The Mindful Dietitian

Jessica Setnick on transgenerational influence on food and eating experiences. Fellow Eating Disorder Dietitian brings her fabulous unique style to this interview, as we explore ways in which we can be aware of transgenerational influences on the way we experience food, eating and our bodies. Jess's background in anthropology, and how this informed her Nutrition practice Why a transgenerational assessment is such an important part of the Dietetic consultation Transforming understanding from "this is a fact" to "this is a behaviour" How awareness of the origins of our behaviours can open up space for choice Separating moral judgements from behaviours "When you can see many possibilities, shame diminishes" - we can help people navigate possibilities! "No one choice makes or breaks" "No one is born preoccupied with food, society makes us this way...." How we can support parents in their efforts to feed their children in a way that fosters respect and care Offering meaning to the behaviours, breaking through shame How to use the word "regret" in a helpful way How storytelling is a way we talk to ourselves too Creating safe spaces for our clients When to shush, when to speak up The power of witnessing someone's struggle     About Jess: Jessica Setnick has one of the most recognizable names in the eating disorders treatment world, thanks to her engaging and charismatic presentation style, her unique point of view, and her genuine ability to connect on a deep level, even from the podium. She has spent her career developing eating disorder treatment protocols in every level of care and shares her wealth of knowledge with health professionals and the public in every possible format, including the Eating Disorders Boot Camp: Training Workshop for Professionals audio course, The Eating Disorders Clinical Pocket Guide, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Pocket Guide to Eating Disorders, as Eating Disorder Editor at Recovery Campus Magazine, in the forthcoming book Managing Eating Disorders on Campus, as a CEDRD Supervisor and mentor to treating professionals around the world, and in her many, many, many presentations. Jessica’s mission is to work toward a world where everyone who needs care for eating issues has access to qualified professionals, and no one is turned away due to insurance issues or mistaken stereotypes.   You can find Jess here: http://understandingnutrition.com International Federation of Eating Disorder Dietitians www.ifedd.com  

Dr Anita Johnson on using metaphor and stories to bring meaning, insight and compassion into the lived experience. Anita Johnson, author of "Eating in the Light of the Moon" is a very highly regarded Eating Disorder therapist and healer, and someone who uses metaphor and stories to support people in bringing meaning, insight and compassion to difficult life experiences. In this interview, Anita generously shares with us some of her more "famous" metaphors and some incredible pieces of wisdom including: Eating in the Light of the Moon as 10 year project, first published in 1996 Why metaphors are so poweful, lessons from neurocience Storytelling, and "storylistening" Why our body signals are suchpowerful indicators, and how we learn to disconnect Why there is such profound meaning in the way people use food, and what we can discover along the way Finding meaning and themes in eating behaviours beyond the eating disorder Imagination as a highly valuable part of the recovery process The naturally changing body vs cultural pressures People do what they do for very good reasons,there is nothing wrong with you! Seeing the patterns in our behaviour - is restriction or binge eating just about the food? Don't look at the finger pointing at the moon, look at the moon.... (Zen saying) "cracking the code" of food cravings (see your free gift!)   Your free Gift here! www.lightofthemooncafe.com/md   About Anita: Anita Johnston, Ph.D., CEDS, is a Depth Psychologist, certified eating disorder specialist and supervisor, storyteller, and author of Eating in the Light of the Moon: How Women Can Transform Their Relationships with Food Through Myth, Metaphor, and Storytelling, which has been published in six languages along with numerous book chapters and articles in professional journals. She has been working in the field of women’s issues for over 35 years and is currently the Clinical Director of ‘Ai Pono Hawaii which has outpatient eating disorder programs in Honolulu, the Big Island of Hawaii, and a residential treatment program in Maui. She is the co-creator of the Light of the Moon Café, an interactive e-course, women’s circle, and online “workbook” for Eating in the Light of the Moon. Dr. Johnston provides individual consultations via teleconferencing and lectures around the world to professional organizations, conferences, universities, medical institutions, and the community at large. She is best known for integrating metaphor and storytelling into her training as a clinical psychologist to explain the complex issues that underlie struggles with eating, weight, and body image.   Pronunciation note: ‘Ai Pono sounds like iphone, but instead of phone you say pono (oh no with a “p” in front)       You can reach her at: anita@lightofthemooncafe.com  

