Swell Recovery

In part one, we talked about what food noise actually is: a signal that trust between you and your body is broken. Now, in part two, we're discussing what happens when you start rebuilding that trust. This episode explores the process of deconstructing diet culture's grip on your mind, relearning how to listen to your body's signals, and what food freedom actually looks like (spoiler: it's messy, it's gradual, and it requires unlearning almost everything you've been taught). We'll cover why rebuilding body trust feels terrifying, what to expect when you stop controlling, and the difference between white-knuckling "intuitive eating" and actually trusting your body. If you're ready to quiet food noise for good, this is where the real work begins.Key Points:[00:03:27] Deconstructing beliefs and teachings that broke body trust [00:07:20] Why categorizing foods as bad is unhelpful[00:10:06] Debunking the myth that weight equals health [00:14:49] Rebuilding body trust including hunger, fullness, and satisfaction cues[00:22:20] The "Messy Middle" of recovery[00:25:20] What food freedom looks like + the deeper outcomes[00:30:15] Getting support for this work + resources I have for you [00:35:15] Getting therapy supportResources Mentioned:Get the Food Noise Freedom WorkbookJoin the Body Freedom Blueprint waitlist!Join my email list for updates, deals, and resourcesFind a therapist: Psychology TodayTherapy DenCall 988 if you or someone you love is experiencing self-harm or suicidal thoughts.Get in touch:Quick Links for Freebies: https://swellmentalhealth.com/quick-linksWebsite: swellmentalhealth.comInstagram: @counselorkate

If your brain won't stop thinking about food—what you just ate, what you shouldn't eat, what you'll eat later—you're dealing with food noise. And no, it's not a lack of willpower or discipline. In this episode, we break down what food noise actually is, why it gets louder the more you try to control it, and the real reason GLP-1 medications like Ozempic seem to "fix" it (spoiler: they're not fixing anything—they're just numbing the signal). We'll explore how food noise is actually your body screaming for trust, not control, and why the solution isn't another diet or medication. This is part one of a two-part series on understanding and quieting food noise for good.Key Points:[00:04:20] What food noise IS and is NOT[00:06:23] My stance on GLP-1s [00:09:30] America's food noise epidemic[00:10:48] The "Food Noise Loop"[00:13:47] The biological reasons food noise happens[00:15:30] Core truth: food noise is a body trust issue[00:17:00] The GLP-1 phenomenon + interoceptive awareness[00:23:40] The origins of food noise and its deeper problems [00:32:00] How to heal food noise[00:32:37] The Food Freedom Workbook and Body Freedom Blueprint course are here for extra support - check out the links below!Links:Minnesota Starvation Experiment"Weight regain after cessation of medication for weight management: systematic review and meta-analysis," BMJ 2026; 392 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2025-085304 (Published 07 January 2026)Other Resources Mentioned:Get the Food Noise Freedom WorkbookJoin the Body Freedom Blueprint waitlist!Connect with Kate:Quick Links for Freebies: https://swellmentalhealth.com/quick-linksWebsite: swellmentalhealth.comInstagram: @counselorkateJoin my email list for updates, deals, and resources: Click here to join!

A reckless driver flies past us, flips us off, and my husband's immediate instinct? Hit the gas. Match their energy. But here's what that road rage moment taught me about diet culture: urgency is contagious, and it's almost always reckless. In this episode, we're talking about what happens when panic tells you to "fix" your body RIGHT NOW—why urgency hijacks your nervous system, how your body becomes the scapegoat for everything else that feels out of control, and the tools you actually need to slow down when your eating disorder is screaming at you to take action. Because the truth is: your body was never the emergency. You just need to get in the slow lane.Key Points:[00:03:06] How urgency happens with diet culture[00:06:01] Urgency leads to scapegoating your body [00:10:50] Get in the "slow lane"[00:12:01] Tips for dealing with urgency[00:19:12] Example of slowing down in practice [00:20:56] The big picture [00:24:42] Join my email list + info about an exciting offering coming upJoin my email list for updates, deals, and resources:Click this link to join!FREE download: 5 Ways To Quiet Food Noise GuideOther Resources Mentioned:Psychology TodayTherapy DenEpisode Links:Quick Links for Freebies: https://swellmentalhealth.com/quick-linksWebsite: swellmentalhealth.comInstagram: @counselorkate

