plan? Almost like it's a bit too reminiscent of the eating disorder itself ? There's no one "right" way to approach eating or meal plans and maybe believing that there is-- could be the problem. In this episode of The Aleo Podcast, eating disorder clinicians Courtenay and Raquel discuss approaching eating and meal plans with flexibility in eating disorder recovery. Courtenay touches on traditional approaches to eating disorder treatment and recovery from the perspective of a dietitian; she offers options for “loosening the reins” with eating and meal plans in recovery. Courtenay and Raquel discuss the various ways structure can offer helpful support and brainstorm options for bringing more flexibility to eating in recovery.  “I truly believe that structure can be as rigid as we might need it or want it to be, more of that traditional approach. But, it can also be looser, that more flexible approach. It doesn’t have to necessarily be this hyper-rigid, spreadsheet of a meal plan” (Courtenay). “I really want to challenge this belief that in order to do recovery you need to follow a rigid, highly structured meal plan because that works for some people but it’s also not for everyone. And sometimes it works for a period time but doesn’t alway translate upon discharge into real life” (Courtenay). “Give yourself permission to meet yourself truly where you’re at. And where you want to go next in your recovery” (Courtenay). “Any food is better than no food” (Courtenay). Connect with The Aleo Collective though: ⁠instagram⁠ ⁠website

  11. 10/27/2025

    Ep 1: It’s normal for bodies to change

    Whether it’s aging, medical events, disability, or menstruation, our bodies are constantly changing throughout our lifespan. And yet, we get suckered into believing that abnormal or not okay. What’s that about? In this pilot episode of The Aleo Podcast, eating disorder clinicians Raquel and Courtenay discuss the need to normalize the reality that bodies change. Raquel shares some of her personal story of navigating body image concerns following giving birth and provides insight on improving your relationship with your body through the lens of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy).  Episode quotes: “Let’s normalize that bodies change, they’re meant to change. They’re not static. They are this dynamic thing” (Raquel). “Despite having recovered from a restrictive eating disorder well in my rearview mirror and doing this work professionally as an eating disorder therapist, when I had my baby I was not prepared to be in a body that felt and looked so different” (Raquel). “Bodies change. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when” (Raquel). “I’m accepting the fact of: my body will continue to change and evolve because I’m human. It’s not a bad thing” (Courtenay). Connect with The Aleo Collective though: instagram website

  • 11 Episodes

About

Welcome to The Aleo Podcast, a show about eating disorders, body image, and more. Whether you’re struggling with your relationship with body image, eating, or food, or are a clinician wanting to learn more, this podcast is for you. Members of The Aleo Collective, eating disorder clinicians, and your hosts: Lee Thomas MSW RSW, Raquel Griffin MSW RSW, and Courtenay Vickers RD. The Aleo Collective provides services to clients in Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia in Canada. 

Information

  • Creator
    The Aleo Podcast
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Aleo Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Aleo Podcast