Somatic Healing & Binge Recovery: A Nervous System Approach with Stefanie Michele

In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Stefanie Michele—binge eating recovery and body image coach, somatic practitioner-in-training, and former occupational therapist. With a background in psychology and integrative health coaching, Stefanie brings a rare mix of science, lived experience, and nervous system wisdom to the recovery space.Here’s what we’ll cover in the video:From Disorder to Embodiment: Stefanie shares her 20+ year journey with disordered eating and how somatic therapy helped her finally break free from the binge-restrict cycle.The Nervous System & Bingeing: Why binge eating is often a nervous system response—not just a “bad habit”—and how understanding fight, flight, and freeze states can change your approach to recovery.Emotional Regulation Tools: How to use grounding, movement, and sensory interventions to process overwhelming feelings—without defaulting to food.Somatic Experiencing 101: What Stefanie learned from training in somatic experiencing therapy, and how she applies it to help clients build body trust and emotional resilience.Why Soothing Techniques Don’t Always Work: The real reason grounding tools might fail in the heat of a binge—and how to train your system to tolerate sensations over time.If you’ve ever felt stuck in binge-recovery, disconnected from your body, or frustrated that the usual advice just doesn’t work—this episode will give you the nervous system lens that’s been missing from your healing.🗣️ Contact and Follow Stefanie here: https://www.iamstefaniemichele.com/abouthttps://www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele/https://open.spotify.com/show/7Mg0Jknc5JpjuMpcwU0D77?trackId=6VObnIkLVruX4UVyxWhlqmPlease like, subscribe, and share this video with anyone who might find it beneficial. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter for more resources and support on your recovery journey!Follow Beyond Binge EatingInstagram: / https://www.instagram.com/BeyondBingeEating/ Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/RecoveryBaddies LinkedIn: / https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-dobyns/Website: https://www.BeyondBingeEating.comNewsletter: https://beyondbingeeating.com/Newsletter/ 00:00 – Intro 01:21 – Who is Stefanie Michele? 04:05 – Occupational Therapy Approach & Somatic Psychology 06:23 – The growing awareness of somatic tools beyond childhood 08:18 – Psychology’s influence on making somatic work mainstream 09:02 – What are Stefanie’s previous techniques to maintain recovery 13:15 – Stefanie’s current techniques to maintain recovery 13:57 – Stefanie's “go underwater” technique for emotional waves 15:03 – Bingeing vs. feeling emotions 18:05 – Stefanie’s transition from looking for help to helping others 20:50 – Self-soothing strategies for binge prevention 30:01 – Stefanie's early clinic experience with different ED types 33:10 – What your binge style might reveal about your nervous system 34:01 – It’s all trial and error—learning what your body really needs 34:43 – Stefanie's online courses and upcoming “Refining Intuitive” 36:20 – Where to find Stefanie online#FoodAddictionRecovery #FoodAddiction #BingeEatingRecovery Disclaimer: The information on this channel is for educational purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice or therapy. The views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Kristina Dobyns or Beyond Binge Eating.