The Other Side Of The Plate

F.E.A.S.T.
  • 5.0 (24)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Biweekly

The Other Side of the Plate is brought to you by FEAST (Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders). This podcast is for moms, dads, and caregivers searching for answers that can feel so hard to find when your loved one has an eating disorder. Hosts Jenni and Laura are caregivers with lived experience supporting their own loved ones to full recovery. They share personal insights, discuss interactions with professionals, and point you toward helpful resources. Each episode is designed to empower you with the knowledge and confidence to navigate this complex journey. Topics covered include how to recognize the signs of an eating disorder, take effective action, advocate for your child, provide crucial support at home, and many other important topics caregivers face on the path to recovery. As we say at FEAST: "We're here because we've been there." Subscribe now to join a community that truly understands. Disclaimer: The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

  1. 1d ago

    019 - You Don't Have To Do This Alone: A Conversation for Male Caregivers (with Wayne Herring and Kevin Olmsted)

    Episode 019 Title: You Don't Have To Do This Alone: A Conversation for Male Caregivers (with Wayne Herring and Kevin Olmsted) In this episode, Jenni Gaines and Laura Cohen sit down with Kevin Olmsted and Wayne Herring, co-facilitators of Men of FEAST and fathers who each supported a daughter through an eating disorder and into recovery. Kevin, who left his career in the wine business to become a full-time caregiver during his daughter's seven-year recovery journey, and Wayne, a business and life coach who navigated a crisis hospitalization at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, share the distinct roles they each played and the emotions they carried — fear, hopelessness, failure, and grief over what their daughters lost. Together they give listeners a genuine look inside Men of FEAST, a virtual support group for dads and other male caregivers, and explain what makes it different: the permission it gives men to be present, to be honest, and to ask for help. Listeners will come away with a clear message from two men who have been through it: you don't have to face this alone, and recovery is possible. 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 01:02 Guest Introductions: Wayne Herring and Kevin Olmsted 03:31 Wayne's Journey: From Talk Therapy to CHOP 08:16 Kevin's Journey: An Overnight PhD in Eating Disorders 12:37 Day-to-Day Roles in Recovery 18:36 Identity, Roles, and the Male Caregiver Experience 27:29 What They Wish Someone Had Said Earlier 30:56 Fear, Failure, and Mourning What Was Lost 35:47 What Is Men of FEAST? 39:23 Permission, Progress, and the Power of Peer Support 42:41 Encouraging Male Caregivers: Don't Leave the Room 45:26 Closing Thoughts: Hope and the Possibility of Recovery SUPPORT & RESOURCES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FEAST website: https://feast-ed.org/ FEAST programs and services: https://feast-ed.org/programs-and-services/ Men of FEAST: https://feast-ed.org/men-of-feast/ Kevin Olmsted's memoir, Scared Dad Feeding: https://www.scareddadfeeding.com/ Guest Bios: Kevin Olmsted lives in Northern California with his wife of thirty-four years and is the father of two adult children, including a daughter now seven years into recovery from anorexia. A longtime member and co-host of Men of FEAST, Kevin left his career in the wine business seven years ago to serve as a full-time caregiver during his daughter's recovery. He is also the author of Scared Dad Feeding, a self-published memoir about his family's experience navigating his daughter's illness and recovery, and is frequently sought out by other families facing similar challenges. Wayne Herring lives on a twenty-acre farm in rural Pennsylvania with his family, where they raise pigs and cows. He is the father of five children, including a daughter who has recovered from anorexia. Wayne helped found Men of FEAST alongside other parents and now serves as a co-facilitator, drawing on both his lived experience as a caregiver and his work as a business and life coach to support other male caregivers. He is also an avid runner and lifelong learner who describes himself as grateful every day for his daughter's recovery.

