Food Shrinks

⚠️Please forgive the poor internet connection in this episode! In today’s episode, the Shrinks go off-script to discuss a topic that lit a fire in Molly C.’s heart last night while scrolling Instagram. This raw and authentic conversation unpacks the challenges, complexities, and nuances of navigating advice in the recovery and coaching space—especially when it comes to weight loss, bariatric surgery, and GLP-1 medications. Molly C. shares her visceral reaction to a controversial Instagram post suggesting that people should only consider medical interventions after “getting straight with God.” From there, the discussion evolves into exploring the fine line between empowerment and victim-blaming, the ethical responsibility of coaches and counselors, and the dangers of relying solely on personal experience without professional training. Key Topics Discussed: ✴The importance of integrating spirituality, science, and evidence-based care in recovery journeys. ✴ People face vulnerabilities when seeking support and how predatory marketing can exploit that. ✴How to discern if a coach or counselor is qualified to provide the help you need—questions to ask and red flags to watch for.  ✴Why it’s okay (and essential) to fire a professional who isn’t serving your best interests. ✴The power of GLP-1 medications and bariatric surgery as tools for recovery and the myths and stigma surrounding them. ✴The broader cultural implications of moralizing health interventions and the importance of meeting people where they are. Takeaways for Listeners: ✴There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to recovery. Every journey is unique, and the right tools vary for everyone. ✴It’s vital to find practitioners who are trained, compassionate, and genuinely invested in your healing—not in keeping you sick. ✴Be wary of shame-based messaging that suggests you’re not “doing enough” or “faithful enough” to heal. ✴Your recovery is valid, whether it includes medical interventions, spiritual growth, or a mix of both. ✴Always hold onto hope—healing is possible, and you deserve the best care and support available. Listener Challenge: We’d love to hear your thoughts on this conversation! Have you experienced shame-based coaching? How do you choose the proper support in your recovery journey? Please share your insights and stories with us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com. Resources Mentioned: ✴Questions to Ask a Coach or Counselor Before Working with Them (from a previous Food Junkies episode) https://www.foodjunkiespodcast.com/episodes/episode-151-molly-painschab-clarissa-kennedy-bethany-mazereeuw-what-to-look-for-in-a-counsellor ✴Dr. Rhona Epstein: A trusted Christian food addiction counselor with decades of experience. https://drrhona.com/ Follow Us: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Please stay connected for more honest conversations about recovery, tools, and hope. Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com Website: www.foodshrinks.com Instagram: @foodshrinks The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode, The Shrinks explore the complexities of the holiday season, particularly for those managing food addiction or emotional challenges tied to festivities. With a mix of humor, science, and heartfelt personal experiences, the hosts discuss strategies to navigate the season authentically and with self-compassion. From preparing in advance and managing food temptations to setting boundaries and taking timeouts, this conversation is packed with practical advice for handling both food and family dynamics. Whether you love the holidays or find them overwhelming, this episode offers insights to help you approach the season with confidence and care.   1. Diverse Experiences with Holidays: o The holidays evoke a range of emotions and experiences, from joy and celebration to anxiety and trauma. Acknowledging and owning your feelings about this season can be a powerful step toward navigating it authentically.   2. Holiday Preparation is Key: o Whether you love or dread the holidays, preparation can reduce stress and decision fatigue. Key strategies include:  Self-Care Before Events: Exercise, mindfulness, or grounding activities can help center you.  Eating Beforehand: Arrive at events satiated to avoid hunger-driven choices.  Visualization: Mentally rehearse how you want to feel and act at events to set the tone.   3. Managing Food Temptations: o Overvalued holiday foods can trigger overeating. Incorporating “special” foods into your regular diet ahead of the season helps reduce their scarcity and allure. o Approach events with a plan for navigating tempting foods, such as focusing on connecting with people instead of grazing on appetizers.   4. Practical Tools for Overwhelm: o Time-Outs: Step away when needed—go outside, listen to music, or take a breath to reset. o Alternative Activities: Volunteering for tasks, like doing the dishes, can provide a purposeful escape from triggering situations. o Exit Strategies: Feel empowered to leave early or set boundaries to prioritize your well-being.   5. The Power of Accountability: o Connect with supportive communities to share your goals and celebrate successes. Accountability partners can help you stay grounded and navigate challenges.   6. Food Addiction Insights: o Euphoric recall, where food memories are heightened by dopamine and cortisol, plays a significant role in holiday food cravings. Awareness of these patterns can help you make mindful choices.   7. Shift the Focus: o Instead of placing all emotional value on a single holiday or food, embrace the broader season. Reframe the experience by integrating traditions and flavors into everyday life to reduce pressure and scarcity mentality.   8. Boundaries are Acts of Self-Love: o Setting limits with family, food, and even your own expectations is a profound act of self-care. It's okay to prioritize your mental and physical health, even if it means saying no or stepping away.   9. Permission to Protect Yourself: o Whether by taking timeouts, bringing an ally, or using “fake sick” as an exit strategy, remember that it’s okay to prioritize your recovery and well-being.   10. Stay Connected: o Holidays can be isolating, but they’re also an opportunity to lean into support systems. Use resources, like the podcast Q&A shorts on YouTube, to stay motivated and remind yourself you’re not alone. Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com  Website: www.foodshrinks.com  Instagram: @foodshrinks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJz7uP8kmP4

