The Full of Beans Podcast

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Michelle Jacques. Michelle is a devoted mum of two who has lived with ARFID since her son started weaning. Through her own experience of supporting her son with ARFID, she has become a passionate advocate, working tirelessly to raise awareness and support others navigating life with this complex food intake disorder. She is the founder of @arfid_life_uk, where she raises awareness of ARFID by sharing her family's experience.This episode holds space for the grief, the guilt, the fight, and also the hope, including the unexpected shift Michelle has seen as her son’s body becomes nourished again.This week, we discuss:What ARFID can look like and how it can go beyond “picky eating.”How sensory differences, autistic eating, and ARFID can overlapHow illness can trigger choking fears and a trauma response that reinforces food avoidanceWhat it’s like when a child’s intake drops to just a couple of “safe” itemsWhat a PEG (gastrostomy tube) is and how PEG feeding can support ARFIDThe emotional impact of PEG decisions for parents, including grief andguiltWhy nutrition can change anxiety, rigidity, and capacityThe role of advocacy in ARFID awarenessHow to document ARFID symptoms to report to a doctorTimestamps:03:10 Sensory differences, autism, and how ARFID developed over time07:40 Illness, choking fears, and how trauma can collapse food intake09:15 Hospitalisation: constipation and appendix surgery18:30 What a PEG is (and what people often misunderstand about it)29:40 How PEG feeding can support ARFID41:30 Guilt, grief, and learning to let the feelings exist45:10 ARFID Advocacy workResources & LinksFollow @arfid_life_uk on InstagramListen to the 3Mums1Mission ARFID PodcastConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, ARFID, NG tube feeding. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

Kel O’Neill is a UK-based counsellor, educator, researcher, and lived-experience advocate specialising in eating disorders. She is the founder of Mental Health Bites, creator of The Eating Disorder Recovery Companion, and the curator of VOXED – Voices of Experience in Eating Disorders. Kel’s work focuses on ethical, trauma-informed practice, challenging stigma, and bridging the gap between lived experience and professional knowledge.This week, we discuss:What VoxED is and why Kel created it.Why eating disorder education often feels inaccessible, and what VoxED is doing differently.How VoxED broadens “lived experience” to include clinicians, carers, researchers and community voices.Why lived experience shouldn’t be tokenistic, and how it can be valued as expertise.Why the eating disorder field needs shared spaces for nuanced, difficult conversations.How recovery goes beyond food and weight to identity, meaning and living.Timestamps:00:00: What is VoxED?02:10 :Where did the idea began (EDAW 2021)05:10: Who's speaking at VoXED06:40: Moving beyond “tick-box” lived experience08:10: The purpose of VoxED: shared space + shared power14:40: Why change has been slow in eating disorders (and what’s missing)21:10: Recovery beyond food and weight: identity, meaning, and living42:10: VoxED details: date, access, recordings, and low-cost ticketsVoxED conference details:Date: Friday 13th FebruaryFormat: Fully online (9:00–18:30, with breaks)Tickets: self-select pricing options £20 / £37 / £50Resources & LinksFollow Kel on Instagram (@kel_mhb)Visit Kel's website (www.counsellingandtraining.co.uk) to find out more about VOXEDSubscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeIf you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this episode, Hannah is joined by Judy Krasna, Executive Director of F.E.A.S.T. (Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment for Eating Disorders). Judy is a writer and eating disorder advocate based in Israel, and after volunteering for F.E.A.S.T. in multiple capacities, she became the organisation's Executive Director in February 2021.Judy joins Hannah for a deeply moving and insightful conversation about what it means to be a parent supporting a child through an eating disorder: the isolation, the guilt, the exhaustion, and the incredible power of love and community. Judy also shares her own personal journey, including the tragic loss of her daughter Gavriella, who passed away in 2020 after a 13-year battle with anorexia nervosa.This one is raw, honest, and so important. We hope it brings comfort and clarity to any parent or loved one who needs it.In this episode, we talk about:What F.E.A.S.T. is and how it supports families across the worldWhy eating disorders can be so isolating for parents and carersThe damaging impact of parent blame in treatmentWhy families should be seen as part of the solution, not the problemThe long-term impact of trauma on parents supporting a loved oneHow eating disorders can distort trust, self-trust, and family relationshipsWhy support systems are so important in recoveryThe challenge of balancing protection with independenceWhat Judy wants parents at breaking point to knowJudy's incredibly honest reflections on losing her daughter, Gavriella Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with FEAST via their website (feast-ed.org/)⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders and suicide. Please look after yourself as you listen.