    50 min

  2. May 19

    018 - Voices of Hope: A Professional Boxer's Hidden Fight (with Danny O'Connor)

    Episode 018 Title: Voices of Hope: A Professional Boxer's Hidden Fight (with Danny O'Connor) In this episode, Jenni Gaines and Laura Cohen sit down with Danny O'Connor, a former elite professional boxer, Olympic team member, and author of Weight Class, to hear his firsthand account of battling an eating disorder across more than two decades of competition. Danny traces the origin of his disordered behaviors from his wrestling days in high school — where no one taught him healthy weight management — through his professional boxing career, where he spent years cutting weight in secret while hiding a binge eating disorder from coaches, nutritionists, and nearly everyone around him. He talks candidly about the difference between weight cutting and an eating disorder, what it felt like to lose control of the one thing he'd always been able to discipline, and the role his wife Diane played in keeping him afloat. Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of how eating disorders hide in plain sight in weight class sports, why men are particularly isolated in this experience, and what caregivers can do — and be — when someone they love is struggling. 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 01:02 Guest Introduction: Danny O'Connor 03:18 Childhood: Family, Food, and a Sandlot Life 06:02 Wrestling, Weight Cutting, and No One Telling Him Anything 13:33 Downward Spiral: Academics, Arrests, and Losing Wrestling 18:10 Finding Boxing: How a PAL Gym Changed Everything 20:57 How Weight Classes Work in Amateur and Professional Boxing 26:53 From Weight Cutting to Eating Disorder: When Control Vanished 31:08 Binge Eating and the Behavior He Couldn't Stop 36:25 Hidden in Plain Sight: 15 Nutritionists and Still Silent 41:58 Isolation, His Wife Diane, and Finding the Right Supports 49:00 Recovery Isn't Linear: Treating the Eating Disorder Like an Opponent 01:01:12 What Danny Wants Caregivers to Know SUPPORT & RESOURCES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FEAST website: https://feast-ed.org/ FEAST programs and services: https://feast-ed.org/programs-and-services/ Danny O'Connor's book, Weight Class: https://www.amazon.com/Weight-Class-Fighters-Life-Death/dp/B0GMY44348 Guest Bio: Danny O'Connor is a former elite professional boxer who grew up outside of Boston and was a member of the 2008 United States Olympic Boxing Team. As an accomplished amateur, he captured multiple national titles, including the US National Championships and the National Golden Gloves, establishing himself as one of the top fighters of his generation. O'Connor turned professional in 2008 and competed at the highest levels of the sport for more than a decade, compiling a professional record of 31 wins and holding the WBC International Silver Super Lightweight Championship. Following his professional career, O'Connor became a vocal advocate for greater awareness around weight class sports and eating disorders in men. Through his book Weight Class, he gives a voice to the many men who suffer in silence, drawing directly from his career in boxing and his firsthand experience battling an eating disorder in and out of the ring.

    1h 5m

  3. May 5

    017 - Voices of Hope: The Power of Parents in Recovery (with Kinsey Dalbec)