Robyn Goldberg on the complexities of the human experience, and what we can learn from the field of addictions. Please join me as I chat with fellow Eating Disorder Dietitian, US-based Robyn Goldberg who has extensive experience working with people who struggle with some of the more complex relationships that can arise when we feel disconnected from our bodies. Here Robyn generously offers us a variety of ideas from her "toolbox" (with some fabulous analogies!) including: Insights into her work in addictions & what can help us understand about people's relationship with food and other substances What do we do if we're seeing someone who is also dealing with drug or alcohol addiction? What takes priority? How we can support people to move away from the pull of "instant gratification?" She asks "Are you walking your dog, or is your dog walking you?" How to tease apart the feeling of something "working" Developing a full toolbox so you don't need to keep going to the hardware store! Bringing self care to the dinner table, learning how to "dine with your body" Sending consistent messages to your client about the path to peace with food, eating and body - finding a great team! How we can support someone who has chronic & enduring Anorexia Nervosa How our work allows us to connect with body gratitude "Keeping our pencil sharpened" as a health professional   You can find Robyn here: Ask About Food - Robyn Goldberg    

Marsha Mudnall on the perils of perfectionism, learning from missteps and adapting mindful eating for medical conditions. Marsha Hudnall, RD, Director of Green Mountain at Fox Run and President of The Center for Mindful Eating is uniequivocally regarded as one of the most prominent leaders of our time in Eating Disorder treatment and body healing. Marsha has spent her career dedicated to providing high quality care and treatment to women who struggle in their relationships with food, eating and their body. It's very clear from our conversation how passionate Marsha feels about supporting women to move away from diets and towards a place of peace and ease in their bodies, and is a generous and authentic supporter of fellow Dietitians.... Here Marsha shares: How her own healing proved pivotal in her understanding of the experiences of others. What we can learn from "missteps" with clients and how to embrace our own imperfection! How perfectionistic tendencies (within us, and our clients) get in the way of healing and leave no room for the "middle ground" The amazing story of Green Mountain at Fox Run and visionary RD Thelma Wayler, one of the first Non Diet Dietitians!! And the gorgeous story of how Marsha ended up at Green Mountain (don't miss it!!) The underlying philosophy of Green Mountain - Health At Every Size and Mindful Eating/Concious Eating and how the program brings messages of body and food peace to women The building of the Non Diet community The most common misunderstandings of Health At Every Size Bringing mindfulness into your life, and practice How we take best care of ourselves using mindful awareness in food choices Adapting Mindful Eating for health or medical conditions - yes, it's possible! Marsha's thought on Mindful Eating & weight loss, and the dilemmas we face as Dietitians How neuroscience can help reduce blame and increase self compassion   About Marsha: A registered dietitian nutritionist, Marsha has been a voice of reason and a thought leader for the last three decades in helping women move away from restrictive notions of food and health so that they can better adopt a sustainable approach to eating well.  She has spent her career working to help women give up dieting rules and understand how to truly take care of themselves through mindful eating and living. Her mission is to help women learn to enjoy eating without worries about health and weight. She encourages women to embrace their love of food, which you might call being a foodie. If so, it’s appropriate because being a foodie means you pay attention when you eat -- a recipe made in heaven for eating well. Since 1986, Marsha has been a part of Green Mountain at Fox Run, the Vermont women's retreat that pioneered the non-diet approach to health and healthy weights. An accomplished writer, she has written hundreds of articles for popular magazines, newsletters and professional journals, and has worked extensively on a national basis to produce curricula and pamphlets to educate the public about nutrition and about the impact of dieting and the diet mentality on eating behaviors, including binge eating and emotional eating.  Long active with several national professional associations, Marsha recently stepped down from the board of the Binge Eating Disorder Association in order to serve as the president of The Center for Mindful Eating. You can find Marsha on Green Mountain’s website which features her writing on the blog A Weight Lifted. You can also reach her on Twitter @MarshaHudnall and on

