Posts Tagged “Advocacy”

Episode description:

Social media can shape how we think about food, bodies, and ourselves—but what happens when algorithms actively steer vulnerable young people toward harmful content? On this episode of Peace Meal, Joel Wright, founder of Wright Law Group, joins Jillian Lampert to discuss the legal action seeking to hold social media companies accountable for the ways their platforms can contribute to harm, including eating disorder development and maintenance.

Drawing from his legal work and his personal experience as a parent of a child who has experienced an eating disorder, Joel discusses how algorithms can amplify eating disorder and body-related content, what changes could make social media safer, and why parents and families may need more control over what young people see online. He also shares advice for parents, including the importance of modeling healthy technology habits and recognizing potential warning signs.

**Content warning: This episode includes discussion of suicidal ideation and a suicide attempt. Please use your discretion when listening and speak with your support system as needed. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by texting or calling 988. LGBTQ+ young people can also reach The Trevor Project 24/7 by calling 1-866-488-7386, texting START to 678-678, or chatting online. 

Episode description:

Danny Wakefield joins Peace Meal to share his story of recovery from an eating disorder—a “full circle moment,” he calls it, as an alum of The Emily Program. Danny didn’t recognize the earliest signs of their eating disorder until they entered care and traced its roots back to body comparisons with their twin sister that started at age three.

Getting into treatment as an adult wasn’t simple. Seeking any kind of medical care as a transgender person comes with its own barriers. For Danny, that included the internalized belief that eating disorder treatment wasn’t for someone like him. Body-size bias among providers also meant their illness wasn’t taken as seriously as it should have been. It took a mental health crisis and a message sent in desperation before Danny found their way to The Emily Program.

Danny and Jillian talk through what came next: an extended stay in residential treatment, the levels of care that followed, and a recovery that became “so much bigger than just food.” Danny closes with a message for anyone who doesn’t believe recovery is possible: it starts with “a tiny moment of willingness,” and hope borrowed from someone else until you can hold it yourself.

Episode description:

In this episode of Peace Meal, Rawnaq Albathigi joins us to share her experience with an eating disorder, and how it’s shaped the perspective she’s bringing to the field as an emerging dietitian.

Drawing on a recovery journey she describes as anything but linear, Rawnaq makes the case for a more individualized understanding of healing from an eating disorder, and for treatment that’s far more accessible than it currently is, especially for people whose culture and faith fall outside the Western framework much of it is built around.

**Content warning: This is one person’s story; everyone will have unique experiences in recovery and beyond. Some stories may mention eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, and symptoms. Please use your discretion when reading and speak with your support system as needed.

Kimmy Schuelke (she/her) is a teacher, speaker, and author of the children’s book The Tangle. A survivor of both a long-term eating disorder and colon cancer, Kimmy integrates somatic work and yoga into the classroom to help students regulate their nervous systems for better learning. She is a passionate advocate for ED recovery and systemic change, somatic work, and trauma-informed education, proving that our bodies are the vessels for our stories, not the sum of our worth.

Learn more about Kimmy on her website, or follow her at @teachingkimmy on Instagram and YouTube.

For a long time, I lived in a body I didn’t even recognize. I remember my first session with my therapist. I was sitting there, and I looked down at my own hand resting on my lap. She asked me how an emotion felt in my body. I couldn’t answer her because I couldn’t connect with any part of my body. She told me to start with my hand. I had to stop and really think about the fact that it was mine. I was so disconnected from myself that I couldn’t even process that my hand was a part of me. That was the reality of my life for almost four decades. I was just a passenger in a body I didn’t trust.

**Content warning: This is one person’s story; everyone will have unique experiences in recovery and beyond. Some stories may mention eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, and symptoms. Please use your discretion when reading and speak with your support system as needed.

Katherine Stancoff (they/she) is a 20-year-old mental health advocate and former client of The Emily Program. You can follow her on TikTok and Instagram at @thereispurposeinthispain and @katherinestancoff, and see more of her literary work at www.thereispurposeinthispain.com.

Comparison was my constant nemesis as a child. I’d compare my home life, friendships, personality, interests, skills, and talents to everyone around me. Quickly, I’d fallen into the deep waters of never feeling adequate. I’d try to excel the way others seemed to, but I always believed I’d fallen short somehow. I soon internalized the notion that I am defective.

This utter despair made me feel like a failure, and my mind began to tear itself apart, skinning itself dry in desperate search of a solution. Consequently, this exploration of “fixing” myself led to self-isolation, then a vow of silence, until it spiraled into disordered behaviors.

From this deterioration, I fell into a distorted “love” with my eating disorder. It convinced me that once I reached my goal weight, I would achieve “perfection,” setting me apart from my peers. I did as it told me, wholeheartedly believing that losing weight to an idealized number would “perfect” me, would satisfy the void my depression and OCD had created.

In Threshold, Jessie courageously opens up about her eating disorder recovery journey and shares how The Emily Program helped save her life at 18, the highs of her career, and the very real, raw, and vulnerable struggles in relapsing 12 years into recovery. Her willingness to speak honestly about her experience is helping break stigma, spark important conversations, and bring hope to individuals and families everywhere.

We are deeply honored to be a sponsor of this remarkable documentary, produced by Patrick Dempsey, and now streaming on Peacock TV.

Jessie, congratulations on an outstanding final Olympics in Milan Cortina, and thank you for using your voice to help others find strength and healing. We are incredibly proud to stand beside you and grateful to be part of your journey.

Learn more about this incredible documentary below.

**Content warning: This is one person’s story; everyone will have unique experiences in recovery and beyond. Some stories may mention eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, and symptoms. Please use your discretion when reading and speak with your support system as needed.

Danielle Dow, MA, LPC, NCC, is a licensed professional counselor specializing in eating disorder recovery, trauma, and self-compassion. Drawing on both training and lived experience, she supports adolescents, adults, and families with curiosity and care. She finds joy in flowers, long walks, and her beloved dog, Joy. Instagram: @daniedow.counseling.

Episode description:

In this episode of Between Bites, Dr. Jillian Lampert explores the topic of weight stigma and its harmful effects on health and healthcare. She defines weight stigma as judgment or discrimination based on body size, shape, or appearance—and explains how it shows up in everyday life, from jokes in the media to treatment in the doctor’s office.

Dr. Lampert highlights how weight stigma in healthcare can lead to serious consequences, including patients avoiding care altogether. She underscores the importance of separating weight from health and focusing on holistic well-being instead. With Weight Stigma Awareness Week approaching, she shares opportunities to learn more, take action, and create change through kindness, education, and advocacy.