Claim OwnershipEating Disorders in Discussion, Wednesday's Child
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© Debbie Watson
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Produced by the not for profit eating disorder organisation, Wednesday's Child, this podcast captures plenty of interviews, discussions, insights and inspirations. You'll hear from those who've battled the illness, those who support others, and from those with views about body image, food and exercise.
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Flying solo for this episode, Debbie Watson refreshes our audience on what led to Wednesday’s Child being created.
She also shares some key pointers on motivators for recovery success.
Debbie talks about the need to focus on improved physical health, nurtured emotional health, genuinely gaining control, building and sustaining relationships, and having focus on dreams and ambitions.
Please do feel free to get in touch after listening to this conversation.
We value hearing your stories and experiences, and learning of people who might wish to provide an expert insight on our platform.
debbie@wednesdayschild.co.uk
It’s been sometime since we caught up with the wonderful Sarah Parker, specialist eating disorder therapist.
Under the name Well Of Being, her business helps many individuals and families to navigate their recovery.
Here, she chats with Debbie about what you should look for in a therapy relationship, while also giving her thoughts on the current landscape of eating disorder support.
You can find Sarah at https://wellofbeing.co.uk/
We welcome therapists as guests on our podcast, as well as those who want to talk about their journey of recovery.
Email debbie@wednesdayschild.co.uk
After another (far too long) pause in recording of the Wednesday’s Child podcast, Sarah and Debbie are back to help you find focus and kickstart your recovery in 2024.
In this episode, we talk about our own learnings of navigating recovery from an eating disorder, and share tips for how you might gain motivation, commitment and positivity in the year ahead.
We also share our advice for those of you who are living with, loving or supporting someone in a challenging journey with an eating disorder.
Please do follow up this episode by dropping us an email with your questions, recovery stories or suggestions for our podcast.
You’ll hear far more from Wednesday’s Child in 2024, and we’re delighted to be with you.
Reach out at debbie@wednesdayschild.co.uk
Are you in the process of recovering and still drawn toward particular behaviours?
Do you find yourself witnessing a loved one slip back into specific unhealthy eating disorder behaviours?
In this episode, Sarah and Debbie reflect on how they dealt with particular behaviours in their eating disorder recovery journey.
They cover tactics around removing yourself from the situation momentarily, asking for help, and layering positive steps of change.
We’d love to know how this episode resonates with you, and what your experiences might be.
Email hello@wednesdayschild.co.uk
What’s it like to develop an eating disorder when you’re away from home for the first time, embarking on life as a university student?
Perhaps you’ve had eating behaviours in the past, been concerned about your body image, or had an addiction to movement and exercise – do these factors make it more challenging to even consider a move to university?
Here, as we prepare for the period in which many thousands of young people will head to university, we chat to Rachel, as she shares her own personal experiences with an eating disorder.
Rachel talks candidly and courageously about what she encountered as a student, what she had to do to get help, and what she’s learned along the way.
If you’d like to comment on this episode, or share your thoughts and applause for Rachel, please email debbie@wednesdayschild.co.uk
After a rather long pause in recording, Sarah and Debbie are back in the seat, talking all things eating disorders on the Wednesday’s Child podcast.
In this episode, our hosts discuss the importance of checking in with yourself and asking what your recovery path needs most in life right now.
They share their own experiences of choosing university, of learning to be less ‘externally validated’, and of managing the unexpected.
You’ll also hear Sarah and Debbie talk about the need for those attending or involved in education, to consider the route to support, and how teaching and pastoral professionals can gain greater insight about eating disorders.
If you’d like to message us, please email hello@wednesdayschild.co.uk
In this episode, we follow up on a mailbox request, which sought answers about how best to look after yourself in eating disorder recovery, while at the same time being a parent.
How do you prioritise yourself, but equally take care of your children and the demands of family life?
How do you navigate a child’s desire for family foodie outings, or tackle a youngster’s issues around body image, when you yourself are in the thick of recovery?
Sarah and Debbie take a deep look at these questions, while bringing in Sarah’s own personal insight, as someone who was recovering from an eating disorder while a mum to a school-aged daughter.
