Episode 10: Clare Loewenthal - The Reality of Living with and Recovering from Anorexia

In a serendipitous career spanning three decades, Clare Loewenthal has seamlessly juggled the roles of author, magazine publisher, book coach and entrepreneur. In 1993, with no publishing experience and limited resources, she launched Dynamic Small Business magazine, which grew to become Australia’s largest small business publication. Clare thrived in the competitive world of publishing and her business expanded to include several business titles and a custom publishing arm. She became a sought after public speaker and expert commentator on small business issues, often working with government as an advocate for “the little guys”. During this period Clare also wrote her first two books. In 2006, she made the difficult decision to sell the business in order to reconnect with her greatest love – writing. For the last decade she has worked with many aspiring authors to help them realise their dreams, as well as pursuing her own creative pursuits. While Clare’s professional achievements were always highly visible, few people knew that she was simultaneously waging an intense private battle. At 19 years of age Clare developed anorexia nervosa and her recovery, not just from the illness but also from the devastating medical treatment she received, was a slow and painful journey. It was probably inevitable that Clare would eventually write about her battle with anorexia and in 1996 The Substance from the Shadow was published. The book, which questions many of the stereotypes the general community holds about eating disorders, was an important step in her recovery. She continues to write about eating disorders as a contributor to The Mighty website. In this podcast, Clare talks about the struggles she faced and the treatment she received before courageously building a new identity and a new life for herself; one of purpose and hope; one no longer defined by weight, food or the judgement of others. Her story shows that people can, and do, recover.