    Episode 017 Voices of Hope: The Power of Parents in Recovery (with Kinsey Dalbec) In this episode, Jenni Gaines and Laura Cohen sit down with Kinsey Dalbec, an eating disorder therapist at Equip who is also 13 years into her own recovery from anorexia nervosa. Kinsey shares the story of developing anorexia at 17, the crystal-ball moment in an adult treatment program that changed everything, and why her parents' refusal to back down was the single most important factor in her recovery. She and the hosts explore what leverage really means for parents of young adults, why the "once they turn 18, it's over" belief sells parents short, and how to set firm boundaries without damaging the relationship. Kinsey also describes what protecting recovery looks like more than a decade later and offers direct, practical encouragement to any caregiver feeling powerless. 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 01:03 Guest Introduction: Kinsey Dalbec 02:53 Kinsey's Story: From "Healthy Eating" to Anorexia 08:20 The Turning Point: A Crystal Ball in the Adult Program 10:48 What Helped Most: Parents Who Wouldn't Back Down 13:17 When Help Doesn't Feel Like Help 15:24 How Recovery Led to a Career in Eating Disorder Treatment 20:28 The Therapist She Needed but Never Had 22:46 The 18 Myth: Why Parents Still Matter for Young Adults 27:15 Redefining Leverage as an Act of Love 31:15 Empowering Parents to Trust Their Instincts 35:51 Unconditional Love Means Getting in the Trenches 39:09 Setting Boundaries Without Losing the Relationship 43:51 Protecting Recovery: The McDonald's Test 46:39 Spotting Sneaky Eating Disorder Behaviors 49:34 Final Words: Don't Sell Yourself Short SUPPORT & RESOURCES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FEAST website: https://feast-ed.org/ FEAST programs and services: https://feast-ed.org/programs-and-services/ FEAST blog post: https://feast-ed.org/dear-mom-and-dad-thank-you-for-saving-my-life/ FEAST Family Guide: https://feast-ed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FamilyGuide_UsingLeverage_2025_v2.2.pdf Guest Bio: Kinsey Dalbec is an eating disorder therapist currently working at Equip who has also been in her own recovery from anorexia nervosa for 13 years. After developing anorexia at 17 years old, she received Family Based Treatment, which eventually led her to full recovery. She is now a married mother of two young children and uses her life experience and clinical expertise to help patients and families navigate their own treatment and recoveries.

    53 min

  4. Apr 21

    016 - Treating to the Traits: An Introduction to Temperament-Based Treatment with Supports (TBT-S) (with Dr. Stephanie Knatz Peck)

    Episode 016 Title: Treating to the Traits: An Introduction to Temperament- Based Treatment with Supports (TBT-S) (with Dr. Stephanie Knatz Peck) In this episode, Jenni Gaines and Laura Cohen sit down with Dr. Stephanie Knatz Peck, clinical psychologist and co-developer of Temperament Based Treatment with Supports (TBT-S), to explore a model of eating disorder care built on neuroscience and personality research. Dr. Knatz Peck explains what TBT-S is, how specific temperament traits—like anxiety, perfectionism, and harm avoidance—are overrepresented in eating disorders, and why treating to the trait rather than against it changes everything. The conversation covers how parents can access TBT-S, what the five-day intensive format looks like, and why understanding the biology behind their child's behavior helps caregivers show up more effectively. 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 01:16 Guest Introduction: Dr. Stephanie Knatz Peck 01:36 What Is TBT-S and Why It Was Developed 06:00 The "S" in TBT-S: Why Words and Supports Matter 08:22 What Temperament Actually Means 11:23 Temperament Traits Across Eating Disorder Subtypes 17:27 Traits as Gifts: Treat to the Trait 25:04 Honoring Traits Without Colluding with the Eating Disorder 30:06 How Environment Interacts with Traits 32:17 Why Parents Are the Primary Agent of Change 36:14 Neurobiological Empathy: What Parents Gain from TBT-S 38:33 How Families Access TBT-S: Intensives and Provider Training 43:58 Case Study: Finding Engagement After Years of Being Stuck 49:23 Three Practical Tips for Supports SUPPORT & RESOURCES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FEAST website: https://feast-ed.org/ FEAST programs and services: https://feast-ed.org/programs-and-services/ FEAST Blog Post-Laura Hill PhD: https://feast-ed.org/how-temperament-influences-support-given-to-loved-ones-with-eating-disorders/ Bright Mind Therapy (Dr. Knatz Peck's clinic): https://www.brightmindtherapy.com/ TBTS Institute: https://tbtstraining.com Guest Bio: Dr. Stephanie Knatz Peck is a clinical psychologist and the founder and clinical director of BrightMind Therapy. She is a practitioner-scientist trained in the UCSD Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry in child and adolescent mental health and evidence-based treatments for parents and youth. In addition to her role at BrightMind Therapy, Dr. Peck is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where she directs an Intensive Family Treatment (IFT) program for adolescents and young adults with eating disorders and their families. Dr. Peck is involved in clinical research underway at UCSD evaluating novel psychiatric treatments including psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and family-focused eating disorders treatment. She provides regular workshops and trainings around the world focused on parent training, family-based treatment, and eating disorders. Dr. Peck is passionate about high-impact treatments and working with youth, with a particular focus on adolescents. She is dedicated to ensuring that youth feel connected and safe while receiving high quality treatments that are rooted in science, adapted for age, family-involved, and last but not least, creative and fun! Outside of her professional life, she enjoys being in nature, surfing, yoga, hiking, writing, and spending time with her young daughter and husband. Born and raised throughout Central and South America to American parents, Dr. Peck identifies as “third-culture” which she credits for the value she places on openness, flexibility, and appreciation for diversity of opinion.

