We end as we lived: real, funny, and unfiltered. In our finale, we model how to end something good in a healthy way. We talk about capacity, courage, and why saying "yes" to the next season sometimes means lovingly saying "no" to the current one. We reflect on what this show grew in each of us, share what's next (retreats, Liberation Modules, new podcasts, and programs), and leave you with resources to keep going. We're not disappearing; we're just changing the container.

Big Ideas & Takeaways
Healthy endings are a skill. Quitting isn't failure; it's a values-based boundary. Endings deserve clarity, care, and gratitude.
Capacity is real. Every "yes" is also a "no." You can do many things, just not all of them well at once.
Truth beats polish. Dropping the expert mask and telling the messy truth deepened our practice and connection.
Recovery lives in seasons. A single year can hold relapse, repair, loss, joy, and growth. Self-compassion keeps us in the game.
Community regulates. Being seen and accompanied is nervous-system medicine. Don't white-knuckle alone.
Follow the energy. Passion projects can be bridges to the next right thing. Notice what lights up your body, and go there.
Leave with a bow. End before resentment. Miss it a little. That's how you know you honored it.

Notable Quotes 
"You can do it all… you just can't do it all well."
"This isn't a breakup; it's a season shift."
"Truth over PowerPoint."
"We're ending it while we love it."
"Take off the expert mask; keep the human."

What's Next & Where to Find Us
Clarissa & Molly P. — Sweet Sobriety https://www.sweetsobriety.ca

IG: @sweet_sobriety  Facebook Group: Sweet Sobriety Disordered Eating & Food Addiction Support Community
You'll still hear us on the Food Junkies Podcast, including Clinician's Corner (monthly with Clarissa & Molly P.). 

Molly Carmel
The Daily Ascent: weekday micro-episodes on mindset/spiritual practice (on all platforms + YouTube).
Stop Starting Over System: 12-week open-enrollment program, opening Dec 8.
IG: @mollycarmel • Site: MollyCarmel.com

Resources Mentioned
Food Junkies Holiday Series (podcasts + 3 hours of YouTube bonus Q&A) Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year triggers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe2h7Cn9kzo&t=1s

This week, the Food Shrinks are just plain tired—and they're talking about it. Not the kind of tired that a nap or a sleep hygiene checklist can fix, but the deeper exhaustion that comes from constantly giving, performing, and being "on."

Together, Molly, Clarissa, and Molly explore:
• The tug-of-war between push harder and please rest
• Why rest can feel unsafe or "lazy" to a dysregulated nervous system
• How hormones, overwork, and emotional load contribute to burnout
• The link between fatigue, food patterns, and self-worth
• Learning to rest without guilt—and without fearing you'll never get back up again
• Finding micro-moments of rest and joy that don't derail recovery
They share real stories about boundaries, people-pleasing, and those days when your body just says, "It's over, girl." This episode is a gentle permission slip to stop, breathe, and let rest be restorative rather than shame-inducing.
________________________________________
What You'll Hear:
🧠 How nervous system states (sympathetic vs. parasympathetic) affect fatigue
🌧️ The hidden costs of overdoing, overgiving, and emotional labor
💤 Why "doing nothing" can feel threatening—and how to reframe it
🥗 How exhaustion can influence food use, cravings, and control
💛 Micro-rest, intentional recovery, and letting go of guilt
________________________________________
Takeaways:
• Rest isn't laziness—it's nervous system repair.
• Doing the thing tired can sometimes help you thaw from freeze.
• Emotional fatigue needs compassion, not productivity hacks.
• Permission to rest is permission to recover.
________________________________________
🎧 Listen, share, and join the conversation.
If this episode resonated, email your questions or topic requests to asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com and hit subscribe to support the show and this growing recovery community.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this raw and courageous conversation, Molly C, Molly P, and Clarissa shine a light on one of the most hidden and stigmatized struggles in eating disorder recovery: laxative abuse. What begins as a listener request turns into a deeply personal and honest discussion about secrecy, shame, and the painful realities of this often-overlooked behavior. Clarissa shares her lived experience of recovery—what it took to stop, how her body responded, and the emotional toll of trying to heal without compassionate support. Together, the Food Shrinks explore the intersections of addiction, distress tolerance, body image, and the grace-filled moments that can spark change. This episode dismantles stigma, validates lived experience, and reminds listeners that they are not alone. Recovery is possible, even when it feels messy, uncomfortable, or overwhelming. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Key Themes:
• Why laxative abuse is rarely discussed—and why it must be.
• How secrecy, shame, and medical misunderstanding keep people trapped.
• The brutal reality of recovery: water retention, discomfort, and the patience it requires.
• Grace as a catalyst for change—and how to act on those fleeting moments.
• The power of telling the "uncomfortable" stories and finding compassion in the shadows.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

