Peace Meal

The Emily Program

Peace Meal covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking.

  1. 6d ago

    Ep 107: Recovery as a Trans and Nonbinary Person with Danny Wakefield

    **Content warning: This episode includes discussion of suicidal ideation and a suicide attempt. Please use your discretion when listening and speak with your support system as needed. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by texting or calling 988. LGBTQ+ young people can also reach The Trevor Project 24/7 by calling 1-866-488-7386, texting START to 678-678, or chatting online.  Episode description: Danny Wakefield joins Peace Meal to share his story of recovery from an eating disorder—a “full circle moment,” he calls it, as an alum of The Emily Program. Danny didn’t recognize the earliest signs of their eating disorder until they entered care and traced its roots back to body comparisons with their twin sister that started at age three. Getting into treatment as an adult wasn’t simple. Seeking any kind of medical care as a transgender person comes with its own barriers. For Danny, that included the internalized belief that eating disorder treatment wasn’t for someone like him. Body-size bias among providers also meant their illness wasn’t taken as seriously as it should have been. It took a mental health crisis and a message sent in desperation before Danny found their way to The Emily Program. Danny and Jillian talk through what came next: an extended stay in residential treatment, the levels of care that followed, and a recovery that became “so much bigger than just food.” Danny closes with a message for anyone who doesn't believe recovery is possible: it starts with “a tiny moment of willingness,” and hope borrowed from someone else until you can hold it yourself. About Danny: Danny Wakefield (he/they) is a transmasculine, nonbinary parent, storyteller, and advocate whose work centers mental health, recovery, and resilience. Danny is passionate about supporting transgender youth and families through sharing his own experience, strength, and hope with others as a public voice in the transgender community. They have walked through addiction, eating disorder recovery, suicidality, and along that journey, has found profound joy and self-love. We cover: What made treatment genuinely affirming for Danny Why the move from residential to partial hospitalization was his hardest transition How DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) became a lasting skill set The assumptions about recovery that follow people out of treatment Whose stories the field must make room for In Danny’s words: On his first days in treatment: “I didn’t know it then, but walking through those doors was one of the bravest things that I’ve ever done. In those first three or four days…everything felt new. And at the same time, that newness was replacing the hopelessness that I had felt for so long…Even though I was scared and terrified and, [in] many moments, didn't want to be there, I knew that my wants were different than my needs, and I needed to be right where I was.” On what recovery has given them: “I didn’t have much joy…I have this joy now that I am building this life worth living. That looks like finding joy in bike rides, finding joy in the sun. Just yesterday, I was putting my child to bed, and I was like, this is the joy. Even when bedtimes are hard, I am still here for this bedtime. I get to put my child to bed…the joy of being able to parent in the ways that I am able to parent is a result of this recovery.” On what they’d tell someone who doesn’t believe recovery is possible for them: “I stayed there for a very long time. There were many moments when I was convinced I was too complicated or too broken or too far gone to recover. And gratefully, I was wrong…If there are any trans or nonbinary youth specifically or adults listening, please hear me when I say this: You are so worthy and so deserving of seeking help and support, and living a life worth living is absolutely possible, even if you can't see it for yourself yet.” Connect with Danny on Instagram (@dannythetransdad). Additional Resources: If cost or life circumstances are barriers to accessing eating disorder treatment, the following organizations may be able to help: WithAll: Offers grants covering housing or groceries so people can stay in intensive treatment. Applications open the first of each month. Project HEAL: Works to remove financial, systemic, and healthcare barriers to treatment through cash assistance, case management, and treatment placement. About the podcast: Peace Meal is a podcast hosted by The Emily Program that covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking. You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Music. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends! Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email podcast@emilyprogram.com for more information.