Marci Evans on orthorexia, mindfulness and the importance of being curious. Please join me to hear inspiring fellow Eating Disorder Dietitian Marci Evans share some incredible pieces of wisdom, reflecting on her own experience and expanding out to the work she does with clients, and fellow Dietitians. Here she shares: The books that once you read it and know it, you can't "unknow it" How Marci moved from "mindfulness feels a bit....blah?" to "ahhhh....this is why it's important..." and how it directly translates to client outcomes Specifically how OUR mindfulness practice directly influences our neurobiology & be an observer of our own experience How we can find mindfulness in small ways, that it does take intention and and it's OK if it feels effortful. Staying curious to notice your whole experience, even those "eeek" moments where you might not be at your best Bringing self compassion into your life! What exactly is orthorexia? Why our culture is so unhelpful when it comes to orthorexia How orthrexia can become a socially sanctioned surrogate for the ED How to look out for getting distracted by what seems to be "the problem" at the expense of more meaningful conversations Our Body Image Workshop - please join us!!   Notes from Marci: Orthorexia: Dunn & Bratman www.orthorexia.com The Mindful Therapist (Dan Siegel)   Connect with Marci! Web - www. marcird.com Twitter @MarciRD Instagram @MarciRD  

Glenys Oyston on stepping away from numbers, body diversity in the professional spaces and the importance of community. Join me as I speak with our colleague, the feirce and fabulous Dietitian Glenys Oyston as we dive down into a number of different topics relevant to our work in supporting people to heal their relationship with food, eating and their body. Here we'll be exploring and talking about: Glenys' personal journey, and how her own experience helps her support others What exactly is "Health At Every Size?"  How to support people to step away from numbers, and the scale Can we weigh people in a neutral way? Being a Dietitian who lives in a larger body, and her experience Actively promoting and welcoming body diversity in Dietetics Promoting HAES in Dietetic training The Dare Not to Diet Society - share people's wins! How Dietitians Unplugged Podcast came to be   About Glenys: Glenys Oyston is a registered dietitian and eating coach who dares women to stop dieting and start living. As someone who struggled with her weight and feeling out-of-control around food for years, she knows exactly what others are going through and how to get them to food freedom. She coaches people online or by phone through one-on-one and group coaching programs. You can find her at www.daretonotdiet.com and on her podcast Dietitians Unplugged.

Sumner Brooks on her new #EDRDPro Series, navigating bumps along the road and the importance of listening.   Fellow Eating Disorder Dietitian and founder of #EDRDPro Sumner Brooks shares valuable insights about how she came to being a dedicated Health At Every Size practitioner and support for people who want to be free from dieting. Here Sumner shares: The personal and professional bumps along the road that led to her understand the experiences of others in a way that has enhanced her skills and  Her thoughts on the importance of listening, and being with clients Why going to conferences is so important! Who have been the most influential Dietitians for Sumner? The book that EVERY SINGLE DIETITIAN needs to read What is culture? What can you expect from EDRDPro including a sneaky peek at hearing about some of the guests presentations! You can find Sumner here: www.eattolivehappy.com with direct links to the EDRDPro Symposium      