 Takeaways:
• You're not alone: Many people struggle in silence with behaviors that feel too shameful to name. • Recovery is worth it: While challenging, the body and spirit can heal with time, support, and persistence.
• Grace is real: Sometimes the smallest, quietest voice inside us says "enough"—and that moment can be life-saving.
• Hard conversations matter: Talking about the dark, messy realities creates space for healing and connection.
👉 Have a question or a topic you'd like the Food Shrinks to discuss? Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

What happens when getting sick stirs up shame, fear, and old recovery patterns? In this vulnerable and heartfelt episode, Molly, Molly, and Clarissa open up about how illness collides with productivity, worthiness, and the deep-seated belief that saying "no" makes us unlovable. From midnight panic at a friend's house to pushing through vacations with fevers, the Food Shrinks get honest about how hard it is to prioritize rest—and how powerful it is when we finally give ourselves permission.

Through personal stories and raw reflection, they explore:
• Why illness can feel so personal and shameful, even years into recovery.
• The tug-of-war between people-pleasing and self-care.
• How childhood invalidation around sickness echoes into adulthood.
• Practical ways to practice grace, compassion, and trust when your body demands rest.

This episode is equal parts funny, relatable, and deeply validating for anyone who's ever felt guilty about slowing down. Spoiler: your worth is not tied to productivity, and you are lovable—even in bed with the flu.

Takeaways:
• Small choices (like saying "no" to plans while sick) can be huge wins in recovery.
• Self-compassion often means taking the advice you'd give a friend.
• Old stories about being "too much" or "a burden" may resurface when we're ill—and that's where healing work lives.
• Rest isn't weakness; it's resistance to burnout and a radical act of self-love.

👉 Have a question or topic you'd like the Food Shrinks to tackle? Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this raw, unfiltered episode of Food Shrinks, Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab dive deep into the experience of chronic invalidation—how it shapes us in childhood, follows us into adulthood, and can even show up in professional settings where we expect safety and support.

The conversation starts with a reflection on how easy it is to compare our insides to others' outsides when we're struggling, then moves into a powerful exploration of what chronic invalidation really is: having your emotions minimized, dismissed, or shut down repeatedly until you learn to hide them for safety. The trio unpacks how this often leads to people-pleasing, disconnection from feelings, and even attracting relationships that repeat those early patterns.

Molly P. shares a deeply personal and recent story of seeking medical treatment for depression and anxiety—only to be met with invalidating, oversimplified advice from a provider. Together, the hosts dissect why such "just love yourself" and "befriend your depression" comments can be not only unhelpful but harmful, especially for people with trauma histories. They discuss the power dynamics at play, the nervous system's response to speaking up, and the difference between spiritual bypassing and genuine therapeutic support.

Listeners will walk away with:

• A clear understanding of what chronic invalidation is and how to spot it.
• Why "always" and "never" statements are red flags.
• How invalidation can masquerade as help, even from professionals.
• The importance of repair in relationships and why healing doesn't happen in isolation.
• The reminder that you're not broken—you just need support to live life on life's terms.