    54 min

  5. Apr 7

    015 - Facing the Toughest Moments in Eating Disorder Caregiving (with Dr. Erin Parks)

    Episode 015 Title: Facing the Toughest Moments in Eating Disorder Caregiving (with Dr. Erin Parks) In this episode, Jenni Gaines and Laura Cohen sit down with Dr. Erin Parks, clinical psychologist and co-founder of Equip, to tackle the situations caregivers dread most: mealtime meltdowns, a child who seems to have stopped caring about everything, and the terrifying reality of self-harm and suicidality. Dr. Parks explains the neurobiology behind why consequences and rewards work differently in the eating disorder brain, and shares a vivid real-world example of how one family used that understanding to break through a months-long standoff. She also offers direct, compassionate guidance on how to talk openly about self-harm, when to involve emergency services, and how to protect your child while accepting the limits of your own control. Listeners will come away with practical tools for the hardest moments of caregiving and a reminder that imperfect support is still meaningful support. 00:00 Introduction, Disclaimer, and Content Warning 01:02 Guest Introduction: Dr. Erin Parks 04:40 When Meals Go Wrong: What to Do After You Snap 08:40 De-escalating in the Moment 11:35 Repairing After a Blow-Up 14:35 What Distress Tolerance Actually Means 23:48 Neurobiology 101: How the Eating Disorder Brain Processes Consequences and Rewards 30:19 The Shake Story: Finding the Key That Motivates Your Child 34:56 When Your Child Feels Nothing: Depression and Eating Disorders 39:22 Self-Harm and Suicidality: How to Keep the Conversation Open 47:53 Safety Planning and Imminent Risk 52:41 One Practical Tip: Choose One SUPPORT & RESOURCES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FEAST website: https://feast-ed.org/ FEAST programs and services: https://feast-ed.org/programs-and-services/ FEAST webinar - How to Talk to Your Child When ED Has You Walking on Eggshells: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6ibx-8YhWE Brainstorms podcast episode: https://brainstormsorg.wordpress.com/2016/10/29/episode-8-eating-disorder-interview-with-dr-erin-parks/ Guest Bio: Dr. Erin Parks is a clinical psychologist and researcher who co-founded Equip in 2019. Equip is now the largest virtual eating disorder treatment program in the United States. As Chief Clinical Officer, she leads the clinical and research efforts that keep Equip's outcomes best in class. Before Equip, Dr. Parks was on the faculty at UC San Diego, where she treated patients across all levels of care for eating disorders. She earned her PhD from UC San Diego and completed her undergraduate work at Northwestern University.

