Strong Enough Podcast
You’re listening because you care.
You’re here because you want to know more.
You’re here because you are ….
Strong Enough
Strong Enough is the podcast from Eating Disorders Families Australia.
Created for a world-wide audience of carers and families impacted by eating disorders, we speak to leaders in the field of research as well as specialists in education, advocacy and self-care. We also hear from those with lived experience who are bravely sharing their biggest challenges and successes in the caring journey.
Liptember Foundation, thank you for your support.
A big thank you to the Liptember Foundation for sponsoring the Strong Enough podcast, enabling us to renew for two more seasons. Your support makes episodes 11 and beyond possible, helping us reach and support more eating disorder carers.
Orthorexia: My obsession with healthy eating nearly cost my life
When you hear from your loved one the words “I want to be more healthy” – it’s not what think of as a potential red flag for disordered eating or even something to worry about.
But for Jason Wood this desire to improve his health started his obsession with only eating healthy food, choosing the healthiest options and exercising, which escalated into an eating disorder that nearly killed him.
What is an obsession with eating health called?
It’s known as Orthorexia and it is fixation with eating “clean” or only eating food the person considers healthy.
“What had started as an innocent thing – I thought I was just going to eat healthy and take care of myself and prevent disease – very rapidly turned into something that nearly cost me my life,” explains Jason.
This is an edited version of a presentation Jason did for carers as part of a webinar series run by Eating Disorders Families Australia. If you’d like to access more content like this then join EDFA, it costs as little as a cup of coffee a month.
Jason has also written a book called Starving for Survival.
If you have concerns and want more information about this or other early signs of disordered eating, then download the free Nourish Nurture Notice Masterclass.
Shannon and Jasper's Story
It’s been just over a decade since AFRID or Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder was officially identified as an eating disorder.
ARFID is not about dieting or body image or weight loss, but the symptoms and signs of ARFID can often be mistaken for anorexia or bulimia
It is more than being a fussy eater or a picky eater. There can be a fear of food, anxiety around swallowing or chewing or eating in public, or an extreme sensitivity to taste, texture or smell. Sometimes it might be related to a trauma, such as a hospital stay or emotional event around food or to neurodivergence. Another sign of ARFID might be the reduction in the variety of foods someone might eat.
Shannon’s five-year-old son Jasper was diagnosed with ARFID after a series of unrelated events – a choking incident, a vomiting bug, tonsilitis, then the death of a loved one. It was a slow progressive issue with food and then he didn’t eat for weeks.
A reminder that this podcast is about one family’s experience with ARFID – it’s important you also seek your own professional help for your loved one as every individual case is different.
Warning signs of disordered eating that parents and carers often miss
Disordered eating is on the rise in Australia. What counts as disordered eating can range from the more well known restriction on the amount of food, to only eating one or two specific foods or being afraid to eat because you might choke. Another sign of disordered eating can be an obsession with clean eating or a restrictive so called “healthy” diet!
If you have ever wondered about those tell-tale early signs of an eating disorder then the Nourish, Nurture, Notice program’s Masterclass is something every carer needs to see.
This podcast episode is an edited version of that Masterclass video, which is part of Australia’s first ever online eating disorder prevention program for parents, that focuses on early identification and intervention in disordered eating in young people.
Nourish, Nurture, Notice, which also includes free drop-in sessions, was developed by Eating Disorders Families Australia along with the Embrace Collective and is supported by The Queensland Government.
In the full Masterclass video we speak to Paediatric Dietitian Dr Lyza Norton and Paediatrician Dr Penny Larcombe about their experience speaking to thousands of carers, what they hear the most about the early signs carers miss and what to do next.
As well as EDFA’s Executive Director Jane Rowan and Fill the Gap counsellor Rowena Brookes.
Nourish, Nurture, Notice is an Australian first and an important step in eating disorder prevention.
Tips to make refeeding easier after an eating disorder
It is a complete understatement to say that refeeding after an eating disorder or reintroducing food after an eating disorder can be challenging.
“What is refeeding?” is one of the most common questions Eating Disorders Families Australia receives from carers, who are grappling with the emotional highs and lows, confusion over what to prioritise in refeeding, and how to make things easier or better, for themselves, for their families and their loved ones.
We understand that every recovery journey is unique, and different approaches work for different individuals and families.
In this podcast, EDFA’s Fill the Gap counsellor Rowena Brookes shares insights drawn from both her personal lived experience as a carer and her professional experience as a counsellor.
“It’s ok to feel lost. It’s ok to feel overwhelmed, scared, frustrated. You are starting a process that really doesn’t get spoken about a lot in society and there is not a lot of research on it, so it feels very unknown,” says Rowena.
The content is intended to offer support and general information, but it is not a substitute for professional advice. We encourage you to seek personalised guidance from a qualified healthcare professional who understands your and your loved one’s specific needs.
