The Lovely Becoming Podcast
By Mimi Cole
The Lovely Becoming PodcastSep 21, 2021
41. Young Black Girls Experience Life-Threatening Eating Disorders, Too with Dr. Erikka Dzirasa
Media often tends to focus on and center emaciated, thin, young white adolescents who are hospitalized due to medical complications of malnourishment when speaking on the topic of eating disorders. We don't often hear stories of Black girls with anorexia, Black men struggling with body image, Black families and the impact of these narrow stereotypes on limiting care and life-saving access to care. Today's episode was recorded almost half a year ago, but it still rings so important. Mimi talks with Dr. Erikka Dzirasa, MD about messages we received around mental health growing up and our work as Black healthcare providers in the eating disorder field.
*The title was tricky for me to think about, I wanted to capture how Black children experience eating disorders because the narrative is lacking. I also wanted to capture that little Black girls and Black men and non-binary and trans Black people experience eating disorders. Blackness and eating disorders aren't mutually exclusive. I landed on Black Young Girls because that is the experience I can speak to the most and we need more voices. And also, one podcast episode doesn't capture the whole Black experience of eating disorders, there is so much complexity. So just narrowing in on some aspects here. I've also since read the book, It's Always Been Ours by Jessica Wilson, MS, RD, which has been absolutely incredible, I highly recommend reading!
We talk about..
Black families and eating disorder care
Messages prominent in many Black families around mental health
The need for more representation within the field of eating disorder care
How stereotypes lead to lack of early diagnosis and are life-threatening
Dr. Dzirasa's leadership positions within Arise and Project HEAL, and the importance of diversity within organizations providing care
Erikka Dzirasa, MD, MPH, DFAACAP is a double-board certified Child and Adult Psychiatrist who brings more than 10 years of deep expertise in eating disorders and mental health since first seeking out specialized training while in Duke University's residency and fellowship programs. She previously served as the Medical Director of an Eating Disorders specialty hospital system, leading policy and program development to deliver high-quality, effective care in their intensive outpatient (IOP) and partial hospitalization programs (PHP), residential and inpatient units for people living with eating disorders. Erikka is currently Chair of the Board of Directors of Project HEAL, a leading eating disorder nonprofit breaking down systemic barriers and providing education and supportive resources to people of all identities and background experiencing eating disorders. She is a partner in Catalyst Therapeutic Services, a private practice in Durham, NC and a Consulting Associate at Duke University Medical Center. As a mental health advocate, she also serves on the Race, Ethnicity and Equity committee for the North Carolina Psychiatric Association, and is the immediate Past President of the North Carolina Council of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Dzirasa earned her Bachelor of Science at Spelman College, Master of Public Health in Health Care and Leadership at UNC Chapel Hill, and her Doctor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. She is also a certified yoga instructor.
Find Dr. Dzirasa at:
IG: @dr.erikka
Arise: www.wearearise.com/about
Find Mimi at:
Main IG: @the.lovelybecoming
Podcast IG: @lovelybecomingpodcast
Website: www.mimi-cole.com
40. Eating Disorder Advocacy + Equitable Access; A Conversation with Rebecca Eyre
In this episode, Mimi talks with CEO of Project HEAL, the largest nonprofit in the U.S. working to address inequities in treatment access to individuals with marginalized identities who struggle with eating disorders. We talk about her work at Project HEAL, grappling with how white and exclusive the field of eating disorders has been and paths forward. Months after our recording, it's here. It's tender; enjoy listening and check out links for more information about Project HEAL below:
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- https://www.theprojectheal.org/
- Treatment Funding Assistance Program
- @projectheal on Instagram
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Rebecca Eyre (she/her) is the CEO of Project HEAL, the leading national nonprofit focused on equitable access to eating disorder support. Project HEAL offers direct services to people who are unable to access treatment, providing free treatment, assessments, cash assistance, insurance navigation support, and community education. Rebecca is a licensed mental health therapist who has been treating individuals with eating disorders for over a decade, and she's a vocal advocate at the intersection of eating disorders and social justice.
