Nourish & Empower

Jessica Coviello & Maggie Lefavor
  • 5.0 (13)
  • 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, along with special guests, as we chat about mental health, nutrition, eating disorders, diet culture, body image, and so much more. Together, we have over 15 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. 1D AGO

    For Those on the Long Journey: A Recovery Story for ED Awareness Week

    What if recovery didn’t have to be perfect to be real? We’re joined by author Johanna Scoglio, whose new memoir, When the Water Still Holds Me: Letters Through the Tides of a Long-Term Eating Disorder, opens a candid window into life with a long-term eating disorder and the everyday courage it takes to heal. Johanna shares how shame kept her silent for years, how harm reduction and values-based choices gave her traction, and why support that sits beside you beats pressure that pushes. The story of Friday pizza nights leading to pizza in Italy reveals a practical, compassionate path: small exposures, steady presence, and a focus on what matters most.We dig into the myths that stall progress, like the idea that recovery must be symptom-free to count, and talk about creating definitions that fit real lives. Johanna speaks directly to loved ones about grieving the recovery story they imagined, then walking alongside with patience and flexibility. She also offers a thoughtful guide for teachers and coaches whose words shape how young people see food, bodies, and effort. From ditching “healthy vs unhealthy” lessons to normalizing rest and fueling, her advice shows how small shifts in language and modeling can change trajectories.For clinicians, Johanna highlights collaboration, autonomy, and the power of slowing down with clients on long journeys. She reflects on the unconditional hope that kept her moving and introduces A Dragonfly’s Dream, her peer-led nonprofit for adults navigating recurring or long-term eating disorders. The dragonfly, born in the dark, transformed in light, honors her grandmother and the quiet resilience many carry. If you’ve ever felt “too late” to heal, this conversation offers a different compass: define your why, take kinder steps, and let community hold you steady. Liked what you heard? Subscribe, share with a friend who needs hope today, and leave a review to help others 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: 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

    50 min

  2. FEB 16

    When Worth Isn’t A Size: Choosing Function Over Aesthetic

    If body talk leaves you tired, you’re not alone. We dig into the honest, nuanced space between loving your body and hating it—and why body neutrality can be the most freeing path forward. With one of us practicing as a therapist and the other as a dietitian, we blend emotional insight with practical nutrition tools to help you move through tough body days without sacrificing your life, your relationships, or your meals. We start by defining body positivity, neutrality, and negativity in plain language, then show how diet culture twists “self-love” into a checklist you can never finish. Instead of chasing a look, we pivot toward function: How does your body help you show up today? What choices—enough food, steady snacks, hydration, rest—rebuild trust when image anxiety spikes? You’ll hear how counseling meets care at the table, from psychoeducation that calms the nervous system to meal rhythms that stabilize mood and keep you present when thoughts get loud. Postpartum realities bring the conversation to heart-level. We talk about clothes fitting again as a win for expression, not worth; how to handle body comments with a simple thank you and a boundary; and why neutrality is essential during pregnancy’s uncontrollable changes. Stretch marks, shifting curves, new textures—none of it defines your value. Presence does. Your kid won’t remember your swimsuit size; they will remember you laughing in the pool. If you’re ready to trade perfection for presence and pressure for respect, press play and join us. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs gentler body talk, and leave a review to tell us what part helped you most. 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: 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

    47 min

  3. FEB 10

    ARFID Andrew Redefines Food Exposures

    Fear, texture, and shame don’t stand a chance when the stakes are low and the support is real. We’re joined by creator Andrew Luber also known as, ARFID Andrew, whose wildly honest food exposures have helped thousands put words to what ARFID actually feels like: a body that misfires at the sight, smell, and feel of certain foods, and a brain that plans the entire day around avoiding them. Andrew opens up about why rigid rituals backfire, how spontaneity reduces anticipatory anxiety, and the unexpected role of humor in building tolerance without making the struggle a joke.We dig into the difference between picky eating and ARFID’s “day-shaping” reality, then reframe recovery through the lens of process addiction. Instead of fighting a substance, you’re reversing an avoidance pattern, approaching what you’d usually escape. Andrew shares how filming with friends, treating exposures like low-pressure moments, and expecting the occasional gag reflex can take the edge off. We trade practical strategies: scaling exposures, changing textures and formats, pairing new foods with safe ones, and avoiding the “just one more bite” trap that turns mealtime into a test. From rapid-fire food takes (bananas as the ultimate nemesis, “complimentary” rice, cottage cheese as baby formula energy) to navigating restaurants, dating, and family meals, this conversation is both candid and compassionate. Andrew also previews his upcoming film “An ARFID Date” and a new peer support offering built in partnership with therapists and dietitians. If you’re a parent, partner, or professional, you’ll leave with language, tools, and perspective to keep mealtimes lighter and progress sustainable.Subscribe for more honest conversations on mental health, nutrition, and recovery. If this helped, share it with someone who needs a lower-stakes next step, and leave a review so others 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: 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