In this episode, we welcome back our wonderful Perinatal Lead here at Wednesday’s Child, Abi Reynolds
She’s joined in her conversation with Debbie, by Chantelle Ecob, who is a trainee clinical psychologist and is keen to gain more insights into the experiences of women who relapse into, or first suffer from, an eating disorder in pregnancy or soon afterwards.
We’ll be keeping in regular contact with Chantelle throughout this research, but if you’re minded to take part in investigations (all of which will be fully confidential), you can email Chantelle on chantelle.ecob@postgrad.manchester.ac.u
This episode sees the return of our duo Debbie and Sarah. Here, they chat at the close of Eating Disorders Awareness Week, and use the opportunity to reinforce the need to always ‘turn talk into action’. Throughout this episode, you’ll hear a number of lived experience reflections about what it takes to keep pivoting from hinge behaviours, and to continually challenge the eating disorder’s unhelpful voice.
If you have a perspective on this chat, or would like to contribute to a future episode, please email debbie@wednesdayschild.co.uk
In this episode, Debbie references her ‘Sofa Guest’ conversation. Should you wish to listen, you’ll find it on BBC Sounds from Friday 3rd March at 330pm.
In this episode, we catch up with our lovely therapist Sarah Smetham (Sarah Parker, until her recent nuptials!), where she and Debbie discuss how relationships change as we transition through our eating disorder recovery.
Sarah reveals how her own relational needs changed in her progress beyond an eating disorder, and, as a practitioner, she gives guidance on being aware of our own needs and recognition as we learn to build the tribe which is right for the life we have.
You can find out more about Sarah’s work here: https://wellofbeing.co.uk/about-sarah/
If you’re interested in hearing more about topics like this, and attending a webinar with Sarah and Debbie, please email us. Send a message to debbie@wednesdayschild.co.uk marked ‘relationship insights’.
We always welcome your own personal stories too, so don’t hesitate to share with us if you feel so inclined.
What are the new options being considered for treating those who are seemingly ‘resistant’ to more freely available therapy?
In this episode, we take a deep dive into the world of Awakn Life Sciences, and hear from clinical psychologist Laurie Higbed, as she explains how Awakn’s clinics are working with those who’ve been battling long term eating issues, as well as addictions – like gambling and alcohol.
We’re also joined by our therapist Isabel Leming, who shares her perspective on this approach, and helps us explore why some people find it that much more challenging to recover without additional or different interventions.
Your thoughts on this episode would be greatly appreciated, as we’d very much like to get our experts back and create a panel event, to which we can invite you to ask more questions.
Feel free to email us on hello@wednesdayschild.co.uk
We continue an exploration of how to gain and maintain recovery momentum in the early part of 2023.
Debbie and Sarah chat about what we can do to be more proactive in our desire for full health and happiness, and in order to prevent the small but significant slide into behaviours and thoughts.
Listen as our hosts talk about the tactical steps which improve how we feel in this moment, one day from now, one week from now, and one month from now.
Hear them reflect on what worked for their recovery, as they made certain positive and proactive decisions to step away from their ‘poorly thinking’ and into safer and more recovery-focused territory.
Consider as you listen, what it is that you could do to aid your progress, such that you take responsibility for where you are today and where you want to be in the future.
Who might you surround yourself? What conversations are needed? What scenarios are keeping you stuck or ‘dependent’?
Feel free to share your insights and experiences by emailing hello@wednesdayschild.co.uk
Sarah and Debbie kickstart 2023 with an episode exploring how to maintain recovery momentum in the face of ‘new year, new you’ dialogue and a world obsessed with January self-improvement.
Our hosts share insights into how they managed to downplay the cultural narrative in new year periods throughout their recovery, and offer timely advice for parents and carers seeking to help loved ones move forward over the coming 12 months.
If you’d like to share updates about your own personal progress and triumphs throughout 2022, and perhaps your intentions for 2023, please contact us.
Email to hello@wednesdayschild.co.uk
In this episode, Debbie checks in with Pippa, who we’ve previously featured on the podcast in a candid chat about her own journey with an eating disorder.
Here, she chats about how she’s been reshaping her life, rediscovering passions, remaining vigilant, and even managing to safely and successfully return to a level of exercise which brings her joy without compulsion.