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this episode, I'm joined by Mel Nelson, a qualified counsellor, Senior Counsellor at an eating disorder charity (SWEDA), and autism-informed practitioner, to discuss the intersection of undiagnosed neurodiversity, compulsive exercise, and eating disorder behaviours.Mel spent over 25 years working in the dance and fitness industry before retraining as a counsellor, and she brings together a really rare combination of lived experience and professional expertise. We got into some really honest territory in this one, and I think so many of you are going to hear yourselves in this conversation.In this episode, we cover:Why bulimia stays hidden for so long (and the shame that keeps it that way)The "fitting in" feeling and why it can make an eating disorder so hard to spotHow neurodivergence and eating disorders can look so similar from the outsideWhy routine isn't always just a neurodivergent thing (and how to tell the difference)What compulsive exercise and purging have more in common than people realiseThe late diagnosis that changed everything, and why it's never too lateWhy recovery sometimes has to start with the smallest of changesConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Mel via her website (newday-counselling.co.uk) or Instagram (@newday_counselling)⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, compulsive exercise, bulimia, depression, and neurodivergence. Please look after yourself as you listen.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

This week on the podcast, I’m joined by Holly Marsh, a psychotherapeutic counsellor who specialises in eating disorders in private practice, and someone who also brings her own lived experience of recovery into the room.Holly shares how, during her own recovery, she often found parts of treatment confusing… especially when they seemed to echo the very voice she was trying to challenge of not being "sick enough". That experience has really shaped how she now thinks about recovery, both personally and professionally.What We Cover in This EpisodeWhat the “eating disorder voice” actually is (and why it can feel confusing)How the eating disorder can shape-shift and mimic your own thoughtsThe “superpower” feeling and why it can be so hard to let goWhy recovery can feel worse before it feels betterThe role of values in guiding recoveryHow to start separating your thoughts from the eating disorderThe short-term “payoff” that keeps people stuckNavigating relationships and rebuilding trust with loved onesHonesty, identity, and the role of lived experience in recovery and professional workConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, anorexia and recovery. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this episode of the Full of Beans Podcast, I’m joined by Professor Hubertus Himmerich, Consultant Psychiatrist and Reader in Eating Disorders at King’s College London, and the principal investigator of the EDEN study.The EDEN study is the first study of its kind exploring whether low-dose oral ketamine, compared with placebo, could support people living with both anorexia nervosa and major depressive disorder.Depression affects around 50% of people with anorexia, and when low mood, anxiety and hopelessness are present, it can make recovery feel incredibly difficult. Traditional antidepressants often don’t work well for people with anorexia, which is why researchers are exploring new approaches.What We Cover in This EpisodeWhy is depression so common in anorexia nervosaWhy SSRIs often don’t work well in this populationThe science behind ketamine and how it affects brain plasticityWhy the EDEN study focuses on improving mood rather than weightHow depression can reduce hope and motivation in recoveryThe difference between medical ketamine treatment and recreational ketamine useHow the study has been shaped by people with lived experienceWhy new treatment approaches needed in the eating disorder fieldIf you're interested in taking part in the EDEN study, the team are currently recruiting participants! Please email eden@kcl.ac.uk to find out more!Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, depression, ketamine use and mental health treatment.. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this episode of the Full of Beans Podcast, I’m joined by Mel Ciavucco, an integrative counsellor, writer and trainer, to talk about weight stigma and the impact it has on eating disorder treatment and recovery.This conversation explores something that often sits at the heart of eating disorders but is still too often left unspoken: the fear of weight gain, the internalised beliefs people hold about larger bodies, and the ways those beliefs can show up in therapy, treatment, and recovery.In this episode, we explore:What weight stigma is and why it matters in eating disorder workWhy fear of fatness is often central to eating disorder distressHow diet culture and anti-fat bias shape treatment and recoveryWhy people in larger bodies are often overlooked or misunderstood in servicesThe harm caused by focusing on weight loss instead of relationship with foodWhy “don’t worry, we won’t let you get fat” is so problematic in treatmentThe importance of curiosity over reassurance when exploring fear of weight gainHow therapists’ own internalised biases can affect ethical practiceWhy body acceptance and safety are crucial for recoveryHow self-worth, anger, compassion, and social justice can all play a role in healingThis is such an important conversation about compassion, nuance, and creating a world where recovery feels safer for everybody.Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeVisit Mel's website or follow her on Instagram @melciavuccocounsellingContent warning: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, body image, weight stigma, fatphobia, and disordered eating.