39. For Those Holding Space for Others, Internal Space, + Embracing Worthiness with Thaís Sky
In this episode, Mimi speaks with incredible therapist, Thaís Sky. We cover...
- feeling like too much and not enough, Thaís journey thus far exploring why humans feel unworthy and how that keeps us from connection
- our qualms with co-dependency and thoughts on relational healing and interdependence
- talking about therapist boundaries and how our interpretation of them reflects our early relationships and beliefs
- how social media reflects and fuels our discomfort with uncertainty and the beauty of privacy in the midst of highlighted vulnerability
- and more!!
I may be biased, but this episode is an absolute treasure to me. I've learned a ton from Thaís and her gentle connected presence. She is amazing.
About: Thaís is a psychotherapist and writer on a heart-led mission to support the seekers, the edge-dwellers, and the "why the heck do I feel so broken” of the world reclaim their sense of worth (what she calls the worthiness wound®) by learning how to explore, trust and express themselves. Through her podcast, RECLAIM, and work with individuals and groups, Thaís is guided by the belief that when we know who we are, we become more free. She holds a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and helms a therapy practice in Los Angeles. You can learn more about her at IamThaisSky.com and just about everywhere on social media at @IamThaisSky.
38. Becoming: Until We Are Undone with Wednesdae Reim Ifrach
In this episode, Wednesdae and Mimi talk about:
• Wednesdae’s very own becoming, sharing the story behind their name change
• How Mimi’s almost deleting the one time she shared specifics of her eating disorder story and how that vulnerability led to the creation of something really beautiful
• How trauma impacts our childhoods and how we heal
• Pronouns, gender identity, embodiment, and authenticity
• Founding of Rainbow Road, the first LGBTQIA+ Eating Disorder IOP in the country
• Healing through art and sharing of our stories
Book Referenced: Your Wound, My Garden by Alok: https://alokvmenon.myshopify.com/products/your-wound-my-garden-pdf
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You can find Wednesdae on Instagram at: @queer.art_therapist or their website: https://rainbow-recovery.org/
37. Home, chickens = the key to mental health? + life outside eating disorders with Madison White
In this episode, realtor Madison White and Mimi talk about...
• How chickens might change your mental health (how caring for others helps us care for ourselves)
• Life outside of eating disorders --> eating disorder professions; life “beyond ED”, if you will
• How a Tennessee law and backyard chickens changed everything for Madison’s mental health
• Authenticity, honesty, and how these disarm others and invite us all to show up
• Dating when your body changes after an eating disorder … plus a lot of laughs and more ♥️
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Madison White, 31, has been living in Nashville all of her adult life. As a woman with ADHD, anxiety/depression, PMDD, and a history of disordered eating, she has become a mental health advocate. She has be an licensed REALTOR for 8 years and is consistently ranked in the top 10% of agents at her company. She works to create a safe environment for her clients as they navigate market challenges. Madison is obsessed with the fact that she gets to help others find the places they will call home and where all of the biggest little moments of their lives will happen. She truly believes her life’s purpose is to bring joy to those around her. Homeownership gave her the opportunity to become a certified chicken tender to a backyard flock of 7 and dog mom to her English Bulldog rescue, Larry.
36. Harm Reduction in Eating Disorders with Gloria Lucas
In this episode, Gloria and Mimi talk about…
‣ the origins of harm reduction and how this framework translates to eating disorder care
‣ Address common pushback to harm reduction such as the idea that it is enabling the eating disorder or giving up on recovery
‣ Discuss how purity culture, white saviorism, and colonialism play a role in resistance to harm reduction and current treatment approaches . .
We will also cover…
‣ Why Gloria’s new motto is “i don’t care”
‣ Caring for yourself while doing work that serves others
‣ Eating disorder treatment in the BIPOC community
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Notes:
‣ 13:31: For me, the narrative of “recovered” largely exists around individuals who recover into thin bodies and hold privileges of access to high quality treatment, believability surrounding diagnosis and family validation, etc. I also believe the term 'recovered' doesn’t create space for how eating disorders can help people cope with marginalized identities and access care due to proximity of body size to privilege. . .
