Episode 25: Emotional Eating Isn’t About Food | Dr Anita Johnston on Body Image, Cravings & What Your Body Is Really Saying

In this episode, I’m joined by depth psychologist and eating disorder specialist Dr Anita Johnston, author of Eating in the Light of the Moon, for a powerful conversation that will completely shift the way you understand emotional eating and your relationship with food.We explore why struggles with food and body image are rarely about food itself, and what these patterns are actually trying to communicate beneath the surface.Dr Johnston shares her unique approach using metaphor and storytelling to help decode cravings, emotional eating, and food fears. We talk about the deeper meaning behind the foods you’re drawn to, the concept of “soul hunger,” and why healing your relationship with food requires more than just behaviour change.We also explore the role of intuition, the inner critic, and what’s really happening during moments like “fat attacks,” where the mind becomes hyper-fixated on the body.This conversation is a powerful reminder that your body is not working against you, and that the patterns you’ve been trying to control may actually be trying to help you.In this episode, we explore:• why emotional eating is not actually about food • how cravings can be messages, not problems • the difference between physical hunger and “soul hunger” • how food can act as a symbol for unmet emotional needs • what’s really happening during a “fat attack” • why intuition is often suppressed and how to reconnect with it • how eating behaviours can be protective, not dysfunctional • the role of assertiveness in healing your relationship with foodIf you’ve ever felt confused by your eating patterns, stuck in cycles of control or guilt, or disconnected from your body, this episode will help you see yourself with more clarity and compassion.You can find Dr Anita Johnston at:You can find her at:Dr. Anita Johnston:⁠https://dranitajohnston.com/⁠FB/IG⁠@dranitajohnston⁠Light of the Moon Cafe:⁠https://lightofthemooncafe.com/⁠FB/IG: ⁠@lightofthemooncafe⁠⁠Ai Pono Hawaii⁠FB/IG: ⁠@aiponohawaii⁠You can purchase her book Eating In The Light Of The Moon Resources:⁠Free Food & Metaphor Guide⁠⁠Cracking the Hunger Code (special offer)⁠⁠New Crescent Moon (interactive course)⁠Disclaimer This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or psychological advice. If you’re struggling with your relationship with food or your mental health, please seek support from a qualified professional.Come find me on Instagram → ⁠⁠@megandarnelltherapy⁠⁠Breaking the Emotional Eating Cycle is coming. If you're ready to understand what's actually driving the cycle — not the food, the parts underneath it, join the waitlist to be the first to know when doors open and receive founding member pricing. → ⁠⁠[Join the waitlist here]⁠⁠