If you've ever walked away from a conversation or appointment feeling unseen, minimized, or "made the problem," this episode will help you name that experience and begin reclaiming your voice.

📧 Have a question or topic idea? Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this powerful listener-inspired episode, Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab dive deep into one of the most confusing questions in recovery: Is it food addiction, or am I just addicted to dieting? This compassionate and nuanced conversation explores how perfectionism, purity culture, trauma, and diet dogma can cloud our recovery journey—and how to find the middle way that truly supports freedom and healing.

In This Episode:

🧠A heartfelt listener email sparks a raw discussion on chronic relapse, self-doubt,
and quasi-recovery

🧠The difference between being addicted to dieting vs. addicted to ultra-processed
food

🧠How shame, perfectionism, and moral purity culture sneak into recovery

🧠Why self-determined recovery looks different for everyone—and why that's a
good thing

🧠The danger of idealizing helpers and the importance of working with
professionals who've done their own shadow work

🧠Practical tools for navigating all-or-nothing thinking, "doing it right" pressure, and
bouncing between restriction and chaos

🧠The unexpected freedom of letting go of outcomes and being your own scientist

Key Takeaways:
💜Recovery is not one-size-fits-all. What works for someone else may not work for
you—and that's okay.
💜Both food addiction and diet addiction can be true—and may need to be treated
together.
💜You are not broken. Your body and brain are trying to cope in a chaotic world.
💜Healing doesn't come from perfection—it comes from curiosity, compassion, and
community.

Submit Your Questions:

💌Have a question, insight, or topic you'd love us to cover? Email us at
asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com — we love hearing from you!

Support the Show:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen. It helps more than you know—and we love you for it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this raw and revealing episode, the Shrinks dive deep into the complexities of family dynamics, emotional regression, and how recovery shows up when you're trapped on a cruise ship with people who know your buttons—and how to press them. From boundary-setting in the Yukon to confronting childhood roles that no longer fit, this conversation touches on grief, growth, and the power of self-care in triggering environments. It's honest, funny, deeply human, and a reminder that healing isn't linear—but connection helps.

✨ What We Talk About:

• Navigating old family roles while trying to live your recovery
• The challenge of being around alcohol and food triggers on vacation
• Self-care rituals as acts of rebellion and protection
• Emotional regression and why it still catches us off guard
• Clarissa's cruise survival toolkit (walks, steam rooms, and solitude)
• Molly's reflections on feeling "othered" in her blended family
• The tension between belonging and authenticity
• Practicing "mindful lying" and graceful boundary setting
• Grief, compassion, and the desire to build your own chosen family
• How we hold ourselves through the hard days without over-pathologizing

📝 Takeaways:

• Just because you've done "all the work" doesn't mean you won't feel pain
• Self-compassion is essential when navigating old family systems
• Sometimes the most healing thing we can do is acknowledge: "Today was hard."
• You're not alone if you feel like the black sheep—there's power in embracing it

📬 Have a question, comment, or topic request?
Email us at: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

❤️ If you love the podcast, help us out by subscribing, rating, reviewing, and sharing with your people. We're obsessed with you, and your support helps us keep going.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this honest, heart-centered conversation, Molly P and Molly C tackle one of the most sensitive and frequently tiptoed-around topics in recovery spaces: weight loss. After receiving an email from a listener asking why they don't speak more directly about it, the Mollys dive in—with nuance, humility, and a whole lot of truth.

Together, they explore:

• The difference between structure and restriction
• How to discern whether a desire to lose weight is rooted in recovery or disordered thinking
• The role of spiritual alignment, shadow work, and trusted counsel
• Why urgency is a red flag
• How diet culture's hamster wheel keeps us chasing "not enoughness"

They share personal experiences, reflect on the trap of perfectionism in recovery, and offer thoughtful questions for listeners to journal about:

• Why is who I am right now not enough?
• What am I hoping weight loss will fix?
• Would I recommend this method to someone I love?