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You can find Gloria at: IG: @nalgonapositivitypride Website: nalgonapositivitypride.com
And Mimi at: IG: @the.lovelybecoming Website: www.mimi-cole.com
35. Attachment Trauma: Treating Co-Occurring BPD and EDs with Fatema Jivanjee-Shakir
In this episode, you will learn about:
• Co-occurring presentation of Borderline Personality Disorder and Eating Disorders
• Attachment trauma and the role of a secure base in treatment
• How individualistic values impact treatment approaches
We also cover…
• common ruptures and concerns clients with both disorders bring up
• navigating boundaries as providers working with attachment trauma with the knowledge that relationships heal
• perspectives on DBT and it’s placement within a western, individualistic society
• tips for clinicians who struggle with the co-occurring presentation of BPD and EDs
You can find Fatema at:
IG: @YourSouthAsianTherapist
TikTok: @YourSouthAsianTherapist
Website: www.fjshakir.com
And Mimi at:
IG: @the.lovelybecoming
Website: www.mimi-cole.com
About: Fatema Jivanjee-Shakir, LMSW is an eating disorder therapist, writer, and speaker. She has extensive experience working with adults and adolescents in individual, group, and family therapy at the residential, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), and outpatient levels of care. Her work is strongly informed by the Health at Every Size perspective and intersectional approaches to healing. Fatema has a special interest in working with BIPOC clients, especially those of South Asian and Muslim backgrounds. Fatema is a therapist at Conason Psychological Services and a Board Member of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals New York chapter.
34. Complex PTSD, quiet BPD, and Trauma-Informed Care with Iris McAlpin
In this episode, you will learn about:
- CPTSD
- The differences between CPTSD and BPD
- How a trauma-informed approach changes everything from diagnosis to how we treat people with similar symptoms and traumatic experiences based on a label.
We also cover..
- the realities of stigma and labels, pathologization of trauma
- Aspects of NARM (the NeuroAffective Relational ModelTM)
- How to reframe pathologizing diagnosis of BPD from stigma to trauma and understanding
- Why self-compassion might feel really hard for trauma survivors
- How to set boundaries around your own lived experience on Instagram
- Expertise in the field vs openness to always learning and curiosity
About Iris McAlpin: Iris McAlpin is a certified trauma coach and NARM® Practitioner specializing in self-sabotage, eating disorder recovery and complex trauma. After struggling with bulimia, C-PTSD and depression for over a decade, Iris became determined to understand what was fueling her self-destructive behaviors and troubling symptoms. This eventually led her to an in-depth study of trauma, which resulted in a radical personal transformation. She now helps people all over the world overcome similar struggles through trauma-informed education, group programs and individual coaching.
Find Iris at:
IG: @irismcalpin
Website: www.irismcalpin.com
References:
Quiet BPD, Very Well Mind article
Find Mimi at:
Main IG: @the.lovelybecoming
Podcast IG: @lovelybecomingpodcast
Disclaimer: Mimi and Iris do not have specific training in or claim to be experts in treating BPD. All thoughts expressed should not be considered a substitute for advice or an individual therapeutic relationship. The hope is to open up conversations for providers and individuals alike to consider how trauma may play a role in stigmatizing diagnoses and care, and to encourage you to keep thinking compassionately and curiously.
33. A Culture of Cages: Layers of Carcerality in Eating Disorder Treatment with Dr. Jennie Wang-Hall
In this episode, you can learn about..
• Managed Care
• Carceral and Anti-Carceral Care
• How care is failing us and perpetuating blame We also cover..
• Trauma and Informed Consent in higher levels of care (HLOC)
• Eating disorder treatment contracts
• Provider fears of liability in ED treatment
• Mimi practices discomfort and communicating through it
• Community care alternative to traditional treatment
• Jennie answers the time-old question: is full recovery possible for everyone?