Today I’m joined by Dr Charlotte Markey, Professor of Psychology at Rutgers University and a world-leading expert in body image research with over 25 years of research into body image and eating behaviours.Girls today are facing growing pressures around appearance, and with the rise of social media and the lasting impact of the pandemic, it’s becoming even harder for young people to feel confident and comfortable in their bodies.Charlotte’s updated book, The Body Image Book for Girls, is designed for ages 9–15 and gives practical, evidence-based tools to help girls understand puberty, navigate social media, challenge body image myths, and build a healthier relationship with their bodies.If you’re a parent, teacher, clinician, or someone who cares about the pressures young people are growing up with today, this conversation is for you.Key Takeaways:Why Charlotte released an updated edition, and what’s changed in recent yearsHow shame keeps body image struggles hidden, and why open conversations matterThe different body pressures facing girls and boys todayWhy body image concerns often linger, even in eating disorder recoverySocial media as a risk factor and how to make your feed saferWhy puberty can be a particularly vulnerable time for girls’ body imageHow parents and educators can respond: validate first, ask questions, and seek support earlyTimestamps:00:00: Introduction and Charlotte’s background03:40: Why the book exists and the importance of early support12:20: Clinical insights: body image and eating disorder recovery21:35: Social media, algorithms, and taking breaks30:10: Puberty and body changes38:35: Supporting young people: what adults can doResources & LinksThe Body Image Book series: TheBodyImageBook.comConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, weight and appearance pressures, puberty, and social media. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode of Full of Beans, Han is joined by Vanessa Longley, CEO of BEAT, the UK’s eating disorder charity. Vanessa is also a mum to a 21-year-old who is in recovery, and she brings a deeply compassionate perspective on what it’s really like to support someone you love through an eating disorder.This conversation was recorded during Eating Disorder Awareness Week, where the theme is community, and it really sits at the heart of this conversation. From the fear carers often carry in silence, to the power of ordinary conversations and shared moments, Vanessa shares what helps people keep going through the hardest days.If you’re supporting someone with an eating disorder and feeling overwhelmed… if you’re in recovery and rebuilding trust with the people around you… or if you care about improving eating disorder support and services, this episode is for you.Key Takeaways:Why community can be a powerful protective factor in recoveryWhat carers often carry behind the scenes, and why they need support tooThe instinct to “rescue” and how to support without letting fear leadWhy you don’t need to be an expert in food, you need to be yourself The importance of ordinary conversations and shared interestsHow modelling a future, a life beyond the illness, supports recoveryWhy collaboration between charities, clinicians, researchers and lived experience mattersHow BEAT supports people with eating disorders and those who care about themVanessa’s message: recovery is possible, and asking for help is the first stepTimestamps:00:00: Introduction and Vanessa’s role at BEAT04:30: Vanessa’s personal journey and experience as a parent10:30: Supporting carers and managing fear19:30: The role of community and finding support26:00: Supporting someone day-to-day and staying connected32:00: Collaboration, research, and improving services44:00: BEAT resources and where to get helpResources & LinksVisit Beat's Website to find information, phone, webchat, and email support and the helpfinder for eating disorder support in your local areaConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, relapse, inpatient care, food restriction, carer stress/anxiety, and mortality risk. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

