Nourish & Empower

Jessica Coviello & Maggie Lefavor
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Mental Health

Have you ever felt like you could use a little extra support when working on your relationship with food and your body? Join Jessica, a Licensed Professional Counselor, and Maggie, a Registered Dietitian & Certified Eating Disorders Specialist, along with special guests, as we chat about mental health, nutrition, eating disorders, diet culture, body image, and so much more. Together, we have close to 20 years of experience working in eating disorders and mental health treatment. Let’s redefine, reclaim, & restore the true meaning of health on The Nourish & Empower Podcast.

  1. 3d ago

    Little Eaters, Big Questions: Curiosity, Nutrition, and Parenting

    Send us Fan Mail A single comment about a child’s body can stick for decades and it can also light a fire in you as a parent. We’re joined by Gabby Morreale, licensed professional counselor and the owner and clinical director of Recovered and Restored Eating Disorder Therapy Center, to talk about parenting in eating disorder recovery and how to build a home that’s safer from diet culture, food shame, and body policing. We get real about what “food neutrality” looks like with actual toddlers who would happily live on pizza, ketchup, pouches, and popsicles. Together, we unpack how to set age-appropriate structure without recreating restriction, why “what else can we add?” is often more helpful than “no,” and how to use curiosity when kids eat past comfort. We also tackle the tricky stuff parents don’t get warned about: weight-based comments from medical providers, family members who think body talk is harmless, and the guilt that hits when you feel judged through your child. We zoom out to the generational cycles so many of us are trying to break, including the clean plate club, reward and punishment patterns, compensating language around exercise, and the quiet belief that thinness equals worth. You’ll leave with practical scripts, mindset shifts, and a reminder that perfection isn’t the goal, consistency and repair are. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a parent who needs it, and leave a rating and review so more families can find these conversations. Show notes: Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised. Resource links: Hilltop Behavioral Health: https://hilltopbehavioralhealth.com/  Alliance for Eating Disorders: https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/  ANAD: https://anad.org/ NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ NAMI: https://nami.org/home Action Alliance: https://theactionalliance.org/ NIH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ How to find a provider:  https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_Brand Suicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7) Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET) If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Support the show

  2. Oct 21

    Recovery Across the Pond: Eating Disorder Treatment in Ireland

    Send us Fan Mail Ireland has three specialist adult eating disorder inpatient beds for the whole country. Sit with that for a second, then join us for a candid, practical conversation with Laura Casey, Director of Services at Lois Bridges Eating Disorders Treatment Center, as we unpack what that level of scarcity does to real people and real families looking for help. We talk about what eating disorder treatment in Ireland actually looks like across inpatient, day programs, and outpatient care, including the harsh reality of long public waitlists and the way outdated assumptions can block referrals. Laura explains why general psychiatric wards are rarely a good fit for eating disorder recovery, and why delays are so risky when motivation can shift quickly under the pressure of eating disorder thoughts. Then we zoom out to the cultural forces that keep people stuck: stigma, the lack of visibility for men with eating disorders, and the “wellness” content online that can disguise dangerous behaviors as health. We also dig into body image, diet culture phrases that kids absorb, and why aiming for food-neutral and body-neutral language at home and at work can matter more than we think. Laura shares how holistic, person-centered care can include evidence-informed therapy alongside skills training, nutrition support, and even non-talk options like art therapy, plus a growing awareness of the overlap between eating disorders and neurodiversity (including ADHD and autism). If you care about mental health advocacy, eating disorder recovery, and building systems that help people earlier, this one will stay with you. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find these conversations. https://loisbridges.ie/   Show notes: Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised. Resource links: Hilltop Behavioral Health: https://hilltopbehavioralhealth.com/  Alliance for Eating Disorders: https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/  ANAD: https://anad.org/ NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ NAMI: https://nami.org/home Action Alliance: https://theactionalliance.org/ NIH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ How to find a provider:  https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_Brand Suicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7) Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET) If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Support the show

  3. Oct 14

    The Seasons of Friendship

    Send us Fan Mail Friendships can be the best part of life and also the most confusing to navigate once you’re an adult. We’re talking about the stuff people whisper to a therapist or text to a best friend at midnight: feeling lonely even when you have people, watching friendships fade without a big fight, and wondering if you’re asking for “too much” when you want real effort and care. We break down the idea of friends for a reason, a season, or a lifetime, and why a friendship changing doesn’t automatically mean it failed. We also explore “medium friends,” those low-stakes connections that can be incredibly healing for mental health because not every relationship needs deep vulnerability to be meaningful. From there, we get into lopsided friendships, how to bring up unmet needs without mind-reading, and a practical gut-check we use with clients: is this a fatal flaw deal breaker, or something you can accept with clear boundaries? If FOMO hits you hard, you’re not alone. We dig into how social media amplifies comparison, why missing one night can feel like losing your place in a group, and the crucial difference between being alone and feeling lonely. We also share realistic ways to make friends in adulthood, including hobby-based community, trivia nights, pickleball, faith groups, local classes, and apps like Bumble BFF, especially when social anxiety makes putting yourself out there feel brutal. This episode is brought to you by Hilltop Behavioral Health, specializing in eating disorder treatment with integrated therapy and nutrition care in one compassionate setting. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, leave a review, share it with a friend, and tell us: what part of adult friendship feels hardest right now? Show notes: Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised. Resource links: Hilltop Behavioral Health: https://hilltopbehavioralhealth.com/  Alliance for Eating Disorders: https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/  ANAD: https://anad.org/ NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ NAMI: https://nami.org/home Action Alliance: https://theactionalliance.org/ NIH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ How to find a provider:  https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_Brand Suicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7) Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET) If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Support the show