We also talk about the valuable ‘life learnings’ which come from eating disorder recovery (like how to manage everyday anxieties and self doubt), and dip into the issues surrounding Christmas, family time, and the fears of others.
To share your comments or stories, email hello@wednesdayschild.co.uk
In this insightful episode of the Wednesday’s Child podcast, we chat to Isabel Leming, one of the most recent arrivals to our Wednesday’s Child practitioner team.
Isabel talks about her therapeutic approaches and about the various kinds of modalities you may come across when seeking recovery support for an eating disorder.
We explore the timing of therapy intervention, the important factors to bear in mind when identifying a therapist, and we ask whether there really is still a stigma about seeking therapy in the first place.
You’ll also note Debbie and Isabel have an interesting chat about ‘tapping’, one particular modality used by Isabel and found to be very effective as a calming intervention tool for those of all ages, but especially the young.
If you find you’re interested in a workshop involving such practices, or you’d like to know more about referrals for Isabel’s support in eating disorder recovery, email debbie@wednesdayschild.co.uk
For all the discussion and debate on the media right now about the cost of living, the price of food, and the fear about heating our homes, there may be many of you who’ve silently thought ‘what about me and how it affects my eating disorder’.
Perhaps you’re a parent or carer of someone whose binge behaviours put huge strain on the household bills. Perhaps you’re someone recently out of treatment for a restrictive eating disorder, and now petrified about spending money on food – which is exactly the medicine your body needs. Or maybe your poorly state of health is already compromised enough, and now you’re worrying you’ll be even colder and less able to manage the winter period, if you struggle to afford your energy costs?
These are real issues, and they need talking about.
Sarah and Debbie use this episode to inject both some reality and humour into the complex situation around eating disorders and the cost of living crisis.
We also share one particular contribution from a listener kind enough to email with her thoughts.
If you’d like to tell us about your story or comment on the episode, please email debbie@wednesdayschild.co.uk
There’s little more tragic than witnessing someone push so far toward recovery from an eating disorder, and then knowing they’ve decided to ‘settle’ at Quasi status.
Sure, it might feel possible to go to work, continue studying, or even maintain a half-life in a relationship or as a parent – but what you should REALLY want, is TRUE recovery.
Here, Sarah and Debbie discuss what joy comes from that full recovery and how their own experiences played out to remind them of the toxicity with which the illness tried to keep them stuck.
They discuss why pausing really should never be a consideration in your bid for true freedom, and that even if you go a little slower, you should still keep going toward the summit.
Find out more about Wednesday's Child at https://wednesdayschild.co.uk/
A hugely respected voice in the world of eating disorders, Bernie Wright (expert practitioner and a clinical director for the National Centre for Eating Disorders), chats to Debbie about how her career evolved, and what led to her finding her niche.
This episode provides plenty of conversation around the issue of neurodiversity and eating disorders, plus Bernie’s specialist insight into training healthcare professionals to ensure their greater knowledge of eating disorders.
For more details about Bernie, go to https://www.healingminds.co/about
You can also email her directly at healingminds.info@gmail.com
Your trusty hosts Sarah and Debbie are back for their double-headed banter about all things eating disorders.
The pair chat about the wobbles and worries which crop up in particular over the summer period, and call on their own memories and motivations for continuing with recovery when issues around clothes, food fears or body angst threatened to derail a happy summer.
As ever, you’re encouraged to share your experiences and your summer victories.
Email us at hello@wednesdayschild.co.uk
In this guest episode, Debbie is joined by Suzanne Samaka, who has raised her voice on the topic of photo editing.
On the back of the recent news that the health and social care committee has made recommendations about editing images (and cited the impact on those with eating disorders and likely to suffer them), Suzanne discussed what prompted her concern about this area, and what she hopes to achieve.
You can get behind the campaign by following Suzanne on her various social media accounts, or signing the petition link at https://www.change.org/ChangeSocialMediaLaws
Find Suzanne at @SuzanneSamaka on twitter, or @protectyouthmentalhealth on Instagram, and search the hashtag #HonestyAboutEditing.
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This episode is one of the best podcasts I've listened to since my daughter was diagnosed with AN. I loved hearing the different perspectives, because we've all got different experiences with it. Thank you for discussing the effects on the whole family.