The Mollys don't shy away from the complexities of this issue—especially for those who are earlier in their recovery or navigating significant body changes. Instead, they invite listeners to reflect honestly, act lovingly, and build a sustainable relationship with food and self that feels like home.

💌 Call to Action:

This is a conversation meant to continue, not conclude. If you have thoughts, questions, or respectful pushback—we want to hear it.

📩 Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com
👍 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and share—your support helps us keep these conversations going.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this soulful and vulnerable episode of Food Shrinks, Molly C and Molly P sit down for a heartfelt conversation about spirituality, what it means, how it manifests in recovery, and why it has become the cornerstone of their healing. With Clarissa off on vacation (an Alaska cruise, anyone?), the Mollys dive deep into how spirituality is not about finding answers, but about the willingness to see life differently.

They share personal stories, therapeutic insights, and unexpected turning points, from early resistance to mindset shifts, to dreamcatchers in correctional facilities, to how trauma, addiction, and spiritual transformation are intricately linked. Whether you're just starting your journey or questioning the next step, this episode invites you to gently open the door to something greater than pain. and maybe even greater than you.

In this episode, we discuss:
🩷Why spirituality in recovery isn't about religion (and how it often starts with pain)
🩷The "evil filter," cognitive distortions, and how therapy and neurofeedback helped Molly P shift her lens
🩷What it means to wear different "glasses" and let life in fully—ugly, beautiful, and everything in between
🩷The connection between trauma, control, addiction, and our resistance to trust
🩷Spirituality as both armor and surrender
🩷Why belief is just a thought you keep thinking—and how we can learn to tell a new story

Listener takeaways:
🩷You don't need to have it all figured out to begin a spiritual path
🩷Resistance doesn't mean you're broken—it might just mean you need a new way in
🩷You are allowed to believe something new about yourself and your life
🩷There are infinite ways to reconnect with something bigger than your wound

Quotes we love:
🩷"Pain is usually the only way we get to a spiritual life—because it's the moment we realize this isn't working anymore."
🩷"Spirituality has become a kind of armor between me and life on life's terms—it helps me reframe the story."
🩷"The voice of trauma and addiction comes in the same ringtone—it takes time to know which part of you is speaking."

💌 Questions? Comments? Want more episodes like this?
Write us at AskTheShrinks@FoodShrinks.com

🎧 Listen, Subscribe, and Share:
If this episode resonated with you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone who might need a spiritual reframe today. Every comment, like, and share helps us reach others in recovery.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

The Food Shrinks open up about their personal journeys with self-compassion—from eye rolls and resistance to finding voices that finally felt true. They explore how trauma, neurodivergence, addiction, and childhood conditioning make self-compassion feel foreign, even threatening. With humor, honesty, and lived experience, they share how they've begun to chip away at old patterns of self-hate and embrace compassion as a lifelong practice, not a magical fix. This episode is real talk for real people who are tired of shaming themselves into change and are ready to try something gentler.

🧠 Key Topics Covered:

• Why self-compassion feels so uncomfortable (and sometimes impossible) at first
• How neurodivergence and ADHD impact the ability to receive compassion
• The difference between self-pity, self-permission, and true compassion
• The myth of "spiritual bypassing" and the danger of pretending to be okay
• How to develop your own compassionate inner voice that actually sounds like you
• Using somatic tools and nervous system regulation as a bridge to self-kindness
• Faith, spirituality, and the higher self as sources of compassionate guidance
• How modeling compassion for others often helps us practice it for ourselves
• When receiving love feels like too much—and why that's okay
• Tiny ways to start practicing, even when it feels awkward or fake

💡 Favorite Quotes:

"No one has ever shamed themselves into wellness—but that didn't stop me from trying."

"You can't just throw affirmations at yourself like spaghetti and hope they stick."