  2. Jul 17

    Between Bites with Jillian Lampert: Eating Disorders in People with Disabilities

    Episode description: An estimated 16% of the world's population lives with a disability. Yet people with disabilities are woefully underrepresented in eating disorder research. As a result, disability often goes underaddressed in eating disorder treatment, and eating disorders often go unrecognized in people with disabilities.  In this episode, Dr. Jillian Lampert examines that gap and what it costs the people caught in it—and what it looks like when care starts with curiosity and listening instead of assumptions. We cover: Why people with disabilities can face unique eating disorder risks  When an eating disorder itself is a disability How treatment programs can become accessible About Dr. Jillian Lampert: Dr. Lampert (she/her), PhD, MPH, RD, LD, FAED, is the Vice President of Strategy and Public Affairs for The Emily Program. She completed her doctorate degree in Nutrition and Epidemiology and Master of Public Health degree in Public Health Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. She earned a Master of Science degree in Nutrition at the University of Vermont and completed her dietetic internship at the University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinics. She has an expansive range of policy, clinical, research, education, teaching, and program development experience in the area of eating disorders. Learn more about The Emily Program online or by calling 1-888-364-5977.  Have a topic on your mind? We want Between Bites to speak to what matters most to you. If there’s a topic you’d like us to cover in a future episode, let us know! Your questions and ideas help shape the conversation. Email podcast@emilyprogram.com or send us a message on social. About the podcast: Peace Meal is a podcast hosted by The Emily Program that covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking. Between Bites is a Peace Meal series of short, focused episodes hosted by Dr. Jillian Lampert and designed to offer quick insights and meaningful support for eating disorder recovery. You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Music. You can also watch the podcast on YouTube. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends! Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email podcast@emilyprogram.com for more information.

  3. Jun 26

    Ep 106: The Messy Middle of Recovery with Rawnaq Albathigi

    Episode description: In this episode of Peace Meal, Rawnaq Albathigi joins us to share her experience with an eating disorder, and how it’s shaped the perspective she's bringing to the field as an emerging dietitian. Drawing on a recovery journey she describes as anything but linear, Rawnaq makes the case for a more individualized understanding of healing from an eating disorder, and for treatment that's far more accessible than it currently is, especially for people whose culture and faith fall outside the Western framework much of it is built around. About Rawnaq: Rawnaq Albathigi (she/her) is a senior at the University of Arizona, where she is majoring in dietetics and pursuing a weight-inclusive certificate. Drawing on her own experience with an eating disorder, she hopes to become a dietitian and to make eating disorder care more accessible and culturally responsive. We cover: How Rawnaq's eating disorder took hold, and the purpose it served for her What it means to make recovery progress without it being all-or-nothing Why intuitive eating isn't the universal goal it's often made out to be The cultural and religious realities that Western-centric treatment can miss The barriers to eating disorder care, and who most frequently gets left out How she stopped seeing her own recovery as separate from the work she wants to do In Rawnaq’s words: On trying to force a recovery timeline: "When I decided to go into nutrition around 17, I chose my major feeling like a fraud. I always thought: ‘how am I going to help others when I can't even help myself?’...I thought I was running out of time and needed to really be in recovery by the time I graduate. Not because I wanted to, but because I thought I had to if I ever wanted to be in the nutrition field…but putting that pressure on myself did not really serve me." On the false binary of recovery: "Real recovery is rarely binary, and treating it that way, it can do more harm than good. So eating disorder recovery isn't like flipping a switch. It's much closer to a spectrum…Someone [might] eat regularly but still has eating disorder thoughts. Or they have a tough day and slip into an old behavior, but stop sooner than before. That doesn't mean they're suddenly in relapse. They're in the ‘messy middle’, what I like to call it, which is actually where most recovery happens." On the expansiveness of recovery: "If recovery, as it's been presented to you, doesn't feel possible, I'd really encourage you to ask: is it recovery itself that feels impossible, or the version of recovery you have been given? Because those are two different things, and people deserve a version of healing that actually fits them, their culture, their experiences, their values, their reality." Connect with Rawnaq on Instagram (@rawnaq_albathigi) and LinkedIn. About the podcast: Peace Meal is a podcast hosted by The Emily Program that covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking. You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Music. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends! Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email podcast@emilyprogram.com for more information.

