✨ Episode Summary: In this conversation, Collaborative Counseling and Nutrition owner and founder, Lauren Reiker, joins us to go back to the basics. We explore how food access, SNAP benefits, and food insecurity intersect with eating disorder recovery and gentle nutrition. Together, we unpack the realities of nourishing yourself (and supporting others) when access isn’t guaranteed, and share compassionate, practical ways to approach the holidays through a lens of flexibility, self-care, and equity.

Because before we talk about gentle nutrition, we have to talk about access.

🧰 Takeaways:

• Food insecurity isn’t just about hunger — it’s about uncertainty, stress, and survival.
• You can’t heal what you can’t access. Consistent access to food is foundational to recovery.
• Gentle nutrition has to be flexible and realistic — not perfect.
• Access, not perfection, is the starting point for nourishment and healing.
• Asking about food access with curiosity (not judgment) opens the door to real support.
• Everyone deserves access to food, safety, and dignity — especially during the holidays.

📚 Resources & Mentions:

• The Minnesota Starvation Experiment: https://psychiatry.duke.edu/blog/starvation-experiment
• State Sanctioned Starvation & The Collective Unconscious IG post from @bodyjustice.therapist and @dr.han.ren: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQuMZXziVwN/
• Feeding America SNAP Myths & Facts: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQXIIanE0WI/
• Why You Might Want to Donate Money to Food Banks: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQWuhHMkZ7z/
• Food Insecurity and Eating Disorders blog post: https://www.collab-counseling.com/blog/food-insecurity-and-disordered-eating
• What is Gentle Nutrition blog post: https://www.collab-counseling.com/blog/what-is-gentle-nutrition
• Dr. Jessica Knurick IG post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQm0XbuEjCM/
• The Intuitive Eating Deck
• Intuitive Eating Every Day by Evelyn Tribole
• Intuitive Eaters Bill of Rights Blog Post: https://www.collab-counseling.com/blog/intuitive-eaters-bill-of-rights
• Learn more and JOIN Free to Nourish: https://www.collab-counseling.com/free-to-nourish

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🔗 Connect With Us:

Website: https://www.collab-counseling.com/

IG: @collab.counseling