    57 min

  6. Mar 18

    014 - Voices of Hope: Untangling OCD and Anorexia (with Kyle King)

    Episode 014 Title: Voices of Hope: Untangling OCD and Anorexia (with Kyle King) This episode is part of our Voices of Hope series. In these conversations, you'll hear from individuals who have walked through an eating disorder and come out on the other side. Our intention is to highlight that recovery is possible, relationships can survive, and even during the most challenging moments, hope is real. In this episode, Jenni Gaines and Laura Cohen sit down with Kyle King, a second-year medical student at Yale and mental health advocate with lived experience of both OCD and anorexia nervosa. Kyle shares his journey from an OCD diagnosis at 12 to an eating disorder at 17, the ways anorexia drove him to lie to the people closest to him, what it was like to relapse in college and hide it from his parents, and how family-based treatment ultimately saved his life. He also offers a rare inside look at how OCD and eating disorders interact, why being male shaped his experience, and why he now dedicates his advocacy work to supporting caregivers. 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 01:22 Guest Introduction: Kyle King 02:34 Kyle's Lived Experience: From OCD to Anorexia 05:47 When ERP Didn't Work: The Limits of OCD-Only Treatment 07:15 Family-Based Treatment and Starting to Recover 08:06 The Lying Piece: What Parents Need to Know 09:30 Relapse in College: Fabricating Weights and Hiding 13:13 How Being Male Impacted the Eating Disorder Experience 17:09 Lying to Therapists and the Role of Pride 19:31 Why Kyle Fabricated His Weight: It Wasn't for Himself 21:05 How OCD and an Eating Disorder Interact 24:26 Should OCD and Eating Disorders Be Classified Differently? 28:06 Temperament, Brain Circuitry, and Environment 29:15 What Parents Did That Helped Most 32:40 How an Eating Disorder Affects the Whole Family 37:02 OCD Unfiltered: A Program Built for Parents 41:08 Why Kyle Shifted His Focus to Caregivers 44:06 The Power of Parental Vulnerability 46:51 From Lived Experience to Psychiatry 49:41 Hopes for the Future of Eating Disorder Treatment SUPPORT & RESOURCES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FEAST website: https://feast-ed.org/ FEAST flyer: https://feast-ed.org/programs-and-services/ Guest Bio: Kyle King is a second-year medical student at Yale School of Medicine. More central to his identity, however, Kyle is a mental health advocate with lived experience of OCD and anorexia nervosa. He serves as a National Advocate with the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), is the founder and co-leader of the IOCDF's Young Adult Special Interest Group, and hosts the IOCDF Research Roundtable. In addition, Kyle works as a research assistant in the Yale OCD Clinic and is a frequent speaker at OCD conferences across the country. His primary interests include investigating novel treatments for psychiatric conditions, addressing inequities in access to mental health care, and exploring the complex overlaps between OCD and related conditions such as eating disorders.

    53 min

  7. Mar 5

    013 - Voices of Hope: A Mother and Daughter Reflect on Their Eating Disorder Journey (with Alexa Cohen)

    Episode 013 Title: Voices of Hope: A Mother and Daughter Reflect on Their Eating Disorder Journey (with Alexa Cohen) This episode is part of our Voices of Hope series. In these conversations, you’ll hear from individuals who have walked through an eating disorder and come out on the other side. Our intention is to highlight that recovery is possible, relationships can survive, and even during the most challenging moments, hope is real. In this episode, Laura Cohen sits down with her daughter, Alexa Cohen, to talk openly about Alexa's eating disorder diagnosis at 16, the hard road through family-based treatment and higher levels of care, and what their relationship looks like on the other side. Alexa, now 22 and working in inpatient eating disorder care, shares her perspective from both sides of recovery. 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 01:02 Guest Introduction: Alexa Cohen 04:06 Life Before the Diagnosis: Ages 13–16 06:49 The Role of Lockdown, Social Media, and the ED Voice 10:02 How Laura First Learned Something Was Wrong 11:44 Starting FBT: Refeeding at Home During COVID 16:17 What FBT Felt Like from Alexa's Perspective 19:11 Why Giving In Was Never an Option 20:44 Finding the Right Treatment Team (and How Long It Took) 25:26 Deciding to Pursue a Higher Level of Care 32:00 College, Contracts, and Choosing Recovery 37:18 Alexa's Work in Eating Disorder Care Today 40:12 Advice for Caregivers Whose Kids Are in Treatment 45:49 What Alexa Would Tell Her 13-Year-Old Self 47:26 Advice to Caregivers: It Won't Ruin the Relationship SUPPORT & RESOURCES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FEAST website: https://feast-ed.org/ FEAST flyer: https://feast-ed.org/programs-and-services/