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Find Jennie at: IG: @dr.jenniewh Website: https://jwhrevolution.com/
Referenced in Podcast: https://fedupcollective.org/
Related Reading: The Language of Recovery: https://wellseek.co/2021/01/05/healing-or-recovery-why-language-matters-in-mental-health-2/
Find Mimi at: Main IG: @the.lovelybecoming Podcast IG: @lovelybecomingpodcast Website: www.mimi-cole.com
32. BONUS: All About Intuitive Eating with Dr. Laura Thomas
In January 2019, Laura published her first book with Bluebird Books: Just Eat It: How Intuitive Eating Can Help You Get Your Shit Together Around Food.
31. Relationships and OCD with Dr. Amy Mariaskin
30. Relationships, Therapy, and Q+ A w/ Couples Therapist, Liz Earnshaw, LMFT
29. Postpartum Body Image, Mental Health, and "Bouncing Back" with Dr. Veronica Eyo
28. Social Media, Body Image, and Showing Up with Katie Crenshaw
27. Religious Trauma and Deconstruction with Dr. Laura Anderson, PhD
26. Deconstructing Christianity with Lauren DeLeary
25. Body Image Resilience and Media Literacy with Lindsay Kite, PhD
24. Spiritual Abuse, Psychedelic Assisted Therapy, and Power Dynamics with Kayla Felten, LISW
22. Diversity, Culture, and Dietetics with Christyna Johnson, RDN
Social Links:
IG: encouragingdietitian
Twitter: encouragingRD
Website: encouragingdietitian.com
Podcast: Intuitive Eating for the Culture
23. Inner Child Work, CPTSD, and Childhood Wounds with Nate Postlethwait
21. Balanced Nutrition, Cultural Foods, and more with Tamar Samuels, RD
In this episode, Tamar and I talk about why she chose to become a dietitian, about a balanced approach to nutrition, and helping clients to move towards their goals and values in a healthy way.
Tamar Samuels, MS, RD, CDN, is the co-founder of Culina Health, a leading nutrition expert, and registered dietitian.
Her unique and holistic approach to health integrates functional medicine, positive psychology, and behavioral change techniques pulled from her training in clinical nutrition and coaching science. She's helped countless people transform their relationship with food and their health to overcome a variety of health conditions.
Tamar has her undergraduate degree in psychology from Hunter College and her master's degree in clinical nutrition from New York University. She provides science-based nutrition expertise through a variety of media outlets including online publications, speaking engagements, and video appearances. Well + Good named her one of the top holistic nutritionists in New York City.
19. Virtual, Evidence Based Eating Disorder Treatment from Equip Health with Kristina Saffran
18. Assertiveness, Friendship Breakups, and Boundaries with Minaa B., LCSW
17. Ethical Fashion, Personal Styling, and Body Acceptance for All Sized Bodies with Dacy Gillespie
As a personal stylist, Dacy Gillespie intuitively guides her clients to discover what they feel best in. She helps them let go of the external messages they’ve been given about what they should wear and get to the heart of what’s making them uncomfortable about their clothes. Through their work building a functional wardrobe, Dacy’s clients make a mindset shift from thinking they need to wear what’s flattering to unapologetically taking up space in the world.
After a lifetime of jobs in high-stress careers that didn’t suit her highly-sensitive, introverted personality, Dacy started mindful closet in 2013 in an attempt to create a more emotionally sustainable lifestyle. She has two boys, ages 2 and 7, and a husband she adores who is well aware of her mental load.
16. Body Image, Art, and Acceptance with Ashlee Bennett, AThR
15. Poetry, Autism, and Grace with Poet, Morgan Harper Nichols
*note: words are hard, I was a special education major for the first part of college, and then switched majors.
Popular Instagram poet and artist Morgan Harper Nichols has created her life’s work around the stories of others. Morgan’s popular Instagram feed (@morganharpernichols) has garnered a loyal online community, and she is the author of All Along You Were Blooming, a book of poems and art she created in response to the personal stories submitted by her friends and followers. Known for its lyrical tone and vibrant imagery, Morgan’s work is an organic expression of the grace and hope we’ve been given in this world. Morgan has also performed as a vocalist on several GRAMMY-nominated projects and written for various artists, including a Billboard #1 single performed by her sister, Jamie-Grace. Morgan is often on the road creating, teaching, and performing, in hopes of spreading her unique inspirational message and inviting others into her creative process. Morgan currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona, with her family.