Today I'm joined by Dr Courtney Raspin, a Chartered Counselling Psychologist and Clinical Director of Altum Health, a specialist eating disorders and mental health clinic in London. Courtney has over 25 years of clinical experience, including a decade in one of the NHS's largest eating disorder services.She's just co-authored a book called The Weight Loss Prescription with psychiatrist Dr Max Pemberton (available 26th Feb!) - a book about the psychology of GLP-1 weight loss medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro. Given her background in eating disorders, Courtney has a nuanced perspective on weight loss medications, which I think is really important to hear.If you’re in eating disorder recovery and feeling unsettled by the rise of GLP-1 medications… if you’ve noticed feelings of jealousy, confusion or fear around them… or if you’re trying to understand where health support ends and diet culture begins, this conversation is for you.Key Takeaways:How Courtney’s work in eating disorders shaped her approach to weight managementThe warning signs of high drive for thinnessWhy weight loss doesn’t automatically improve body imageThe difference between body neutrality and body positivityWhy GLP-1 medications aren’t inherently harmfulThe risks of unregulated access, online prescribing, and counterfeit medicationThe various causes of “food noise” and why GLP-1 medications may helpWhat psychological support in weight management actually involvesCourtney’s guidance on GLP-1s and eating disorder recoveryTimestamps:00:00 Courtney’s journey into weight management05:00 Body neutrality and realistic body image work08:30 Understanding GLP-1s: benefits, risks and misconceptions12:00 Food noise and why context matters16:00 The psychological work behind lasting change21:00 Health vs the thin ideal27:00 Tensions within the ED field and professional responses31:30 What to consider before starting GLP-1s34:30 Courtney’s book and final adviceResources & LinksFollow @drcourtneyraspin on InstagramConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating), restriction, weight loss, GLP-1 medications, and body image. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this episode of Full of Beans, Han is joined by Jo Read, a mum to two daughters, ARFID advocate and 1/3 of 3 Mums 1 Mission ARFID. Jo's youngest daughter, Ethel, is diagnosed with ARFID and is awaiting an autism assessment. Since supporting Ethel through her sensory-based eating difficulties, Jo has poured her energy into raising awareness, because when you’re living it, ARFID can feel unbelievably isolating.If you’re a parent or carer navigating food fears, sensory sensitivities, “helpful” comments that aren’t helpful, and the constant planning that comes with ARFID, this one is for you. You’re not doing it wrong. You’re responding to a very real, very complex need.Key Takeaways:The reality of ARFID as a genuine fear that can override hungerSensory sensitivities (texture, smell, predictability) are at the core of ARFIDWhy consistency and familiarity make certain foods feel saferThe limits of BMI as a marker of health in children with arfidHow sensory overload at mealtimes can increase food avoidanceThe impact of ARFID on family life, routines, siblings and social plansWhy “just stop feeding them” advice doesn’t work for ARFIDThe value of community, advocacy and finding people who understandHow progress in ARID can look small but still be meaningfulTimestamps:00:00 Jo’s story and Ethel’s ARFID diagnosis02:20 Early Signs of ARFID 05:30 BMI and Nutrition10:50 Safe foods, Predictability and Super Senses 14:10 The Sensory Overload of Eating 17:00 Family Impact: Days Out, Siblilngs, Friends20:20 Social Judgement and Support29:00 Looking Ahead and Slow ProgressResources & LinksFollow @eff_and_arfid on InstagramListen to the 3Mums1Mission ARFID PodcastConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, ARFID. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this episode of Full of Beans, Hannah is joined by Sarah Woodruff, mum to Grace and 1/3 of the podcast 3Mums1MissionARFID. Sarah co-created the podcast after feeling deeply isolated navigating her daughter’s eating difficulties, wanting to create a space where parents could hear stories that reflected their own and feel less alone. In this conversation, Sarah shares Grace’s journey in more depth, including the years of uncertainty, dismissal, escalation, and the ongoing reality of supporting a child with ARFID and autism.This episode is for parents, carers, and SEN professionals who are feeling unheard or wondering whether they’re “overreacting.” It offers reassurance that you’re not imagining it, permission to trust your instincts, and