  4. Jun 12

    Between Bites with Jillian Lampert: Eating Disorders in the LGBTQIA+ Community

    Episode description: Pride Month is a time for protest and activism, for celebration, visibility, and community. It’s also a reminder of the inequities faced by LGBTQIA+ people, and the work that remains to ensure safety and acceptance for all. That includes addressing disproportionate adverse mental health outcomes—eating disorders among them. Eating disorders and disordered eating affect LGBTQIA+ people at significantly higher rates than their heterosexual and cisgender peers. In this episode, Dr. Jillian Lampert explains what eating disorder treatment for this community requires, arguing that care that affirms identity and understands the realities clients face isn't just a courtesy; it’s a necessity. Recovery is possible, she says, without anyone having to “leave any part of themselves behind to heal.” We cover: Why the risk for eating disorders in the LGBTQIA+ community is lifelong Where standard treatment tools fall short for transgender youth What affirming care looks like in practice About Dr. Jillian Lampert: Dr. Lampert (she/her), PhD, MPH, RD, LD, FAED, is the Vice President of Strategy and Public Affairs for The Emily Program. She completed her doctorate degree in Nutrition and Epidemiology and Master of Public Health degree in Public Health Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. She earned a Master of Science degree in Nutrition at the University of Vermont and completed her dietetic internship at the University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinics. She has an expansive range of policy, clinical, research, education, teaching, and program development experience in the area of eating disorders. Learn more about The Emily Program online or by calling 1-888-364-5977.  Have a topic on your mind? We want Between Bites to speak to what matters most to you. If there’s a topic you’d like us to cover in a future episode, let us know! Your questions and ideas help shape the conversation. Email podcast@emilyprogram.com or send us a message on social. About the podcast: Peace Meal is a podcast hosted by The Emily Program that covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking. Between Bites is a Peace Meal series of short, focused episodes hosted by Dr. Jillian Lampert and designed to offer quick insights and meaningful support for eating disorder recovery. You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Music. You can also watch the podcast on YouTube. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends! Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email podcast@emilyprogram.com for more information.

  5. May 29

    Episode 105: Healing Trauma and Eating Disorders Together with Jenny Beck and M Mullan

    Episode description: Research suggests that 25 to 50 percent of people with eating disorders have also experienced trauma, and that the two conditions tend to reinforce and worsen each other when they co-occur. Despite this, care is often delivered sequentially—people are asked to address one condition before they can work on the other, even though the two are deeply intertwined. In this episode of Peace Meal, Jenny Beck and M Mullan join host Dr. Jillian Lampert to introduce a new partial hospitalization program at The Emily Program’s Columbus, Ohio, location, built to address that gap. The program provides integrated, evidence-based care for adults living with both conditions, using Cognitive Processing Therapy alongside the multidisciplinary treatment that’s core to Emily Program care. Jenny and M share why they built the program, who it's designed to serve, and how every detail of its design—from the schedule structure to the staff training to the size of the milieu—was shaped with traumatized nervous systems in mind. About Jenny and M: Jenny Beck (she/her) is Executive Director of The Emily Program’s Residential and Outpatient Treatment Centers in Columbus, Ohio. In this role, she oversees clinical services for children, adolescents, and adults across all levels of care—outpatient, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, and residential. Jenny has worked as a therapist since 2006 and has specialized in eating disorder care since 2014. A high point in Jenny’s professional journey was overseeing the launch of The Emily Program’s Columbus Residential Treatment Center in January 2022. M Mullan (she/her) is the Clinical Director of The Emily Program Columbus, overseeing residential, PHP, IOP, and outpatient levels of care. She has more than a decade of experience treating eating disorders across all levels of care and is passionate about reducing barriers to treatment and recovery. M is trained in multiple evidence-based trauma treatment modalities, including the fundamentals of prolonged exposure, and has received advanced training and expert supervision in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). She is an approved CPT provider. We cover: Why trauma and eating disorders so frequently co-occur, and how each can worsen the other The populations most affected by this overlap—and what makes them especially vulnerable The limits of "serial” treatment that asks people to address one condition before the other How Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) supports integrated trauma and eating disorder care What our Trauma PHP looks like in practice, and how to access it In Jenny and M’s words: On the limits of treating trauma and eating disorders separately: “That serial approach—one issue at a time—doesn't really account for the inner interplay and the overlap…There's this complex relationship that we're turning into a one-dimensional reality when we don't treat the whole presentation of suffering that's at play.” On designing care for traumatized nervous systems: “Every little inch of this program has been designed for people who have traumatic experiences in their life story in mind…This is not just an eating disorder program with CPT flopped into it. This is a program designed for their nervous systems.” On lending hope: “There are financial lenders in the world. We, as helping professionals, are hope lenders. We like to say, if you don't have the hope, that's okay. You can borrow ours. You can hold on to ours until you find your own. And we get a lot of interest back, because there's so much joy in lending that hope and people taking advantage of it.” About the podcast: Peace Meal is a podcast hosted by The Emily Program that covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking. You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Music. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends! Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email podcast@emilyprogram.com for more information.