  4. Oct 9

    Sick Days, Guilt Free

    Send us Fan Mail The moment you realize you’re getting sick, it’s not just your throat or stomach that drops. For a lot of us, guilt shows up too. We start bargaining with our bodies, pushing through work, skipping real rest, and then feeling anxious when appetite disappears or food suddenly feels complicated. We talk honestly about that spiral and how to interrupt it with boundaries, compassion, and a more realistic definition of “productive.” We walk through what nutrition when you’re sick can actually look like during cold and flu season: hydration that happens one sip at a time, fueling with small bites, and choosing bland, easy foods without turning it into a moral debate. We also unpack the mindset shift from “What do I want to eat?” to “What do I need to eat?” and why repeating the same simple meal for a few days can be exactly what your body needs. If you’re navigating intuitive eating, diet culture noise, or eating disorder recovery, we explain how unintentional restriction during illness is not an excuse to slide backward. We also go straight at the body image piece. Sick bodies don’t need to be praised, romanticized, or used as diet inspiration, and we share how to set boundaries when people make comments about your appearance. Finally, we discuss what can happen as you recover, including a rebound in appetite and the emotional discomfort that can come with body changes while your system returns to equilibrium. If you want more support for nourishing yourself through illness without shame, listen now, then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a rating and review so more people can find the show. Show notes: Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised. Resource links: Hilltop Behavioral Health: https://hilltopbehavioralhealth.com/  Alliance for Eating Disorders: https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/  ANAD: https://anad.org/ NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ NAMI: https://nami.org/home Action Alliance: https://theactionalliance.org/ NIH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ How to find a provider:  https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_Brand Suicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7) Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET) If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Support the show

  5. Sep 30

    Beyond Body Positivity: What Does It Mean to Accept Yourself?

    Send us Fan Mail Food rules can feel like the only thing keeping you together until you realize they’re also keeping you trapped. We sit down with TEDx speaker, best-selling author, and spiritual guide Marla Mervis-Hartmann to get honest about the real engine behind food obsession, body shame, and that relentless “food noise” so many people live with in silence. Her message is simple and challenging: the battle with food often isn’t about food at all, it’s about the wounds and longing underneath it. We talk about why recovery is cyclical, not linear, and why quick-fix promises in diet culture and the wellness industry can backfire. Marla breaks down the difference between body love and body like, then offers practical, doable steps like working in small increments of time, identifying what your body image voice is trying to protect you from, and asking “Who is talking right now?” when an old critical script shows up. We also name the realities of body size bias and thin privilege, and how to hold anger and grief without letting shame run your life. Then we go into the layers that can reignite old patterns: aging, perimenopause and menopause, hormonal cycles, and chronic illness. We share how curiosity, nervous system safety, and learning to treat yourself like a best friend can steady you through body changes and hard days, without toxic positivity. If you want a grounded conversation about eating disorder recovery, emotional eating, body image, and self-compassion that actually helps you move forward, press play, then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find this support.  You can find and connect with Marla, here! https://www.loveyourbodyloveyourself.com/  https://goloveyourbodyloveyourself.com/emotionaleating  Show notes: Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised. Resource links: Hilltop Behavioral Health: https://hilltopbehavioralhealth.com/  Alliance for Eating Disorders: https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/  ANAD: https://anad.org/ NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ NAMI: https://nami.org/home Action Alliance: https://theactionalliance.org/ NIH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ How to find a provider:  https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_Brand Suicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7) Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET) If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Support the show

  6. Sep 23

    Is Your Routine Healthy or Disordered?