comfort in knowing that others have walked a similar path. Above all, it’s a reminder that ARFID is complex, individual, and never a result of bad parenting.Key takeaways:What ARFID can look like beyond early childhoodWhy the term “late-onset ARFID” deserves questioning.How autism, sensory overwhelm and anxiety can affect eatingWhy emetophobia (fear of vomiting) can make eating feel genuinely unsafeHow school stress and transitions can exacerbate ARFID in childrenHow ARFID differs from “fussy eating” How food avoidance can lead to weight loss, distress, or social isolationHow lowering pressure around food can support ARFID recoveryThe power of parental intuition, even when professionals dismiss concernsTimestamps:02:50 Grace’s early eating and when things began to change07:40 Anxiety, school stress, and the escalation of food restriction10:10 ARFID, emetophobia, and reaching crisis point13:30 Hospital care, NG tube feeding, and diagnosis22:50 Autism, masking, and questioning “late-onset” ARFID29:00 What helped: reducing pressure and rebuilding safety36:20 A message for parents who are questioning themselvesResources & LinksListen to the 3Mums1Mission ARFID PodcastConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, ARFID, NG tube feeding. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Michelle Jacques, Sarah Woodruff and Jo Read. Together, they are the hosts of 3Mums1MissionARFID, which is on a mission to raise awareness regarding ARFID as a result of their experience of navigating their own experience of supporting their children with ARFID. This week, we discuss:What ARFID is and how it differs from “fussy eating”How sensory sensitivity, gag reflexes, and nervous system overload affect eatingHow fear of choking and emetophobia (fear of vomiting) can drive food avoidanceHow illness and medical trauma can cause sudden drops in food intakeWhat it feels like to parent a child with ARFID, including guilt, grief, and constant vigilanceHow dismissal and judgment from professionals and others impact familiesWhat an ARFID diagnosis can offer, and where support often still falls shortHow NG and PEG feeding can become part of ARFID care and the complex emotions that come with itHow school stress, anxiety, and social pressures can contribute to late-onset ARFIDWhy peer connection and lived-experience support are so powerful for parentsTimestamps:04:20 Why they started Three Mums One Mission: ARFID11:00 Jo: sensory sensitivity, gag reflex, and “typical” feeding advice that didn’t fit20:50 Michelle: illness triggers, supplements, and PEG feeding32:00 Sarah: late-onset ARFID, school anxiety, crisis point + hospital experienceResources & LinksFollow @3Mums1MissionARFID on Instagram Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, ARFID, NG tube feeding. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week’s episode of Full of Beans, Hannah is joined by Melanie Davies, a sleep and stress consultant and clinical hypnotherapist, to explore how hypnotherapy can support anxiety regulation, emotional overwhelm, and disordered eating patterns.Together, Hannah and Melanie unpack what hypnotherapy actually involves, how it works with the emotional and unconscious mind, and why nervous-system-based approaches may help when behaviour-focused treatments feel limiting or incomplete.This week, we discuss:What clinical hypnotherapy is and how it differs from stage hypnosisHypnosis as a naturally occurring state of focused attentionThe role of the unconscious mind in habits, urges, and emotional eatingAnxiety, stress responses, and food-related coping behavioursEmotional regulation as a foundation for sustainable habit changeHypnotherapy as a complementary approach alongside existing treatmentUsing imagination to support neural rewiring and behaviour changeAnchoring techniques to support self-soothing and nervous system calmingEvidence and emerging research in hypnotherapy, disordered eating, and IBSEthical practice, contraindications, and the importance of assessmentTimestamps02:10 – Why hypnosis isn’t “mind control” and what actually happens in session05:40 – Focused attention, suggestibility, and everyday hypnotic states09:10 – Emotional drivers of binge urges, restriction, and food noise13:30 – Individualised treatment and why one-size-fits-all approaches fall short16:50 – Reconnecting with bodily cues, fullness, and interoceptive awareness20:30 – Supporting long-term change: maintenance, self-hypnosis, and autonomy24:10 – Calming cortisol, anchors, and nervous system retraining27:50 – Clinical evidence: bulimia, impulsive eating, IBS and the gut-brain axis33:20 – Integration with medical care, ethics, and suitability36:00 – Accessing support and next stepsResources & LinksVisit Melanie’s website: MelanieDaviesMindSolutions.comConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTube⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, disordered eating behaviours, anxiety, and binge eating. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week’s episode of Full of Beans, Hannah is joined by Debs Taylor, mum to Zara Taylor, to talk about Zara’s life, her battle with anorexia, and the new APPG report on preventing deaths from eating disorders, which is dedicated to Zara. Debs is the Operations and Project Manager at Dump the Scales CIC, bringing a unique blend of lived experience, organisational expertise, and campaign passion to the team. As a devoted parent and carer with over a decade supporting her daughter through an eating disorder, she has become a dedicated advocate for improved awareness, support, and systemic change. Debs also serves on the UK FEAST Executive team and represents FEAST within the Wales Eating Disorders Clinical Implementation Network. This conversation is a tribute to Zara’s kindness, courage and determination to recover, and a call for urgent change in how eating disorders are understood and treated.This week, we discuss:Zara's experience of anorexia and her diagnosis journeyZara's treatment experience of a decade of inpatient admissions Why being labelled “complex” triggered a sense of hopelessnessZara's motivation to recover and lack of clinical supportThe preventable loss of Zara and the devastation for her familyA look Inside the APPG “Prevention of Deaths” report Calls for a national strategy, proper training and real accountabilityTimestamps05:00 – Zara’s early life, character, and dreams for the future10:00 – First signs of illness, delayed diagnosis and early admissions18:00 – Years in inpatient units: isolation, tube feeding and lack of continuity24:00 – “Complex cases”, blame, and the impact of hopeless language31:00 – Zara’s growing wish to recover and barriers to appropriate care36:00 – Zara’s death, the inquest, and why Debs believes it was preventable44:00 – Inside the APPG “Prevention of Deaths” report and its main asks52:00 – How listeners can support the campaign and honour Zara’s legacyResources & LinksVisit the Dump the Scales website to read the APPG report and find out more.Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast hereFollow Full of Beans on Instagram hereCheck out our website hereListen on YOUTUBE here⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders and suicide. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode, Hannah is joined by Jenny Langley, an advocate in the eating disorder community. After supporting her son through anorexia 20 years ago, Jenny has dedicated her life to making sure families feel informed, empowered, and never alone.For over 15 years, Jenny has worked with the Eating Disorders Research team at the Institute of Psychiatry and is trained in the New Maudsley Model, where she now coaches carers, trains clinicians, and delivers practical skills workshops. She is co-author of the New Maudsley Skills-Based Training Manual and writer of Boys Get Anorexia Too, a book that has helped countless families feel seen.This week, we discuss:What it’s really like to support a child through anorexia as a parentThe shock, guilt, shame many carers describeEarly inpatient treatment, trauma, and learning on the job as a familyThe New Maudsley approach for supporting family dynamicsThe animal metaphors (rhino, kangaroo, jellyfish, terrier, ostrich, dolphins, St Bernard)Why carers’ self-care isn’t selfish, it’s essentialThe unique role of dads and male carersRelapse, “safety behaviours” and why recovery often looks more like discoveryCarers matter. Families matter. And with the right support, they can be powerful allies in recovery – not by being perfect, but by staying, learning and loving through the mess.Timestamps:01:20 – Jenny’s Story05:30 – Emotions Felt By Parents and Carers11:00 – Externalising the eating disorder as “Rex”16:40 –The New Maudsley Approach28:20 – Animal Metaphors and Carer Styles41:00 – Treatment Trauma, NG Feeding and