Shane Jeffrey on his RAVES Model of ED care and when to re-introduce exercise. Here's another Aussie doing amazing things in the world of whole body healing. Our colleague, the very humble and remarkable Shane Jeffrey shares his path to becoming an Eating Disorder Specialist and lots of surprising turns along the way including a dabble in law (which, frankly, explains a lot!). Shane brings a really down-to-earth and refreshing perspective and is a true leader of our field. Here, Shane tells us about: His graduate years in  clinical practice, and the patient who changed his mind about working in eating disorders The incredible model he has developed for Dietitians and Health Care Practitioners to support clients towards natural eating - it's GENIUS His hopes for the future of our profession A sneak peek into his presention "Can I exercise now?" for the EDRDPro online symposium About Shane: Shane has been working in the field of eating disorders since 1993, and has worked almost exclusively in the area for over fifteen years. During this time, Shane has worked in eating disorder clinics across both the private and public sectors in Australia and the United Kingdom, and has previously been a member on various national and international eating disorder committees. Along with his passion, Shane demonstrates empathy, understanding, and commitment in his work, enabling him to build relationships with his clients and their family/loved ones that support the recovery process. Throughout treatment, clients and families are encouraged to actively participate in the decision making process, and as such, are seen as key members of the treating team. This collaboration helps ensure that all parties are on the same page, working as a cohesive unit towards improved eating and a more positive relationship with food using an underpinning philosophy that the eating process should be kept simple and not overly analytical. To support this process, clients are supported to reduce and body checking behaviours such as self weighing, comparing to others, and body measurements to name a few to create the ‘space’ needed to build a better relationship with food. Website: http://www.foodmindbody.com.au/  

The Mindful Dietitian Interview Series - Christy Harrison It was enormous pleasure to speak with our wonderful colleague, Christy Harrison, host of Food Psych Podcast. Christy has spoken to so many incredible leaders in the Health At Every Size and Body Positive spaces, and has been instrumental in supporting both fellow Dietitians and the general community find a voice and a sense of peace in reconnecting with food, eating and their bodies. Here, Christy shares: Her favourite Podcast guests, and why! How she moved from a disordered, to intuitive relationship with food - yes, whilst being a Dietitian! How do you know if you've healed enough yourself to move into helping others? Her thoughts on the question "Can I do both weight loss and Non Diet Approach?" How the restrict-binge cycle might sneak into our lives in ways that have nothing to do with food Important conversations about bringing feminism and politics into her work How we can take care of ourselves in the work we do And so much more! About Christy: Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified intuitive eating counselor based in Brooklyn, NY. She offers online intuitive eating courses and individual nutrition therapy to help people make peace with food and their bodies. Since 2013 Christy has hosted Food Psych, a podcast exploring people's relationships with food. Each week she talks with leaders in the body-positive movement about their journeys to recovery from disordered eating and dieting, and how they found healing through the practices of intuitive eating and Health at Every Size.    Christy began her career as a journalist in 2003, and has written for and edited major publications including Refinery29, The Food Network, Gourmet, Slate, BuzzFeed, Modernist Cuisine, Epicurious, and many others. As an expert on nutrition and people's relationships with food, she has been quoted in top media outlets including Refinery29, Health, Men's Fitness, Bon Appetit, The Observer, and more.  Check out Christy's work at christyharrison.com, and take her quiz for a free checkup of your relationship with food!    Connect with me: Twitter: http://twitter.com/chr1styharrison Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christyharrisonnutrition Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chr1styharrison/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/food-psych/id700512884

The Mindful Dietitian Interview Series - Deb Blakley Spotlight on another Aussie doing amazing work! Deb is Brisbane-based Family Dietitian, Nutritionist and mum who is passionate about supporting grown-ups (parents, carers & early childhood educators) to positively & joyfully connect or reconnect with food & eating and share this with the children in their care. In our conversation from her comfy couch with cups of tea in hand, we talk about: Why Deb calls herself a "Family Dietitian" Deb's personal insight into how and why she's ended up being so passionate about supporting parents and families The core principles of Feeding Dynamics How we can support parents who are struggling with their food and body issues without them feeling blamed or shamed. Deb's passion for helping all kids feel good in their bodies Why she is convinced that bringing a weight-neutral approach to our work is absolutely vital And much more!   About Deb Blakley:   Deb is an Accredited Practising Dietitian & Accredited Nutritionist, recognised by the Dietitians Association of Australia. She is particularly passionate about supporting grown-ups (parents, carers & early childhood educators) to positively & joyfully connect or reconnect with food & eating and share this with the children in their care. Deb believes that ALL bodies are amazing, and she applies a weight-neutral, non-diet approach in supporting kids to grow into the bodies that are right for them. Her approach supports parents, carers, families & educators to make decisions about nutrition and health from a place of care & consideration rather than control. Deb says: I believe in the right of every person to EAT HAPPY! I believe that every child & every grown-up has the right to feel good about the body they live in, ALWAYS. Without question or condition. I believe that every child is capable of growing up to be a competent and confident eater no matter what the nutrition challenge is. I believe that every grown-up is capable of healing their relationship with food too! I delight in helping families put the joy back into eating together. Find Deb here: Kids Dig Food Website Kids Dig Food on Facebook