14. Weight Inclusive Care in Nutrition / Dietetics and Medicine with Anna Lutz, RD + Louise Metz, MD
Anna Lutz is in private practice in Raleigh, NC and specializes in eating disorders and pediatric/family nutrition. Anna received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Duke University and Master of Public Health in Nutrition from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a Certified Eating Disorders Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) and an Approved Supervisor, both through the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp). Anna previously worked at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC and Duke Student Health, treating individuals with eating disorders. Anna has done extensive training through the Embodied Recovery Institute and strives to provide her clients trauma and somatically informed care. Anna is a national speaker and delivers workshops and presentations on eating disorders, weight-inclusive healthcare, and childhood feeding. She also writes and talks about nutrition and family feeding, free of diet culture, on her blog, Sunny Side Up Nutrition, and the Sunny Side Up Nutrition Podcast.
Dr. Louise Metz is an Internal Medicine physician with expertise in the medical care of eating disorders. She is the owner of Mosaic Comprehensive Care, a medical practice in Chapel Hill, North Carolina offering weight-inclusive primary care for adults and adolescents of all genders. After receiving an undergraduate degree in Biology and Women’s Studies at Duke University, she attended medical school at the University of North Carolina and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California at San Francisco. She has published research on heart disease in women, and has previously held academic positions at NYU’s Bellevue Hospital and Duke Medical Center. Dr. Metz leads workshops and presentations on weight-inclusive medical care and eating disorders. She is committed to increasing access to inclusive and affirming medical care for all individuals.
13. Unlearning, Becoming, and Coming Home to Your Body with Precious Ruthie Lindsey
12. Sobriety, Clinicians in Recovery, and Eating Disorders with Amanda White, LPC
11. The Enneagram in Therapy with Camille Logan, LCMHC
Camille’s counseling style is supportive, collaborative, and client focused. She feels most comfortable drawing techniques from a variety of therapy models such as Acceptance Commitment Therapy(ACT), Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Camille is also trained to use experiential treatment models, by using expressive tools or activities, when words aren't enough. In her work professionally and what she chooses to practice personally, she is passionate about mindfulness, self care, intuitively listening to the wisdom of our bodies/self, Health at Every Size (HAES), intuitive eating, social justice, the importance of diversity and equity, and the value of connection and vulnerability. Camille believes in normalizing the importance of mental health and destigmatizing counseling by engaging with the community through speaking events and podcast appearances.
She received both her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Master's degree with a focus in Counseling from the University of Florida. Over the years of my career, Camille has practiced in numerous settings including community mental health organizations, in-home therapy, the Wake Juvenile Detention Center, and in a group private practice setting before starting The KC Collective.
10. Writing, Body Kindness, Grief, and more with Author, Poet, and Beautiful Human, Arielle Estoria
Born and raised in foggy Northern California and now residing in Los Angeles CA, Arielle Estoria is a Spoken Word Poet, gifted Writer and Author, captivating and authentic Emcee and Speaker. Through various aspects of storytelling, Arielle creates environments and spaces where audiences have the permission to be vulnerable and seen. Her motto, "Words not for the ears but for the soul" stems from her dedication to remind anyone who encounters her and her work that words are meant to be felt and experienced not just heard. With a specific heart in empowering, encouraging and making space for audiences of womxn to feel at home in their own bodies.
Arielle has shared her work through spoken word and themed keynote talks with companies such as Google, Sofar Sounds, Lululemon, Dressember, Tedx, the SKIMS campaign by Kim Kardashian, and the Rise Conference by Rachel Hollis and more. She has consecutively emceed annual conferences such as, Yellow Conference for creative and entrepreneurial women, Hair Camp a conference for Hairstylists in the industry and Anchored in Love, for teenage girls featuring surfer Bethany Hamilton. Arielle has lead writing, social media and self-acceptance workshops in various settings ranging from students to professional development spaces.
