Strong Enough Podcast

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Strong Enough

Strong Enough is the new 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.

This podcast 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.

All Episodes

Episode 8

Sibling support and family connections with EDFA Counsellor Alisha Mah

Alisha Mah is one of EDFA’s counsellors, working in the Fill The Gap program that offers free online sessions for carers. She also has lived experience as both a sibling and a carer for a loved one with an eating disorder.

When there’s a diagnosis of an eating disorder in a family it often impacts more than just one person and the rest of the family, particularly siblings, can feel the wide reaching ripples of change, of worry and concern, of isolation and even anger.

In this episode Alisha shares many helpful insights into the sibling challenges, about family routines and traditions, about birthdays and events, as well ways to speak to the family members who don’t understand.

Adult carers and young supporter (aged 10-17) can book a FREE counselling sessions with Alisha and other qualified counsellors here.

Episode 7

Eating Disorders and Autism with Carer Coach Jenny Langley

Meet Jenny Langley, an international Carer Coach and Trainer, helping families communicate better when a loved one is diagnosed with an eating disorder.

The New Maudsley Model was developed at London’s Maudsley Hospital by world leading clinical and academic psychiatrist in eating disorders, Professor Janet Treasure. The program teaches carers communications tools and techniques to engage with loved ones in ways that lower stress and anxiety for everyone in the family.

Jenny took part in the Maudsley Hospital’s initial pilot program after living through her own caring challenges with her son who ‘crashed into anorexia’ as a 12 year old. The mother of 6 is now a trainer, workshop facilitator, experienced carer coach and author of the book Boys Get Anorexia Too. And you’ll be happy to know her son has also made a good recovery.

There’s something for everyone in this episode including communication tips, validation and soothing skills, the role of positive affirmations and the power of the pause.

Episode 6

Resilience tips for carers with EDFA Ambassador Hugh van Cuylenburg

Our guest Hugh van Cuylenburg is one of the hosts of Australia’s most beloved podcasts “The Imperfects” and he runs The Resilience Project, a national program teaching practical wellbeing strategies to build mental health resilience in the community.

But Hugh has also walked in your shoes and has seen the challenges firsthand of caring for someone with an eating disorder, after his sister was diagnosed with anorexia as a teenager.

Hugh talks about resilience, empathy, mindfulness and … yes … even the importance of gratitude when you are a carer. He has plenty of tips an d ideas to help people cope as a caregiver or in a caring role. Hugh is also encouraging families to join EDFA’s Sibling Support groups saying it would have been life changing for him if these services had been available.

Episode 5

Ask me a question with EDFA Psychologist Chris Fowler

Chris is the Program Director at EDFA’s Fill The Gap counselling service – a one-on-one free online counselling service for carers to seek support with a simple phone call-and he has more than a decade of experience to draw on in hospital and helpline settings.

In this episode Chris discusses member concerns around “saying the wrong thing”, he offers his best advice on how to support people with eating disorders and explains why relapses shouldn’t be seen as failures. He answers questions about self care, about the eating disorder recovery process and why support groups can be helpful for everyone in the family.

Episode 4

The latest eating disorder research on genetics social media and perfectionism with Professor Tracey Wade

For more than 30 years Professor Tracey Wade has been at the forefront of eating disorderresearch, clinical practice and public policy. Currently the Director of the Flinders Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing at Flinders University, Professor Wade has co-written threetherapy books, published hundreds of papers and has just been awarded the 2023: Australian Association for Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy-Distinguished Career Award.

In this episode, we focus on her work on the latest genetic links to eating disorders, delve into her research on the importance of media literacy as a way to combat the menace of social media and find out her insights into the perfectionism trait that can trigger disordered eating in many forms including bulimia, restrictive eating and anorexia nervosa.

Episode 3

Refeeding after an eating disorder diagnosis with Eva Musby

What is refeeding? Should I put extra calories in meals? How do I stay calm at the dinner table?
What is the magic plate theory?

Eva Musby tackles all these questions (and more) about the the topic of refeeding (which she breaks down for us, if you’re new to the conversation) and the refeeding stage of eating disorder recovery. She offers gentle and practical help as she talks us through her most successful tips and ideas about how to encourage and support your loved one using a family based approach.

* It’s important to note that this discussion is not a substitute for professional advice. Some tips might be relevant to your own situation and others might not.

Episode 2

Leah's Story

Leah’s daughter had been struggling with mental health challenges when an eating disorder diagnosis rocked the family. In this heartfelt podcast, Leah talks us through those first days, the signs and signals she noticed, her experiences finding the health team her daughter needed and navigating the fear of a diagnosis.

She discusses how joining EDFA’s eating disorder support group for carers helped her survive and thrive PLUS offers her top three tips on how to support someone with an eating disorder.

Episode 1

Eating Disorder Diagnosis To Do List with Jane Rowan

When a loved one is diagnosed with an eating disorder, it can be difficult to know where to start. In this first episode of Strong Enough, Executive Director Jane Rowan talks us through EDFA’s eating disorder diagnosis checklist, using her lived experience as a carer for a daughter diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa.

You can download the Diagnosis To Do List here.