Breaking the Silence: Sean Blake on Recovery, Awareness & Self-Compassion

In this powerful episode, I sit down with 43 year old Sean Blake from Dublin, Ireland, as he bravely shares his lived experience of recovering from anorexia. Sean takes us through his journey—how it all began with running, strict food choices, and pushing himself to the limits, both physically and mentally. Trapped in a cycle of self-punishment, he eventually opened up to his wife, Edel, leading him to seek support from his GP, therapist, and eventually St. Patrick's Mental Health Services.Sean speaks openly about his time as an inpatient, the surrender of control, and the deep realisation that he was not alone. He found healing through group therapy, where he learned to cultivate self-compassion and understand that his eating disorder was a symptom of deeper struggles, dating back to childhood anxiety and low self-worth.Today, Sean is a passionate advocate for mental health and eating disorder awareness. He has shared his story through the RTÉ documentary "Anorexia, My Family and Me", social media, and various mental health platforms, including Shine See Change, Voice Platform, BodyWhys Media Panel, and St. Patrick's SUAS Council. His mission is clear: to fight stigma, normalise conversations around mental health, and remind others that recovery is possible.Join us for this honest, insightful, and deeply inspiring conversation. 💙🎧 Listen now and be part of the movement to break the silence around mental health.Connect to Sean on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/seanblake80/If you or anyone you know needs support around the issues we discussed in the podcast, please contact https://www.bodywhys.ie/Thank you to our podcast partners https://intothewestadventures.com/If you would like to find out more about Sharon's work or upcoming events please go to https://www.sharonfitzmauricemindfulness.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sharonfitzmaurice.substack.com