"Whatever voice you're listening to—if it's not loving, it's not your higher self."

"Self-compassion isn't the finish line. It's the practice that lets you stay in the race."

💬 Call to Action:

Love this episode? Want more on self-compassion, trauma healing, or navigating recovery as a neurodivergent person?

📧 Write to us at AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com with your thoughts and questions!

And hey, besties, if this show gave you something, will you do us a little favor?

💖 Subscribe, rate, review, and share. We read every comment, and your support means the world.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this heartfelt and hilarious episode, the Shrinks dive into one of the most relatable recovery challenges: the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it. Whether it's flossing your teeth, sticking to a food plan, or showing up for yourself with compassion, the struggle is real—and it's not about laziness or failure. It's about nervous system responses, shame scripts, feelings phobia, and learning to be with our shadows. Join Molly C, Clarissa, and Molly P as they explore ambivalence, ego death, and what it means to change from the inside out, without shame.

What We Talk About:

• Why "knowing better" doesn't always lead to "doing better"
• The myth of compliance and what the data actually says
• Personal stories of avoidance, resistance, and showing up anyway
• Ambivalence as a source of wisdom and transformation
• Nervous system dysregulation and safety as the missing link
• How shadow work, compassion, and ego humility fuel real change
• Type 2 fun, Iceland waterfall revelations, and hiking metaphors that hit deep
• Learning to celebrate what is working, not just what isn't

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Compliance data on glaucoma and pediatric prescriptions
• Sweet Sobriety community insights
• Our mantra of the day: "I am loved and accepted exactly as I am."

Listener Homework:
If this episode stirred something in you, try this:

• Name one thing you know you "should" do—but don't.
• Now list three compassionate reasons why that might be hard.
• Bonus: What are you already doing that supports your well-being?

Call to Action:
✨ Liked this episode? Help us spread the word!
🎧 Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform
🌟 Rate & review if you're feelin' generous
📤 Share it with a friend who needs to know they're not alone

💌 Got a question or topic idea? Email us at: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this raw and reflective episode, Molly C, Clarissa, and Molly P dive into the messy, beautiful work of staying with the hard stuff, especially when it would feel easier to bolt. Inspired by Molly C's bougie pup Danny and his enforced recovery rest, the team explores the emotional equivalent of "week four": the moment when things feel better, but the healing isn't finished, and the temptation to return to old habits is loudest.

💡 Topics We Explore:

• Why the hardest part of healing often comes right before the miracle
• Recovery drop-offs and the fear of facing distress
• Faith, impulsivity, and why divine timing is maddening (and necessary)
• Learning to tolerate emotional pain without numbing
• The spiritual act of doing it anyway—even when it's not pretty
• Practicing patience and staying present, one breath or brick at a time
• Why community and connection are non-negotiable in recovery

💬 Favorite Hot Takes:

• "You don't have to do it pretty. You just have to do it."
• "The goal of distress tolerance isn't to feel better. It's to not feel worse."
• "Maybe you're not seeing the whole quilt—and maybe that's okay."
• "Feeling sad and not numbing it? That's a miracle."

🛠️ Practical Wisdom:

• Daily grounding for emotional overwhelm
• Using decision balance sheets in recovery
• Letting go of judgment to increase distress tolerance
• How to be someone's Day 42 companion

💌 Mentioned in This Episode:

• The Love Letter, Molly C's weekly newsletter
• Sweet Sobriety and the Foundations Program
• Recovery slogans that still hit (hello, "Don't quit before the miracle")

💖 Closing Reminder:
You are part of the quilt, even when it doesn't make sense. Keep showing up. The miracle might be one breath away.

📬 Questions or feedback?
Email us anytime at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

🫶 Love the pod?
Subscribe, rate us 5 stars, share with your people, and stay for the magic.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

Today, we answer a listener who writes: "I'm grieving the foods I don't eat anymore—social stuff and celebrations are hard." The Food Shrinks open that door wider: grief in recovery isn't just about food—it's also the lost years, missed moments, and identities we're shedding. With humor and honesty, they explore how to honor grief without letting it become the story that drags you back.

