From Control to Compassion: Breaking Free from Body Shame & Eating Disorders with Penny

Penny’s story doesn’t start with an eating disorder.It starts with a little girl who felt different: clumsy, quiet, and out of place.She didn't understand body image, shame had already taken root.In this episode, Penny shares how early experiences- feeling uncoordinated, misunderstood, and later undiagnosed ADHD- shaped the way she saw herself. By 13, she turned to food restriction and over-exercise as a way to cope, long before she had the language to understand what was happening.We talk about:How body shame can start before we even recognize itThe link between ADHD, rejection sensitivity, and self-worthThe dangerous praise of “looking healthy”Bodybuilding, control, and the illusion of perfectionWhy eating disorders are often missed—especially in kidsWhat it actually takes to start healingPenny also shares how becoming a mother shifted everything, and how she’s now using her experience to help parents recognize the early signs of eating disorders through her non-profit, ReFrame Voices.This is a conversation about what we carry in our bodies, what we were never taught to understand, and how we begin to let it go.⚠️ Content warning: Eating disorders, body shame, mental healthResources: Reframe Voices website: https://www.reframevoices.ca/Reframe Voices IG: https://www.instagram.com/reframevoices/CanadaNational Eating Disorder Information Centre- https://nedic.ca/Helpline: 1-866-NEDIC-20 (1-866-633-4220)Offers live chat, referrals, and educational resources.Canadian Mental Health Association- https://cmha.ca/General mental health support, including body image and BDD-related resources.U.S.National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)- https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/Helpline: (800) 931-2237Offers screening tools, treatment referrals, and support resources.National Alliance for Eating Disorders- https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/Provides free support groups, referrals, and education.UKBeat Eating Disorders- https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/Helpline: 0808 801 0677Youthline: 0808 801 0711Offers support for individuals and families, plus online chat.AustraliaButterfly Foundation- https://butterfly.org.au/Helpline: 1800 33 4673National support for eating disorders and body image issues.National Eating Disorders Collaboration- https://nedc.com.au/Provides education, research, and treatment pathways.