    Send us Fan Mail Your routine can look “healthy” on the outside and still feel like a full-time job on the inside. We’re talking about that uneasy moment when structure turns into rigidity, when a missed workout or a different breakfast doesn’t feel like a normal life hiccup, it feels like failure. We also share a quick trigger warning up front and remind you that support and crisis resources matter if this topic hits close to home. We unpack the signs that a wellness routine may be drifting into disordered eating: panic when plans change, food rules that keep getting tighter, and the quiet rationalizations that sound reasonable (“I’m not hungry,” “I don’t have time,” “nobody eats breakfast anyway”). A big theme is intention. The same behavior can be neutral, helpful, or harmful depending on why you’re doing it and what happens emotionally when you can’t do it. We also get practical about what flexibility with food actually looks like. It’s not only variety, it’s being able to eat across different environments, times, brands, and social situations without spiraling. We talk about how you can meet “adequate nutrition” on paper and still be stuck in eating disorder thoughts, urges, and control patterns, plus why redefining balance can be a turning point. If you’re feeling called out in the best way, come listen, then reach out with questions. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a gentler definition of health, and leave a rating and review so more people can find the conversation. Show notes: Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised. Resource links: Hilltop Behavioral Health: https://hilltopbehavioralhealth.com/  Alliance for Eating Disorders: https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/  ANAD: https://anad.org/ NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ NAMI: https://nami.org/home Action Alliance: https://theactionalliance.org/ NIH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ How to find a provider:  https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_Brand Suicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7) Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET) If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Support the show

  7. Sep 16

    The Eating Disorder Support System You Didn't Know Existed

    Send us Fan Mail The scariest part of an eating disorder is often the beginning, when you finally admit something is wrong and have no idea where to turn next. We’re joined by Simone Seitz, Executive Director of the Carolina Resource Center for Eating Disorders (CRC for ED), and Caroline Rutledge, a licensed clinical mental health counselor and board president, to map out what real support can look like when the system feels confusing, expensive, or out of reach. We talk about how CRC4ED has grown over 20 years into a North Carolina nonprofit hub for eating disorder education, resources, and support, including a helpline that helps families and individuals find a direction without feeling judged or overwhelmed. We dig into why eating disorder treatment works best with a multidisciplinary team, often involving a therapist, registered dietitian, and primary care provider, and why people shouldn’t have to piece that puzzle together alone. You’ll also hear how CRC4ED trains schools, coaches, nurses, and other frontline professionals so concerns are recognized earlier and fewer people slip through the cracks. We get practical about language and weight stigma in health care, including CRC4ED tools like their medical provider resource and the No-Weigh Card for safer medical visits. Along the way, lived experience brings the message home: recovery is not linear, barriers are real, and hope can start with one phone call and one next step. If you find this helpful, subscribe, leave a review, and share this conversation with someone who needs a clearer path to eating disorder recovery. https://crcfored.com/  Show notes: Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised. Resource links: Hilltop Behavioral Health: https://hilltopbehavioralhealth.com/  Alliance for Eating Disorders: https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/  ANAD: https://anad.org/ NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ NAMI: https://nami.org/home Action Alliance: https://theactionalliance.org/ NIH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ How to find a provider:  https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_Brand Suicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7) Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET) If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Support the show

  8. Sep 9

    Men, Eating Disorders, & the Pressure to be Perfect

    Send us Fan Mail Looksmaxxing. Protein obsession. Teen guys in the gym before sunrise. And, in the most extreme corners, men literally trying to “fix” their faces and bodies to match an online ideal. We’re joined again by Eric Pothen to talk frankly about what he’s seeing in men’s eating disorder recovery right now and why the pressure feels louder, younger, and more algorithm-driven than ever. We get into how social media shapes male body image, how to slow down the moment you feel pulled toward a harmful behavior, and what it looks like to watch content like a critic instead of absorbing it as truth. We also talk about the next wave of risk: AI-generated fitness avatars and “perfect” bodies that are not even real, yet still trigger real restriction, compulsive exercise, and body dissatisfaction. Along the way, Eric shares how he builds safety with male clients, especially around vulnerability, emotion, and the fear of being judged for “not being man enough.” We also tackle a listener question about male-to-male language that stings, like being called “big guy,” and we walk through practical self-advocacy scripts and Internal Family Systems (IFS) tools to figure out what’s actually getting activated underneath the surface. If you care about men’s mental health, eating disorder treatment, body neutrality, and raising boys with healthier messages about food and feelings, this conversation gives you grounded next steps. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a rating and review so more people can find these conversations. Show notes: Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised. Resource links: Hilltop Behavioral Health: https://hilltopbehavioralhealth.com/  Alliance for Eating Disorders: https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/  ANAD: https://anad.org/ NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ NAMI: https://nami.org/home Action Alliance: https://theactionalliance.org/ NIH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ How to find a provider:  https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_Brand Suicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7) Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET) If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Support the show

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Have you ever felt like you could use a little extra support when working on your relationship with food and your body? Join Jessica, a Licensed Professional Counselor, and Maggie, a Registered Dietitian & Certified Eating Disorders Specialist, along with special guests, as we chat about mental health, nutrition, eating disorders, diet culture, body image, and so much more. Together, we have close to 20 years of experience working in eating disorders and mental health treatment. Let’s redefine, reclaim, & restore the true meaning of health on The Nourish & Empower Podcast.

Information

  • Creator
    Jessica Coviello & Maggie Lefavor
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    106
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Nourish & Empower
  • Show Website
    Nourish & Empower

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