  6. May 15

    Between Bites with Jillian Lampert: Mental Health Awareness Month

    Episode description: Many people are surprised to learn that eating disorders are mental health conditions. Media coverage tends to focus on the visible markers of these illnesses—weight changes, what someone eats or doesn't eat—and stops there. In this episode, Dr. Lampert breaks down the thoughts, feelings, and neurobiology beneath those physical and behavioral components, and why understanding eating disorders as a mental health condition matters for advocacy, recognition, and getting more people connected to care. We cover: How eating disorders affect both mental health and physical health Why eating disorders require specialized treatment and support Why medication approaches differ for eating disorders How to show up for someone who's struggling with their mental health About Dr. Jillian Lampert: Dr. Lampert (she/her), PhD, MPH, RD, LD, FAED, is the Vice President of Strategy and Public Affairs for The Emily Program. She completed her doctorate degree in Nutrition and Epidemiology and Master of Public Health degree in Public Health Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. She earned a Master of Science degree in Nutrition at the University of Vermont and completed her dietetic internship at the University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinics. She has an expansive range of policy, clinical, research, education, teaching, and program development experience in the area of eating disorders. Learn more about The Emily Program online or by calling 1-888-364-5977.  Have a topic on your mind? We want Between Bites to speak to what matters most to you. If there’s a topic you’d like us to cover in a future episode, let us know! Your questions and ideas help shape the conversation. Email podcast@emilyprogram.com or send us a message on social. About the podcast: Peace Meal is a podcast hosted by The Emily Program that covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking. Between Bites is a Peace Meal series of short, focused episodes hosted by Dr. Jillian Lampert and designed to offer quick insights and meaningful support for eating disorder recovery. You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Music. You can also watch the podcast on YouTube. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends! Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email podcast@emilyprogram.com for more information.

  7. Apr 24

    Episode 104: What Every Parent Should Know About Body Image with Charlotte Markey