In this episode, we’re continuing our chat from Episode 5, Part 1. I’m sharing specific strategies to map and understand your autonomic nervous system using Deb Dana's polyvagal ladder as our scientific framework. I’m giving actionable strategies to recognize neural dysregulation when it comes to food and triggering situations. You’ll leave this episode with tactics to rewire old patterns and find a greater sense of safety in your body. This stuff can translate beyond the dinner table and help you manage interactions with friends, colleagues, and partners. Perfect for curious minds who want to understand the science behind why recovery is way more than just "mind over matter" and how you can support yourself or share this info with someone you care about.Key Points:[00:01:30] Review of the ANS and Deb Dana’s polyvagal ladder [00:04:01] Mapping and tracking your nervous system symptoms so you can see where you are your ANS ladder[00:08:40] Practices for noticing sympathetic activation or dorsal collapse before it escalates [00:11:59] Specific coping tools and things you can do to cope with states of dysregulationResources Mentioned:Deb Dana’s work on polyvagal theoryEpisode Links:Website: swellmentalhealth.comInstagram: @counselorkateGet in touch and work with me: swellmentalhealth.com/contact

In this episode, we’re exploring the fascinating connection between your nervous system and your relationship with food. During Part 1 of this podcast, we unpack how the autonomic nervous system influences eating patterns and recovery, using Deb Dana's polyvagal theory as our guide. Discover how trauma, stress, and past experiences create neural pathways that affect your position on the polyvagal ladder during meals. In Part 2, I’ll share practical tools to find regulation, connection, and peace with food. This show honors all bodies while offering evidence-based approaches to healing your relationship with eating from the inside out. Whether you're in recovery or supporting someone who is, these conversations will transform how you understand your nervous system and the keys to regulation in long term eating disorder recovery.Key Points[00:06:20] The ANS and Deb Dana’s polyvagal ladder [00:14:50] Neural pathways and eating disorder symptoms[00:19:30] “Small T” trauma and how it impacts the nervous system [00:25:42] Specific nervous system patterns of anorexia, binge eating, and binge-purge or compensatory behaviors**Doesn’t talk about specific behaviors but does discuss symptoms, so please skip to Part 2 if this is triggering for you.Resources MentionedDeb Dana’s work on polyvagal theoryEpisode LinksWebsite: swellmentalhealth.comInstagram: @counselorkateGet in touch and work with me!: swellmentalhealth.com/contact

Let's be honest: social media right now is toxic as hell, especially if you're in eating disorder recovery. Between Ozempic bodies, heavily filtered transformations, and the spring/summer "get ready" content flooding your feed, it's hard to scroll for five minutes without feeling like garbage. This  episode breaks down the brain science behind why you can't stop looking at triggering content, walks you through a live feed audit to identify what needs to go, and gives you permission to unfollow without guilt. Your mental space isn't free real estate—it's time to protect it.Key Points[00:02:50] Why diet culture goes into overdrive right now[00:04:15] The Ozempic Era[00:06:47] The dopamine cycle[00:08:21] Negativity bias + comparison[00:12:17] A real time social media audit[00:20:42] Dealing with comparison thoughts[00:25:57] The big picture + action steps for after listeningResources MentionedPsychology TodayGet the Brick device - my favorite tool for social media detox!Episode LinksQuick Links for FREE My E-Book + Courses: https://swellmentalhealth.com/quick-linksWebsite: swellmentalhealth.comInstagram: @counselorkate

