Swell Recovery

Kate Sutton

Swell Recovery, formerly known as Recovery Deep Dish, is hosted by Kate Sutton, a licensed therapist in private practice specializing in eating disorders and complex trauma. This podcast provides a deep dish of facts, stories, and guidance for long term eating disorder recovery from Kate's personal and professional experience. It takes folks beyond basic cognitive behavioral therapy approaches to eating disorders and explores the deeper issues beneath them. If you've ever felt alone in recovery or expert help has fallen short, this podcast is for you. Each episode delves into topics that often remain unaddressed in traditional treatment, providing insights from neuroscience, somatic therapy, Internal Family Systems, and attachment theory. You'll also get actionable strategies to help you choose recovery day after day. Join Kate as she shares her hard-won wisdom and invites guests to offer their unique perspectives on the complex realities of the recovery process.Whether you're in recovery yourself or supporting someone who is, this podcast offers a compassionate space for honest conversations and practical guidance. Discover the power of getting curious about the underlying issues and embrace the profound transformation that awaits you on the other side of an eating disorder.

Episodes

  1. 5D AGO

    5.1 (Encore): The Most Important Key To Unlocking Recovery - Your Nervous System, Part 1

    In this episode, we’re exploring the fascinating connection between your nervous system and your relationship with food. During Part 1 of this podcast, we unpack how the autonomic nervous system influences eating patterns and recovery, using Deb Dana's polyvagal theory as our guide. Discover how trauma, stress, and past experiences create neural pathways that affect your position on the polyvagal ladder during meals. In Part 2, I’ll share practical tools to find regulation, connection, and peace with food. This show honors all bodies while offering evidence-based approaches to healing your relationship with eating from the inside out. Whether you're in recovery or supporting someone who is, these conversations will transform how you understand your nervous system and the keys to regulation in long term eating disorder recovery. Key Points [00:06:20] The ANS and Deb Dana’s polyvagal ladder [00:14:50] Neural pathways and eating disorder symptoms[00:19:30] “Small T” trauma and how it impacts the nervous system [00:25:42] Specific nervous system patterns of anorexia, binge eating, and binge-purge or compensatory behaviors**Doesn’t talk about specific behaviors but does discuss symptoms, so please skip to Part 2 if this is triggering for you.Resources Mentioned Deb Dana’s work on polyvagal theoryEpisode Links Website: swellmentalhealth.comInstagram: @counselorkateGet in touch and work with me!: swellmentalhealth.com/contact

    44 min
  2. 7: The blurry line between eating disorders and disordered eating and what ambivalence really says about your recovery

    04/29/2025

    7: The blurry line between eating disorders and disordered eating and what ambivalence really says about your recovery

    In this episode, we explore the often blurry line between eating disorders and disordered eating and the nuance between having a clinical diagnosis or not. I’ll share about how many so-called "healthy habits" are normalized eating disorder behaviors. Finally, I’ll share insight about how ambivalence in recovery connects to deeper psychological issues underlying eating disorders. Whether you're early in recovery ready to learn some basics or struggling to identify the deeper issues keeping you stuck, this episode offers clarity on how to recognize when wellness behaviors cross into disordered territory and what’s really driving them in the first place.  Key Points [00:05:00] The difference between eating disorders and disordered eating[00:07:44] Questionnaire to determine if you or someone you love has disordered eating[00:9:43] Eating disorders can happen at any weight, body size, or shape[00:10:53] Examples of normalized disordered eating [00:13:05] Factors and rates of disordered eating turning into a full blown eating disorder[00:17:16] The deep dish - what comes up from taking responsibility for your recovery[00:25:43] Recommendations for looking for support Resources Mentioned Recovery Deep Dish Episode 5 - The nervous system in recoveryPsychology TodayTherapy DenLook for somatic experiencing therapists at Somatic Experiencing International DirectoryAttachment therapists - AEDP DirectoryEpisode Links: Website: swellmentalhealth.comInstagram: @counselorkate and @swellmentalhealthEmail: podcast@swellmentalhealth.com

    34 min
  3. 6: Recovery Is A Radical Act: 11 Ways To Attune To Yourself and F*ck The System

    04/22/2025

    6: Recovery Is A Radical Act: 11 Ways To Attune To Yourself and F*ck The System

    In this episode, we explore how the current political and social climate can impact eating disorder recovery by triggering nervous system dysregulation. Learn why stress can make us vulnerable to old patterns and discover practical tools for staying embodied during turbulent times. We discuss attachment healing as political resistance, how to recognize nervous system states, and ways to create safety in your body when the world feels overwhelming. This episode offers 11 strategies for maintaining recovery while navigating collective stress, honoring grief and anger as necessary emotions, and finding strength through embodied awareness. Perfect for anyone feeling the impact of current events on their relationship with food and body. Key Points [00:04:10] A review of how the nervous system works - go check out Episode 5, Parts 1 and 2 for a deeper dive [00:08:36] How stress impacts executive functioning, eating disorder and trauma history,  and how systems of oppression benefit[00:15:00] Diet culture is a vehicle for misogyny and keeps us preoccupied from pursuing power, pleasure and autonomy and connection with the Self[00:20:30] Ask yourself these deeper questions if you’re doubting your recovery [00:23:30] Embodied resistance and attachment work in recovery [00:32:48] 11 Things you can do to find safety in the nervous system[00:34:40] How to get back to movement safely - Episode 4 of RDD[00:39:30] Calming Songs for Anxiety on Spotify[00:40:50] Reminders of ways to stay connected to yourselfResources Mentioned: Books:“The Beauty Myth” by Naomi Wolf“Fearing The Black Body” by Sabrina Strings “My Grandmother’s Hands” by Resmaa Menakem“Decolonizing The Body” by Kelsey Blackwell“The Pain We Carry: Healing from Complex PTSD for People of Color” by Natalie GutierrezPeople to learn from:Rachel CargleSonya Renee TaylorSaba ChoudryAlok Vaid-MenonEpisode Links: Website: swellmentalhealth.comInstagram: @counselorkate and @swellmentalhealthEmail: podcast@swellmentalhealth.comGet in touch and work with me!: swellmentalhealth.com/contact

    42 min
5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Swell Recovery, formerly known as Recovery Deep Dish, is hosted by Kate Sutton, a licensed therapist in private practice specializing in eating disorders and complex trauma. This podcast provides a deep dish of facts, stories, and guidance for long term eating disorder recovery from Kate's personal and professional experience. It takes folks beyond basic cognitive behavioral therapy approaches to eating disorders and explores the deeper issues beneath them. If you've ever felt alone in recovery or expert help has fallen short, this podcast is for you. Each episode delves into topics that often remain unaddressed in traditional treatment, providing insights from neuroscience, somatic therapy, Internal Family Systems, and attachment theory. You'll also get actionable strategies to help you choose recovery day after day. Join Kate as she shares her hard-won wisdom and invites guests to offer their unique perspectives on the complex realities of the recovery process.Whether you're in recovery yourself or supporting someone who is, this podcast offers a compassionate space for honest conversations and practical guidance. Discover the power of getting curious about the underlying issues and embrace the profound transformation that awaits you on the other side of an eating disorder.