Arielle is the Co-Author of two self-published collections of poetry: Vagabonds and Zealots (2014), Write Bloody Spill Pretty (2017) which can both be found on Amazon.com and in 2016, released her EP of poetry and music titled Symphony of a Lioness.
When she’s not on stage or on the road, you can also find Arielle being interviewed and featured on various well known podcasts such as: the GoalDigger Podcast by Jenna Kutcher, The Birds Papaya Podcast with Sarah Nicole Landry, Striptd Down with Ali Levine, Raw Beauty Talks by Erin Treloar, and Let’s Talk About It Podcast with TV personality Taylor Nolan.
9. Intergenerational trauma, Attachment, and Grief with Hatty J. Lee, LMFT
Hatty (she/her) is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Brainspotting practitioner who has been practicing for over a decade. As the founder of a group practice in Los Angeles, California, she supports people to deepen connection with themselves and the most important people in their lives. She is the co-creator of @indwell_co (a guidebook on navigating your mental health) and also writes about various mental health topics on her Instagram account @hattyjlee. Her work has been featured in multiple editorials, including Women's Health Magazine and Reader's Digest.
8. Boundaries, Relationships, and Trauma with Jordan Pickell, MCP, RCC
7. Diabetes Myth Busting and Intuitive Eating with Lauren Newman, RD
6. Collaborative, Weight Inclusive Medical Care with Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani, MD
Jennifer L. Gaudiani, MD, CEDS-S, FAED, is the Founder and Medical Director of the Gaudiani Clinic. Board Certified in Internal Medicine, she completed her undergraduate degree at Harvard, medical school at Boston University School of Medicine, and her internal medicine residency and chief residency at Yale. Dr. Gaudiani has been a leader in the eating disorders field since 2008 and served as the Medical Director at the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders prior to founding the Gaudiani Clinic, which is a Denver-based outpatient medical clinic dedicated to people with eating disorders and disordered eating. The Gaudiani Clinic is a HAES- (Health At Every Size®) informed provider and embraces treating and offering weight stigma- free primary care to people of all sizes. The Gaudiani Clinic is licensed to practice in over 35 US states via telemedicine and offers worldwide professional consultation, education, and supervision.
Dr. Gaudiani has lectured nationally and internationally, and she is widely published in the scientific literature as well as on blogs. She is a current member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Eating Disorders, the Academy for Eating Disorders Medical Care Standards Committee, and the Residential Eating Disorders Consortium Ethics Committee. Additionally, Dr. Gaudiani is a former board member of iaedp and is one of a very small number of internal medicine physicians who is certified as an eating disorders expert. She is also a Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders. Dr. Gaudiani’s first book, Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders, was released by Routledge in October 2018 and is available on Amazon.
Gaudiani Family Ricotta Filling
From a recipe for Cassata alla Siciliana from Meem
1 large or two small containers whole milk ricotta
3 oz cream cheese
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract
Whir together until smooth (Cuisinart or mixer)
Add plenty of cinnamon to taste
½-1 cup mini semi-sweet morsels hand-stirred in
Eat immediately, or chill and eat, or stuff into cannoli shells and eat
Great with biscotti and clementines and coffee
5. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) with Alegra Kastens, AMFT
4. Trauma, Diets, and the Polyvagal Theory with Rachel Sellers, M.Ed, M.S.
3. Friendship and Eating Disorder Recovery with Emily Murray, RD
Emily has experience treating children, adolescents, and adults with eating disorders + other co-occurring disorders in a variety of practice settings, including inpatient hospitalization, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP) and outpatient (OP) levels of care, most notably at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and The Renfrew Center of Nashville.
In her private practice, Emily utilizes evidence based, non-diet treatment modalities help her clients make peace with food.
Emily is currently in the process of attaining her certified eating disorder registered dietitian certification (CEDRD) through the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP). You can find Emily on Instagram at @murraynutrition or on her website: www.murraynutritionco.com
2. The Basics of Intuitive Eating, Health at Every Size, and Fat Positivity with Emma D’Arpino, RD
1. Body Liberation, Faith Transitions, and Recovery with Kent Thomas, MSW