Welcome back to another heartfelt episode of Food Shrinks! This week, we’re diving deep into what triggers us and how they show up in our lives. It’s Molly C.’s turn to share, and her honesty and vulnerability bring so much wisdom to the table. Molly opens up about navigating big life transitions, like her recent move from North Carolina, back to the Northeast. She shares how underestimated stressors—like moving, saying goodbye, and caring for a sick pet—combined with her “I’m fine” coping mechanism led to a challenging time in her recovery journey. Key highlights from the episode include: •Navigating Big Life Changes: How Molly’s move and life upheavals triggered unexpected behaviors and emotions. •Facing the Scale and Reality: Molly’s candid story of realizing she needed to reset her recovery plan after emotional eating and stress. •The Importance of Asking for Help: Molly’s decision to hire a coach, reframe her support system, and accept that even with 15 years of abstinence, there’s always room for growth and guidance. •Humility in Recovery: The humbling experience of needing to revisit basic tools, despite being a leader in the recovery space. •Reframing Relapse: Why the term “recurrence” is a more compassionate and accurate way to describe returning to disordered behaviors in food addiction recovery. •Embracing Imperfection: Life isn’t about perfection, even in long-term recovery. Molly discusses how recognizing moments of chaos can lead to profound personal lessons. •We also explore the importance of maintaining ongoing support, staying curious about your own behaviors, and embracing the idea that recovery isn’t linear—it’s a lifelong process of learning and growing. Key Takeaways for Listeners: •Recovery is a daily practice, not a destination. •It’s okay—and vital—to ask for help when you need it. •Naming and normalizing struggles can be the most healing act. •Life’s challenges don’t disappear; learning to navigate them with grace is what matters. Thank you for tuning in and joining us on this journey. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might benefit from hearing it. Don’t forget to rate and review—we love hearing from you! See you next time, and remember: We’re all in this together. 💜 Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com  Website: www.foodshrinks.com  Instagram: @foodshrinks The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.   

In this episode, The Shrinks dive deep into identifying and managing triggers on the path to recovery, with a special focus on insights from Molly P. We discuss how overwhelming schedules, feeling controlled, and people-pleasing tendencies can drive emotional eating or even binge-eating episodes. Molly reflects on her journey and the importance of recognizing when she's overextending herself, neglecting self-care, or shouldering more than she can bear—all classic triggers in her recovery. Key takeaways include the value of setting boundaries and prioritizing yourself in the face of external demands. Our panel emphasizes creating space in your schedule for breaks and meals and urges listeners to pause and check in with themselves regularly, even if it’s just for 10 minutes. This small act can help curb stress and prevent overwhelm. A powerful theme emerges around vulnerability and the need for support in recovery. Whether it's scheduling short breaks, learning to say "no," or asking for help, these are essential skills for protecting one’s mental and emotional health. Remember, self-care doesn’t require perfection—it’s about consistent, small steps that help you thrive. Join us as we explore the daily practices that contribute to a resilient recovery journey. Watch now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOnmZOhF9Ts&t=1s Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share with others who might need these insights! Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com Website: www.foodshrinks.com Instagram: @foodshrinks The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.  

In this episode Clarissa shares one of her latest challenges in Food Addiction Recovery. The shrinks dive into a heartfelt and inspiring conversation about resilience and recovery in the face of unexpected health challenges. After Clarissa lost her sense of taste and smell due to long COVID, she found herself navigating a tricky path back to healthy eating and sobriety. She opens up about how these changes impacted her relationship with food, triggering old patterns and even leading to a brief return to use.  Together, they explore how to keep a balanced food plan, manage fatigue, and find self-compassion through tough times. With supportive insights and practical strategies for maintaining routines when food loses its appeal, this episode is a beacon of hope and encouragement for anyone on a recovery journey. Tune in for a candid chat on the power of not feeling like you have to start over but instead just continuing on your recovery journey, leaning on support systems, and embracing self-care every step of the way. Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com Website: www.foodshrinks.com Instagram: @foodshrinks The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.    

We’re beyond excited to bring you real recovery talk with some of your closest friends. Welcome to Food Shrinks, where your hosts— Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab —serve up candid, compassionate conversations about food addiction, recovery, and finding true freedom with food. In every episode, we dive deep into the messy, meaningful realities of healing your relationship with food. Drawing from years of clinical experience and personal insight, we share what we’ve learned, what’s worked, and practical tools to guide you along your journey. This is not just expert advice—it’s real, raw, and honest talk among friends. We know that recovery isn’t always a straight line, and we’re here to embrace that truth. Whether you’re unpacking diet culture, learning to trust yourself with food again, or still figuring out what works best for you, we’ll walk this path together. Join us for heartfelt conversations, actionable insights, and a space where you feel seen, supported, and empowered.   Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com Website: www.foodshrinks.com Instagram: @foodshrinks   The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.