    50 min

  4. FEB 2

    Breaking Stereotypes & Embracing Yourself: Eating Disorder Recovery for Males

    You can’t heal what you can’t name. We sit down with recovery coach and advocate Eric Pothen to name what often goes unseen: how eating disorders affect men, why stereotypes keep them silent, and what real support looks like when shame and masculinity collide. Eric’s story fuels a wider movement for representation—from launching EmbraceWare, an apparel brand that donates to treatment and sparks conversation, to building spaces where men can show up as they are and feel understood. We dig into the signs most people miss in men: the normalization of bulking and cutting, obsessive macro tracking, and how gym culture masks distress as discipline. Eric explains why anger often becomes the only “safe” emotion, what’s under that iceberg of irritability, and how to create a neutral space around diagnosis so men can approach recovery without losing their identity. He shares practical steps to move through fear—drafting before posting, confiding in one trusted person, treating discomfort as information not danger—and the mindset shifts that make courage a daily practice. You’ll hear where men can find community through meal support groups and advocacy networks, plus how loved ones can help without centering the illness: ask better questions about how gender shapes the struggle, accept partial answers, and keep seeing the whole person—musician, friend, dog dad—instead of only the diagnosis. The message is clear and hopeful: your story is valid even if others don’t understand it yet. Embrace is more than a word on a hoodie; it’s a way to soften around reality and move forward together. If this conversation opened something for you, follow, rate, and share the show—then tell us what stereotype you want to dismantle next. 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: 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

    56 min

  5. JAN 26

    Finding Your Therapist (and Why They Have Support Too)

    Ever wonder what makes good therapy consistently good? We open the door to the real work that happens off-mic and off-session: supervision, collaboration, and the ethical guardrails that keep clients safe and supported. With licensed professional counselor and supervisor Erin Scheidle, we unpack how individual and group supervision sharpen clinical judgment, reduce imposter syndrome, and translate directly into clearer treatment plans and stronger outcomes—especially in eating disorder care where dietitians and therapists must align. We explore the difference between supervision and a clinician’s own therapy, and why that boundary matters for you. You’ll hear a clear, relatable breakdown of transference and countertransference, how those dynamics show up in the room, and practical ways providers name and manage them to protect the therapeutic relationship. We also get tactical about finding a clinician who fits: what to ask on a consult, how to assess safety and nonjudgment, what “collaborative care” really looks like, and how to use past not-so-great experiences as data rather than deterrents. If the fit isn’t right, we guide you through transparent, empowered next steps—how to speak up, request adjustments, or end care with closure and referrals. The throughline is simple and powerful: good care is built on teamwork, ongoing learning, and your voice. Whether you’re navigating eating disorder recovery or seeking a better mental health match, this conversation offers practical tools and a reassuring view of the professional systems designed to support you. If this episode helped you feel seen or informed, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review. Your feedback helps others find thoughtful, ethical mental health content and keeps these conversations going. 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: 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

