Fat Counselling: Therapy & Fat Liberation with Jo Reader and Cat Chappell

Fat Counselling: Therapy and Fat Liberation with Jo Reader and Cat ChappellIn this episodeNinna is joined by Jo Reader and Cat Chappell, known as The Fat Counsellors, for a rich and affirming conversation about therapy, fat liberation, and the need to challenge fat bias in therapeutic spaces.Jo and Cat share how their personal experiences and professional paths led them to create The Fat Counsellors and develop training that supports both therapists and the wider public in unlearning internalised fatphobia. Their work is grounded in compassion, activism, and the belief that everyone deserves to feel safe and seen in therapy.We explore:The story behind The Fat Counsellors and their missionWhat inclusive therapy looks like in practiceHow therapy roles differ across countries and why that mattersFat bias in medical and social systems, and how it shows up in the therapy roomPractical steps for finding or becoming a fat-inclusive therapistWhat it means to be anti-diet and why it is not anti-dieterThe intersections of fatness, privilege, and oppressionThis episode is for anyone navigating therapy, working in mental health, or wanting to better understand how to challenge fat bias and support body liberation.Mentioned in this episodeThe Fat Counsellors: thefatcounsellors.co.ukJo Reader: joreader.com | Instagram: @fatacceptancetherapistCat Chappell: catchappell.co.ukFacebook Group: The Fat Counsellors (for therapists)Aubrey Gordon’s film Your Fat FriendTranscriptAvailable at thefatpsychologist.com/podcast00:05 – Intro01:13 – Today's Episode03:33 – The origins of The Fat Counsellors05:46 – Training Beyond Therapists08:10 – Understanding the Role of Therapists and Counsellors10:00 – Biases in Medical and Social Contexts17:47 – The Importance of Anti-Diet Culture24:47 – Practical Steps for Inclusive Therapy27:48 – Jo, Cat and their bodies30:04 – Oppression: centering fatness31:18 – Find Jo and Cat32:55 – Outro