Don’t forget you can access EDFA’s FREE Fill the Gap one-on-one counselling support any time you need it along the way.
Zoe's Story: inside the mind of someone with an eating disorder
As you care for your loved one with an eating disorder have you ever thought “if only I could see inside their head and find out what’s going on!”
In this episode of the Strong Enough podcast Zoe Sheehan gives you a chance to do just that as she describes her experience of healing from Anorexia, Binge Eating Disorder, Bulimia and Body Dysmorphia over more than a decade.
Zoe talks about the treatments that worked, the mental health pressures – especially as a neurodivergent and queer person – the importance of family to recovery and the moment the penny dropped that this was a life or death situation.
If you have wondered “how does a person with an eating disorder think?” Zoe has lots of insights on what it is like living with an eating disorder PLUS advice for carers looking after loved ones.
“It is not who you are looking after, it really does take over your brain and your daughter or your son or whoever is going through it is in there somewhere. It just takes a lot to get them back out of it,” says Zoe.
If you become an EDFA member you can hear hundreds of hours of content like Zoe’s story PLUS regular webinars with industry experts, researchers and lived experience carers. If you want more from Zoe she’s published a book called Neuro the Cookie.
Medications for eating disorders with Associate Professor Warren Ward
Wondering what medications might help with eating disorders? We know there is no silver bullet pill or tablet that will “fix” or “cure” an eating disorder but there are a range of medications that can be used in conjunction with traditional treatment options and it may be that a simple change in dose will make the world of difference.
This podcast is an edited version of an EDFA webinar on Eating Disorders and medications with Associate Professor Warren Ward. He’s a psychiatrist, the Director of the Eating Disorder program at Ramsey Clinic New Farm, an author and researcher. He answers questions like: do anti depression drugs help eating disorders? What is the first line of treatment for eating disorders? What is the best medication for binge eating?
Dr Ward also discusses the types of medications available in eating disorder treatment, including common drugs for anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder that have shown promising results at different dosages.
Live webinars are a regular part of EDFA’s membership program. For the cost of a cup of coffee a month you can access regular sessions with experts discussing the latest research, treatments and professional advice. Members can also access more than 160 hours of video content and other resources designed specifically for those caring for a loved one with an eating disorder.
Early signs of an eating disorder with Paediatric Dietitian Lyza Norton
When the subtle signs of disordered eating sneak into a home parents and carers often wonder: when should I worry? When is disordered eating serious? What should I do first if I suspect an eating disorder?
Paediatric Dietitian Lyza Norton shares her years of experience with thousands of families navigating disordered eating. She gives us some insights into the different kinds of disordered diets, even “clean eating” or only eating healthy food can become an issue. She also lists some of the most common early signs and symptoms to watch out for and it may not be what you expect.
Dr Norton is also involved in the Nourish, Nurture, Notice program – Australia’s first ever online eating disorder prevention program for parents that focuses on early identification and intervention in disordered eating in young people.
The Nourish Nurture Notice program, which includes a Masterclass and Drop-In Sessions, was developed by EDFA along with the Embrace Collective and is proudly supported by The Queensland Government. It is designed for parents and carers of school-aged children and adolescents.
Somatic Mindfulness for eating disorders: tips to help carers calm, cope and heal
What if there was something you could do as a carer for a loved one with an eating disorder that could have a huge impact on how well you cope? Something that would boost your resilience and your ability to stay the distance in this challenging role?
What if it could be as simple as paying attention? Would you try it?
Mindfulness is often dismissed as something that you might be no good at or something you don’t have time for but in this episode of EDFA’s Strong Enough podcast mindfulness coach Amanda Goodfellow shows us simple ways we can use somatic skills daily to calm and heal.
Amanda is also a TedX speaker as well as a mental health advocate and she knows Somatic mindfulness and somatic therapy practise works because she has used it herself after a battle with her own eating disorder.
She says with somatic mindfulness you can train yourself to be calm, learn how to calm yourself down and, in turn, help someone with an eating disorder to do the same.
Social Media age limits: the story behind the new government legislation to keep children off social platforms
Wondering what are the age limits for social media like Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok? Find out the story behind the world first decision to increase age limits on social platforms from the advocates and academics involved in the process.
EDFA Executive Director Jane Rowan and Dr Simon Wilksch, Clinic Director at Advanced Psychology Services and a Senior Research Fellow at Flinders University speak to Strong Enough about the research and insights behind the historic decision and the impact it will have on those caring for loved ones with eating disorders.
Not sure how to keep your kids safe online before the legislation changes? The pair also share their best tips on surviving the “online tsunami”.
This season has been made possible by an impact grant from the Liptember Foundation, which raises and invests funds to support women’s mental health.
Thank you for making this podcast possible.
Season one and two, including episodes 1- 10 has been made possible through the generous fundraising efforts of EDFA members Leah Ward and Alanna McInerney, and the team at Teleflex Medical Australia & New Zealand.