    Episode description: In this episode of Peace Meal, we welcome back Dr. Charlotte Markey to discuss the newly released second edition of her book, The Body Image Book for Girls, and what the latest body image research means for the young people in our lives. Charlotte reflects on how much has changed since the first edition, including the pandemic’s lasting impact on young people's mental health and a social media landscape that’s evolving faster than most adults can track—and what parents, caregivers, and clinicians can actually do to help amid it all. Central to that, says Charlotte, is being willing to examine your own relationship with food and bodies first. She and Jillian also explore what it looks like to help kids build a relationship with their bodies grounded in function and appreciation, and why it’s worth starting that conversation early. About Charlotte: Charlotte Markey, Ph.D., is a world-leading expert in body image research, having studied body image and eating behavior for nearly three decades. She is passionate about understanding what makes us feel good about our bodies and helping people to develop a healthy body image and relationship with food. Charlotte is an experienced book author, research scientist, clinician, speaker, and psychology professor at Rutgers University-Camden. Charlotte loves to talk with tweens, teens, parents, and educators about body image—and how to improve it. She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Dan, and their dogs, Lexi and Zoe. For fun, she likes to run, travel, and read, and tries to visit with her son, Charlie, and her daughter, Grace, who are away at college living their best lives. We cover: What body image research has revealed since 2020 Why and how body image concerns affect people across all genders How parents can model a healthier relationship with their bodies How to talk about food at home without inadvertently moralizing it How to help kids think critically about influencers and curated online content In Charlotte’s words: On body image intergenerational transmission: “One of the best reasons I can think of for parents to work on their own body image is so that they don't pass down any of their own body image concerns to their kids. We do not need more intergenerational transmission of this stuff. So, what can parents do? Parents can be really thoughtful in terms of how they approach food in their household…[and] it’s so important that we’re not disparaging our own bodies. We want our kids to not internalize the inner monologue some of us have going on.” On moralizing food: “Parents will often say to me, 'Well, I don't want my kid just to eat, quote unquote junk. And I'll say, ‘Well, do you have to call it junk?’ Do we have to moralize food? Can food just be food? Can we just talk about food as a source of pleasure, a source of nourishment, a source of connection?” On the myth of the endlessly modifiable body: “So much of how we appear and our bodies look, and for that matter, how they function, is genetically determined. We are talking at least 50%, and there are some estimates that [say] weight is as much as 80% genetically determined. There are so many influences in the media and even just in our families that often suggest to us that we can change our bodies, we can do all these things. And you know, a lot of that is kind of deceptive, because a lot of how we are going to look is in our genetic blueprint. So this idea that we're sort of endlessly modifiable objects is really unfortunate.” Additional Resources: Listen to Charlotte’s previous Peace Meal episode. You can learn more about and purchase Charlotte’s body image books online. Find more of Charlotte’s writing on The Emily Program’s blog and on her Substack. You can also follow Charlotte on Instagram (@char_markey) and Facebook. About the podcast: Peace Meal is a podcast hosted by The Emily Program that covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking. You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Music. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends! Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email podcast@emilyprogram.com for more information.

  8. Apr 10

    Between Bites with Jillian Lampert: Co-Occurrence of SUDs & EDs

    Episode description: Research suggests that up to half of people with eating disorders also struggle with substance misuse, and about 35% of people with substance use disorder also have an eating disorder. In this episode, Jillian breaks down why these conditions so often overlap, what’s happening inside the brain when they do, and why treating them as separate issues can work against recovery. If you or someone you care about is navigating both an eating disorder and a substance use disorder, this episode is a useful place to start. As Jillian affirms, “It is never too late, and it is never too early to reach out for help.” We cover: Why SUDs and EDs co-occur as frequently as they do The role of shame in driving and maintaining these cycles How treatment is typically sequenced, and why that order matters Why going at it alone makes healing harder About Dr. Jillian Lampert: Dr. Lampert (she/her), PhD, MPH, RD, LD, FAED, is the Vice President of Strategy and Public Affairs for The Emily Program. She completed her doctorate degree in Nutrition and Epidemiology and Master of Public Health degree in Public Health Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. She earned a Master of Science degree in Nutrition at the University of Vermont and completed her dietetic internship at the University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinics. She has an expansive range of policy, clinical, research, education, teaching, and program development experience in the area of eating disorders. Learn more about The Emily Program online or by calling 1-888-364-5977.  Have a topic on your mind? We want Between Bites to speak to what matters most to you. If there’s a topic you’d like us to cover in a future episode, let us know! Your questions and ideas help shape the conversation. Email podcast@emilyprogram.com or send us a message on social. About the podcast: Peace Meal is a podcast hosted by The Emily Program that covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking. Between Bites is a Peace Meal series of short, focused episodes hosted by Dr. Jillian Lampert and designed to offer quick insights and meaningful support for eating disorder recovery. You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Music. You can also watch the podcast on YouTube. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends! Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email podcast@emilyprogram.com for more information.

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4.6
out of 5
73 Ratings

About

Peace Meal covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking.

Information

  • Creator
    The Emily Program
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Peace Meal

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