Post-Discharge55:10 – Dads, Male Carers and Keeping Communication OpenResources & LinksConnect with Jenny visit her websiteConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast hereFollow Full of Beans on Instagram hereCheck out our website hereListen on YOUTUBE here⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode, Hannah is joined by Alix Walker. Alix is an eating disorder counsellor and coach, and a wellbeing speaker, who works with clients to overcome eating and body image difficulties following on from her own personal experience.This week's festive episode brings a real perspective of being in recovery at Christmas, with advice on how to navigate this season that isn't just a few quick tips that feel like they diminish the struggles of Christmas.This week, we discuss:Common challenges Alix supports her clients with during the festive periodThe pressure and overwhelm caused by Christmas marketsMaking recovery-focused decisions when challenging your eating disorderGiving yourself permission to engage in what feels right to youFinding compassion for others who are also stuck in diet culture thought patternsVisiting home for Christmas and experiencing emotional triggersFinding time for reflection or space during the festive seasonRedefining what Christmas means to you and making it what you needThe impact of social media on your own Christmas experienceTimestamps:01:20: Common Eating Disorder Struggles at Christmas03:20: Christmas Markets and Knowing When to Challenge06:13: Managing Guilt After Social Events07:41: Navigating Work Parties10:47: Finding Balance and Compassion14:17: Navigating Diet Talk16:57: Handling Comments from Family Members23:05: Taking Responsibility for Triggers26:29: Finding Personal Space29:14: Redefining the Meaning of Christmas Away from Social MediaResources & LinksFollow Alix on Instagram @counsellingwithalixCheck out Alix's LinktreeConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast hereFollow Full of Beans on Instagram hereCheck out our website hereListen on YOUTUBE here⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week’s episode of Full of Beans, I’m joined by Ailidh Musgrave, an eating disorder campaigner, whose story spans years of misdiagnosis, medical trauma, and being repeatedly told she was “too complex” to treat.Ailidh was diagnosed with anorexia at 13, and spent her teens and early adulthood in a cycle of nine inpatient admissions, severe depression, self-harm, sepsis, multiple surgeries and even temporary paralysis. Alongside her eating disorder, she lives with autism and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which went misunderstood or dismissed for years.Now, two years out of hospital, back in education and moving in with her partner, Ailidh is using her experience to push for safer, more compassionate care and to challenge the Assisted Dying Bill through the #DyingForTreatment campaign.In this conversation, Ailidh shares what it’s like to be rejected from over 20 hospitals, labelled “too complex”, and still find her way back to life – and why she believes no one with anorexia should ever be put on a palliative pathway.This week, we discuss:Misdiagnosis, gastrointestinal symptoms and the long road to an EDS diagnosisThe dramatic shift from CAMHS to adult servicesHow autism and neurodivergence were misunderstood in eating disorder treatmentBeing turned away by over 20 hospitals and the “postcode lottery” of careWhy Ailidh is speaking out against the Assisted Dying Bill and the risk for people with anorexiaThe power of time, trust and being truly listened to in recoveryHow her mum held onto hope when she couldn’t – and why hope is the most important thing clinicians can offerLived experience and family perspectives are essential if we want eating disorder care to be truly compassionate, person-centred and safe. Ailidh’s story is a powerful reminder that no one is beyond help, no matter how long or how complex their journey has been.Timestamps:01:20 – Ailidh's Experience of Inpatient Admissions05:50 – CAMHS vs Adult Inpatient Care09:40 – Autism and Misunderstanding14:10 – EDS Diagnosis and Medical Trauma18:30 – 9 Admissions in 13 Years24:20 – Community Aftercare and Service Gaps29:00 – Concerns About The Assisted Dying Bill36:40 – Finding Internal Motivation For Recovery43:10 – The Impact On FamilyResources & LinksConnect with Ailidh on LinkedInConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast hereFollow Full of Beans on Instagram hereCheck out our website hereListen on YOUTUBE here⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode, Hannah is joined by Anna Carnegie. Anna is a Research Fellow at KCL, where she coordinates the Eating Disorders Clinical Research Network (or "EDCRN") and lends support to the UK Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (or "EDGI UK"). Alongside her academic role, Anna brings her own lived experience of OCD, anorexia, and long-term recovery. She now uses that experience to shape research, advocate for better funding, and push for eating disorder studies that truly centre the people they’re supposed to help.This week, we discuss:The huge funding gap in eating disorder research and why it mattersWhat EDCRN and EDGI UK are, and how they’re trying to answer basic questions about “what works”Genetics, metabolism, and why there is no single “eating disorder gene”The emotional burden and boundaries of working as a peer researcherAnna’s journey through OCD, anorexia, and treatment in Ireland and the UKHow lived experience can shape research design, language, and prioritiesThe life-changing impact of an NHS admission that focused on life goals, not just weightWhy one-size-fits-all treatment doesn’t work and the need for truly individualised careTimestamps:00:00 – Introducing Anna and her roles at King’s, EDCRN & EDGI UK04:00 – The reality of underfunding in eating disorder research08:30 – Lived experience, stigma, and language in research settings14:00 – Peer research, boundaries, and “naming the elephant in the room”20:00 – Anna’s story: OCD in childhood, anorexia in adolescence, and treatment in Dublin37:00 – What EDCRN does and why standardised outcome data is so important42:00 – Genetics, vulnerability, the “jar” analogy, and prevention46:00 – One-size-fits-all treatment, neurodiversity, and hopes for the future of ED careResources & LinksConnect with Anna on X (@Anna_Carnegie)Connect with Anna on Blue Sky (@annacarnegie.bsky.social)Find out more about EDCRNFind out more about EDGI UK or email edgi@kcl.ac.ukConnect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast hereFollow Full of Beans on Instagram hereCheck out our website here⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders and OCD. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

In this week's episode of Full of Beans, Han is joined by Zoë Harwood. Zoë is the founder of Light Minds Collective, a compassionate and soul-centred coaching space dedicated to helping individuals heal from low self-confidence, eating disorders, and poor body image.With over 20 years of experience in mindset coaching within the dance industry and beyond, Zoë combines holistic and creative approaches to guide clients towards living with confidence, integrity, and purpose.Drawing on her own lived experience of orthorexia, which complicated her pregnancy and led to hyperemesis and a difficult delivery, Zoë now uses her journey to raise awareness of eating disorders in pregnancy and beyond, and to empower others to find food freedom and authentic self-worth.This week, we discuss:How the pursuit of “health” can mask deep fear and anxietyThe overlap between orthorexia and OCD behavioursThe role of veganism and “clean eating” in fuelling obsessive food rulesZoë's experience of hyperemesis and pregnancy while living with orthorexiaHow shame, guilt, and self-blame show up in motherhood and recoveryThe importance of curiosity and compassion when “healthy habits” become harmfulTimestamps:00:00 – Zoë's background in dance and early relationship with food04:00 – The fear of illness that fuelled her obsession with “health”08:00 – When veganism and clean eating became orthorexia12:00 – Understanding orthorexia as a form of OCD17:00 – Pregnancy, hyperemesis, and refusing medical treatment24:00 – Shame, guilt and the impact on motherhood31:00 – Finding recovery and redefining “healthy”38:00 – Advice for those struggling during pregnancy or with orthorexiaResources & LinksConnect with Zoë on Instagram @lightmindcollectiveVisit Zoë's website Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast hereFollow Full of Beans on Instagram hereCheck out our website here⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, orthorexia, pregnancy complications, and medical trauma. Please take care when listening.If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