Conversations Treating anorexia by nourishing the heart
May 16, 2025
Warren Ward, a psychiatrist specializing in eating disorders and author of 'Lovers of Philosophy', shares his insights into the complexities of mental health. He likens asking someone with anorexia to eat to asking an arachnophobe to handle spiders. The conversation reveals innovative treatment strategies at Australia's Wandi Nerida program, emphasizing holistic recovery. He discusses the societal pressures affecting patients and highlights the importance of understanding human motivation—drawing from philosophy to enhance empathy and insight in therapy.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Human Motivation Is Mostly Unconscious
- Human behavior is often unconscious and driven by complicated drives and past patterns.
- People can be confused by their own motivations, revealing a profound mystery of the mind.
Why Residential Treatment Works
- Residential treatment suits those needing long-term, intensive eating disorder rehabilitation.
- Like addiction rehab, it helps restructure thoughts and feelings with comprehensive support.
Tense But Supportive Meal Times
- Meals at Wandi Nerida are tense but supportive therapeutic experiences.
- Staff use kindness and firm encouragement to help patients nourish their bodies despite fear and resistance.
