Mental Note

Before starting your New Year’s diet, you’ll want to check out this episode as we dip our toes into the world of Christie Dondero Bettwy. After a long history of dieting to get others’ approval while also falling into an eating disorder, she is fighting back against assumptions about "health" that hurt people far more than they help them. Along the way, we also speak with nutritionist Dr. Ralph Carson about what really happens to your body when you diet (and why they never seem to work…) Hosted by Eleanor Pike, produced by Sam Pike, edited by Josh Wright, Erica Prather, and Sam Pike Sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers. For more info on our guest, check out mentalnotepodcast.com.  Christie leads the non-profit Rock Recovery: www.rockrecoveryed.org

What happens when your child is diagnosed with an eating disorder? Where do you go for help? How does it affect your community? When Beth Ayn's daughter received a diagnosis of anorexia, she set out on a journey that led her to unexpected places. Eventually, she took those lessons and turned them into Stay Strong Virginia - a non-profit that helps other parents in similar circumstances.  Mental Note is sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers. For a free consultation with a licensed professional please call 877-411-9578. Mentalnotepodcast.com 

Binge Eating Disorder is grossly underdiagnosed and can leave dramatical devastation in its wake. So how do you find your way in a culture that makes it so difficult for us to rise above diets, shame-based choices, and self-hatred?  We sit down with Andy McLoughlin and talk about his lifelong journey to shed the darkness of his disorder and embrace a fulfilling life.  Mental Note is sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioural Health Centers. You can call 877-411-9578 for a free assessment to speak with licensed professionals who know how to help.

Sunnie never knew she had OCD. Rather, this mom of six simply soldiered on – doing her best to ignore the disturbing voices in her head. That is until a diagnosis finally opened her eyes to a whole new world where she could be free from her mental prison.  Join us as we journey with her through the process of dividing her own identity from that of the disorder. Along the way, we'll discover just how good life can be.  Mental Note is sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers  

There once was a 14-year-old girl named McCall who didn’t know how to fit into her own body. Her resulting sadness launched a 15-year long journey through the pitfalls of dieting pills, along the cliff edge of weight loss to the point of an eating disorder diagnosis, down the narrow path of making a choice to recover, and into the breakthrough of discovering an antidote to shame. Along the way, we'll chat with Dr. Ovidio Bermudez about the dangers of diet pills, Adderall, and laxatives.  Mental Note is sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers. For a free consultation with a licensed professional please call 877-411-9578. For more information on McCall, check out mentalnotepodcast.com and southernsmash.org.    

We often deal with firsthand stories on this podcast and what happens when a person finally decides to tackle a seemingly insurmountable mental health illness. But what about those who walk alongside such a person in struggle? Where’s their story?   Well, on today’s episode, we’re taking the opportunity to celebrate Father’s Day by talking with a pretty amazing dad. David Bachman is the father of 2 boys, one of which began battling Anorexia Nervosa at age 12.    His story illuminates the role a father can play in eating disorder recovery, the importance of self, marriage, and family care, & how discovering a “new normal” is critical for long-term success.   Produced by Sam Pike, edited and mixed by Meredith Turk and Erica Prather.    Mental Note is sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers. For a free consultation with a licensed professional please call 877-411-9578. For more information on David, check out mentalnotepodcast.com.

Just imagine feeling out of place in your own skin — that the actual physical container of your person just doesn’t mesh with what you know to be true. It would mean that every time you changed clothes, met new people, or went out in public, the world around you reminded you that while you may identify as one way, you definitely look another.  Today, we're sitting down with Ryan Sallans - an author and speaker who shares about life as a trans-man. His story highlights that destructive coping with eating disorders, anxiety and depression is not a long-term solution, that cultivating awareness offers a practical way forward without minimizing emotions, and the uniqueness of eating disorders in the trans community as a way to look more masculine. Mental Note is sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers. For a free consultation with a licensed professional please call 877-411-9578. For more information on Ryan, check out mentalnotepodcast.com and RyanSallans.com.

On this special episode, we listen to you in celebration of Eating Recovery Day on May 1st! The responses we got from your gratitude letters were simply too good not to share and we wanted to present them back to you, allowing their power to speak for themselves. You are truly incredible and we love being part of the recovery community.  Also, if you would still like to join in the #myrecoveryletter project, it's not too late! simply go to myrecoveryletter.com and follow the prompts."  Mental Note is sponsored by Eating Recovery Center and Insight Behavioral Health Centers. For a free consultation with a licensed professional please call 877-411-9578. For more information check out mentalnotepodcast.com. 

On today’s episode, we are sitting down with Shannon Kopp. She made it through a family divided by alcoholism, personal struggles with bulimia, and into a future where she is thriving – all with the help of some friends who barely understood a word she said, yet generously gave the love they had with wet noses and furry kisses.  Check out our website for a free values sort! mentalnotepodcast.com Also, Shannon has written about her journey and her book is phenomenal. You can pick it up on her website: shannonkopp.com

We all see the dramatic photos of celebrities looking toned and thin immediately following the birth of their child... Is that really what we should strive for? Join us as we talk frankly with Lauren Hill about her experiences with body image and pregnancy. We'll discuss what's most important for our bodies and our family during and after birth, how partners, friends, and family can support us best, and how to navigate this unique time with love.  We also get the perspective of Kate Daigle, a Licensed Professional Counselor who is currently writing a book on fertility and eating disorders.  www.katedaiglecounseling.com www.mentalnotepodcast.com