The Mindful Dietitian Interview Series - Aaron Flores, RDN   Fellow Health At Every Size Dietitian and Eating Disorders specialist Aaron Flores speaks about his passion for connecting with like-minded colleagues and the power of community, what can learn from The Matrix and Star Wars, getting comfortable with uncomfortable conversations, insight-oriented learning and questioning whether in fact we are the "experts?" You can find Aaron at: Website: Balance Variety Moderation RD About Aaron: Aaron Flores is a registered dietitian nutritionist based out of Los Angeles, California. With nearly 10 years of experience, Aaron has worked with eating disorders in a variety of settings. A large part of his career was spent working at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System where he helped develop and launch one of the first Binge Eating Disorder programs to help Veterans struggling with this disorder. Since leaving the VA, Aaron has continued to work in the eating disorder community helping run groups and providing individual counseling to adolescents at Destinations to Recovery and with adults at La Ventana Treatment Centers. He currently works part-time at Center for Discovery and part-time in his private practice in Calabasas, CA. His main areas of focus are Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size® and in his work, Aaron helps individuals learn how to make peace with food and develop body-positive behaviors. Aaron’s work has been featured during Weight Stigma Awareness Week, in blogs for the National Eating Disorder Information Centre and was the closing keynote speaker of the 2016 Binge Eating Disorder Awareness Annual Conference. Along with his work with eating disorders, he also is a co-host of the podcast, Dietitians Unplugged. Find The Mindful Dietitian website with resources, events and so much more HERE The Mindful Dietitian closed FB Group

The Mindful Dietitian Interview Series:  Episode # 1 - Diplomatic Advocacy with Fiona Willer.    Inspiring Health At Every Size Dietitian Fiona Willer is truly a leader amongst Dietitians worlwide - here she shares her personal journey to being a HAES Dietitian, the book that changed it all and her dreams for our profession. In her typical diplomatic style, Fiona shares her tips for how to be more effective with what we're trying to do without being drawn into a two-sided debate or losing the essence of the message. Find out more about Fiona's FREE online course at: http://www.healthnotdiets.com/online-training Fiona's Comprehensive Non Diet Approach for Dietitian online training course here (equivalent of Day 1 of the 2-day training) http://www.healthnotdiets.com/online-training All workshops, courses and events for Dietitians in the calendar of events at: http://www.themindfuldietitian.com.au/calendar-of-events.html Online Food-Body-Mind Series available to do at your own pace: http://www.themindfuldietitian.com.au/online-learning.html   Join our closed Facebook Group The Mindful Dietitian for conversation, networking and support.    

The Mindful Dietitian Interview Series:  Episode # 1 - Diplomatic Advocacy with Fiona Willer.  Inspiring Health At Every Size Dietitian Fiona Willer is truly a leader amongst Dietitians - here she shares her personal journey to being a HAES Dietitian, the book that changed it all and her dreams for our profession. In her typical diplomatic style, Fiona shares her tips for how to be more effective with what we're trying to do without being drawn into a two-sided debate or losing the essence of the message. Find out more about Fiona's FREE online course at: http://www.healthnotdiets.com/online-training All workshops, courses and events for Dietitians in the calendar of events at: http://www.themindfuldietitian.com.au/calendar-of-events.html Online Food-Body-Mind Series available to do at your own pace: http://www.themindfuldietitian.com.au/online-learning.html   Join our closed Facebook Group The Mindful Dietitian for conversation, networking and support.