    43 min

  6. JAN 19

    Grounded Goals, Not Grand Transformations

    A new calendar doesn’t require a new you. We kick off the year by taking apart the pressure cooker of resolutions, asking why a “firm decision” often casts you as a problem to be solved—and how that framing supercharges diet culture’s loudest season. Instead, we offer a humane alternative: intentions that honor context, capacity, and change over time. This is a conversation about self-trust, not self-surveillance. We explore why so many plans collapse by February: shame-based goals, unrealistic timelines, and the myth that transformation must be dramatic to count. From body image to mental health, we show how to reclaim your agency with small, low-pressure actions that actually stick. You’ll hear strategies for doing things you love even when you’re not “good” at them, reframing embarrassment so it doesn’t steal your joy, and choosing non-diet goals that make life richer—like therapy, creative classes, or trips you’ve put off. We also unpack manifestation beyond the social media sparkle, grounding it in evidence-based psychology: clear intentions, aligned self-talk, and consistent action. For a simple anchor this year, we share our guiding words—grace and grounded—and how they shape choices across relationships, work, and well-being. Grace gives you room to be a person while you grow. Grounded keeps you rooted in what’s real: your values, your limits, your support system. If you’re tired of quick fixes and hungry for sustainable change, this conversation offers a calmer path forward. If this resonated with you, subscribe, share with a friend who needs a kinder New Year, and leave a rating or review to help others find the show. What’s your word for the year? 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: 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

    45 min

  7. JAN 12

    Reviewing the New Food Pyramid: Pros, Cons, and Our Take!

    A new “pyramid” lands, the internet erupts, and we’re left asking the only question that matters: what should actually change on our plates? We take you past the viral graphic and into the real guidance, translating policy-speak into practical choices you can make this week. From protein hype to saturated fat limits, from kids and sugar to food access and cost, we connect the dots with clear, judgment-free advice. We start by grounding the conversation in history—how the 1992 pyramid gave way to MyPyramid and then MyPlate—and why that plate was easy to teach across ages, cultures, and languages. Then we examine what’s new versus what’s noise. The saturated fat limit remains under 10%, yet the graphic leans harder into animal foods. We unpack how to reconcile those messages with smarter swaps: rotate seafood, choose lean cuts, mix in beans and lentils, use oils, and keep portions flexible. We also call out missing voices; it’s baffling that registered dietitians weren’t centered on the panel when they’re the ones who field public questions and rebuild trust. Parents will find straight talk on kids and sugar. Strict rules can spark secrecy and binge-restrict patterns; a neutral, structured approach supports intuitive eating and calmer mealtimes. We touch on the much-cited JAMA study and why methods and dates matter before drawing sweeping conclusions. And because advice without access is a dead end, we focus on policy levers that make change real—SNAP and WIC improvements, culturally relevant options, and school meals that families can afford and kids will eat. If you’ve felt whiplash from “eat more protein” while “watch saturated fat,” or wondered how the new USDA dietary guidelines fit your culture, budget, or health history, this conversation offers clarity you can use. Listen for practical takeaways, not perfection: adequate, consistent, and varied beats rigid rules every time. Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with a friend who’s confused by the new graphic, and leave a quick review to help others find us. 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: 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

    1h 1m

  8. JAN 5

    Diet Culture vs. Anti Diet: How Inclusive Nutrition Actually Works

    Ever feel trapped between diet rules and anti-diet slogans, like you have to pick a side to “eat right”? We invited ADHD dietitian Chelsea Pitrelli to break the stalemate. Chelsea has lived on both ends of the spectrum—teaching adult weight management classes and guiding eating disorder recovery—and she shows how the same core skills can serve radically different goals when we strip away shame and refocus on intention. We unpack what anti-diet actually means, beyond hashtags and hot takes. Chelsea explains Health at Every Size as a behavior-first framework, how set point theory reframes the fight with the scale, and why gentle nutrition is an “add-in” approach that prioritizes protein, fiber, regular meals, and satisfaction. We talk about the good–bad pendulum that diets create, why sustainability beats short-term wins, and how therapy tools like CBT can calm the anxiety that often drives food rules. You’ll hear practical examples—from pizza crust vs cauliflower crust to the cottage cheese craze—that reveal why inclusivity means both can belong when the choice serves you rather than fear. We also address the toxic edges of both camps. Diet culture can moralize food; anti-diet can shame preferences. The middle is not mushy—it’s where curiosity replaces judgment and where clients learn to move from fear foods to genuine enjoyment. For ADHD brains, we highlight accessibility and convenience as health tools, with snack ideas like freezer waffles with peanut butter and honey that actually stick. By the end, you’ll have a clearer philosophy of nutrition that fits real life: less performing health, more practicing it. If this conversation helped you rethink your relationship with food, follow and subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review telling us one “rule” you’re ready to rewrite. 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: 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

    40 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
13 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, along with special guests, as we chat about mental health, nutrition, eating disorders, diet culture, body image, and so much more. Together, we have over 15 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
    71
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Nourish & Empower
  • Show Website
    Nourish & Empower