    50 min

  8. Feb 25

    012 - What Caregivers Need to Know About ARFID (with Nathalia Trees)

    In this episode, Jenni Gaines and Laura Cohen sit down with Nathalia Trees, a certified eating disorder Registered Dietitian, to unpack ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), a diagnosis that often gets mistaken for simple picky eating. Nathalia breaks down the three presentations of ARFID, explains why a malnourished brain makes food trials nearly impossible without nutritional rehabilitation first, and offers a realistic picture of what success actually looks like in treatment. Listeners will come away with a clearer understanding of when to raise a red flag with their pediatrician, who should be on their child's treatment team, and how to manage the anxiety and fatigue that come with supporting a loved one through recovery. 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 01:11 Guest Introduction: Nathalia Trees 03:20 What Is ARFID? The Three Presentations 05:20 How ARFID Differs from Anorexia, Bulimia, and Anxiety Disorders 07:30 Motivation vs. Anxiety in ARFID Treatment 09:10 Picky Eating vs. ARFID: Where's the Line? 11:20 First Steps for Caregivers: Advocating with Your Pediatrician 15:06 What Does ARFID Treatment Look Like? 16:20 Why Nutrition Rehabilitation Comes Before Food Trials 18:15 Weight Gain Goals and Growth Curve Realities 19:55 The Malnourished Brain: Why Food Trials Can't Come First 23:26 What Does Success Actually Look Like? 25:45 Tracking Progress and Celebrating Small Wins 26:00 Common Setbacks: Travel, Illness, and Food Fatigue 29:40 Building Your Treatment Team: Who Does What 33:15 Caregiver Anxiety and Distress Tolerance at the Table 36:01 Is There a Timeline for ARFID Recovery? 38:08 When to Consider a Higher Level of Care SUPPORT & RESOURCES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FEAST website: https://feast-ed.org/ FEAST flyer: https://feast-ed.org/programs-and-services/ FEAST Webinar - Feeding Without Fear: Navigating Nutrition in ARFID Feeding Without Fear: Navigating Nutrition in ARFID - YouTube FEAST Family Guide - Beyond Picky Eating: Strategies for Navigating ARFID and Supporting Your Loved One (with Nathalia Trees) https://feast-ed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FamilyGuide_BeyondPickyEating_2026_v1.2.pdf Guest Bio: Nathalia Trees is a certified eating disorder Registered Dietitian and consultant specializing in the treatment of adults and adolescents with eating disorders. She was granted a Bachelor of Science from the University of Colorado and a Master of Science in clinical nutrition from Tufts University. She completed her dietetics internship at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA. Nathalia’s experience spans over 13 years in medical nutrition therapy, nutrition education, public speaking, and eating disorder related research. Her passion is advocacy, training, and education for current and future dietitians and helping individuals rebuild their relationship with food. Nathalia’s approach focuses on non-diet centered, weight inclusive, and compassionate care. Nathalia’s leadership style focuses on community, connection, and striving for clinical excellence in the field of eating disorders.

    43 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

The Other Side of the Plate is brought to you by FEAST (Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders). This podcast is for moms, dads, and caregivers searching for answers that can feel so hard to find when your loved one has an eating disorder. Hosts Jenni and Laura are caregivers with lived experience supporting their own loved ones to full recovery. They share personal insights, discuss interactions with professionals, and point you toward helpful resources. Each episode is designed to empower you with the knowledge and confidence to navigate this complex journey. Topics covered include how to recognize the signs of an eating disorder, take effective action, advocate for your child, provide crucial support at home, and many other important topics caregivers face on the path to recovery. As we say at FEAST: "We're here because we've been there." Subscribe now to join a community that truly understands. Disclaimer: The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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