Tank tops. Shorts. Swimsuits. The unofficial uniform of warmer weather and also the reason you're spiraling in your closet right now. In this episode, we're breaking down why seasonal transitions trigger intense body hate, what's actually happening in your brain when you can't stop comparing yourself to everyone else, and practical strategies to survive spring and summer without hating yourself the entire time. Because tolerance beats comfort every single time—and you deserve to experience warm weather without spending all your energy at war with your body.Key Points[00:03:03] The main culprits for negative body image in spring/summer[00:07:51] The story of Sarah (a fictional/composite client) and her panic[00:17:46] Looking for extra support if body hate is ruining your quality of lifeResources MentionedMy online course: Critical To Confident: 10 Days to Better Body ImageReach out to me if you're in NC, SC or VA, USA: swellmentalhealth.com/contactPsychology TodayEpisode LinksFreebies, Downloads + Courses: https://swellmentalhealth.com/quick-linksWebsite: swellmentalhealth.comInstagram: @counselorkate

In this episode, we explore the often blurry line between eating disorders and disordered eating and the nuance between having a clinical diagnosis or not. I’ll share about how many so-called "healthy habits" are normalized eating disorder behaviors. Finally, I’ll share insight about how ambivalence in recovery connects to deeper psychological issues underlying eating disorders. Whether you're early in recovery ready to learn some basics or struggling to identify the deeper issues keeping you stuck, this episode offers clarity on how to recognize when wellness behaviors cross into disordered territory and what’s really driving them in the first place. Key Points[00:05:00] The difference between eating disorders and disordered eating[00:07:44] Questionnaire to determine if you or someone you love has disordered eating[00:9:43] Eating disorders can happen at any weight, body size, or shape[00:10:53] Examples of normalized disordered eating [00:13:05] Factors and rates of disordered eating turning into a full blown eating disorder[00:17:16] The deep dish - what comes up from taking responsibility for your recovery[00:25:43] Recommendations for looking for support Resources MentionedRecovery Deep Dish Episode 5 - The nervous system in recoveryPsychology TodayTherapy DenLook for somatic experiencing therapists at Somatic Experiencing International DirectoryAttachment therapists - AEDP DirectoryEpisode Links:Website: swellmentalhealth.comInstagram: @counselorkate and @swellmentalhealthEmail: [email protected]

In this episode, we explore how the current political and social climate can impact eating disorder recovery by triggering nervous system dysregulation. Learn why stress can make us vulnerable to old patterns and discover practical tools for staying embodied during turbulent times. We discuss attachment healing as political resistance, how to recognize nervous system states, and ways to create safety in your body when the world feels overwhelming. This episode offers 11 strategies for maintaining recovery while navigating collective stress, honoring grief and anger as necessary emotions, and finding strength through embodied awareness. Perfect for anyone feeling the impact of current events on their relationship with food and body.Key Points[00:04:10] A review of how the nervous system works - go check out Episode 5, Parts 1 and 2 for a deeper dive [00:08:36] How stress impacts executive functioning, eating disorder and trauma history,  and how systems of oppression benefit[00:15:00] Diet culture is a vehicle for misogyny and keeps us preoccupied from pursuing power, pleasure and autonomy and connection with the Self[00:20:30] Ask yourself these deeper questions if you’re doubting your recovery [00:23:30] Embodied resistance and attachment work in recovery [00:32:48] 11 Things you can do to find safety in the nervous system[00:34:40] How to get back to movement safely - Episode 4 of RDD[00:39:30] Calming Songs for Anxiety on Spotify[00:40:50] Reminders of ways to stay connected to yourselfResources Mentioned:Books:“The Beauty Myth” by Naomi Wolf“Fearing The Black Body” by Sabrina Strings “My Grandmother’s Hands” by Resmaa Menakem“Decolonizing The Body” by Kelsey Blackwell“The Pain We Carry: Healing from Complex PTSD for People of Color” by Natalie GutierrezPeople to learn from:Rachel CargleSonya Renee TaylorSaba ChoudryAlok Vaid-MenonEpisode Links:Website: swellmentalhealth.comInstagram: @counselorkate and @swellmentalhealthEmail: [email protected] in touch and work with me!: swellmentalhealth.com/contact