What We Talk About
• Food grief vs. life grief: missing certain foods and mourning lost time, health, self-trust, and presence
• "Not enough / too much" feelings and how dysregulation, ADHD/RSD, and early messages amplify them
• Belonging cues & tradition: why cravings spike at holidays, patios, and summer rituals
• From shame to compassion: grief as a normal (and healthy) part of change
• Living amends: shifting focus to the life you're building now
• Feelings ≠ stories: noticing a longing without turning it into a relapse script
• Biopsychosocial-spiritual lens: why this isn't a 21-day habit swap

Key Takeaways
• Grief is allowed. Unacknowledged grief is riskier than naming it.
• Struggling ≠ failing. You're learning a new way to live.
• Let feelings pass. Don't let a moment of longing become a narrative.
• Rituals matter. Re-create connection and celebration without the substance.
• Progress over perfection. If you slip, the world doesn't end—stand back up kindly.

Quotes to Remember
• "Don't let a feeling become a story."
• "Just because you're struggling doesn't mean you're failing."
• "Unacknowledged grief keeps us stuck; acknowledged grief moves with us."

Keep in Touch
💌 Questions or topic ideas? asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com
If this episode helped, please subscribe and leave a quick review—it helps others find recovery and hope.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

Hey Food Shrinkies — it's Molly C, Clarissa, and Molly P, diving even deeper into the conversation we thought we wrapped up last week. Spoiler: We weren't done. Not even close.

Last week, we cracked open the Pandora's box of body image in recovery — and this week, we're standing in the storm. Clarissa shares what surfaced for her after playing it "safe" last episode and comes back with fire, truth, and an angry love letter to the body image bullying that's haunted her for decades. Molly joins with her own mix of sorrow and advocacy, and together, we ask: How do we live with our bodies when the world taught us to live against them?

In this unfiltered, fiercely honest follow-up, we talk about:

• The "body noise" that's louder than the food noise
• Why anger — not sadness — is sometimes the real breakthrough
• Saunas, baths, and the quiet terror of being alone in your skin
• Body grief, eating disorder residue, and the illusion of "thin = loved"
• Releasing the fantasy of full freedom and embracing the messy middle
• Body serenity: is it real? is it possible? is it even the point?
• The shame of being a professional who still struggles
• How diet culture gaslights our worth and confuses our healing
• And the Buddhist practice of Tonglen — breathing in the collective pain, breathing out compassion

This isn't a "how-to" episode. It's a "me too" episode.

Because we don't have to be done with this to be worthy. We don't have to win the war to reclaim our skin. We just have to keep talking. Keep telling the truth. Keep holding each other in the struggle.

💌 Got a question or want to share your own body story? Email us at AskTheShrinks@FoodShrinks.com — we read every word.

✨ And if this episode moved you, please:

• Subscribe wherever you listen
• Rate & Review (it only takes 3 minutes!)
• Share it with someone who needs to know they're not alone

Together, we breathe through the noise. Together, we reclaim the body as home.

We love you. We're with you. Always.

#FoodShrinksPodcast #BodyImageRecovery #SweetSobriety #RecoveryIsMessy #BodyGrief #TraumaInformedHealing #EatingDisorderRecovery #SoberCurious #EmbodimentMatters

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this unfiltered, vulnerable episode of Food Shrinks, Molly, Clarissa, and MC hit record on what was meant to be a private post-game debrief—and ended up diving into one of the most tender, tangled topics in recovery: body image. Following last week's episode on the industry's obsession with weight, this conversation becomes personal. Like, really personal.

From sharing fears about thinness and relapses into compulsive behaviors, to naming the grief, anger, and cultural betrayal that can come with inhabiting a body that doesn't match the world's expectations, the trio explores what it means to care about your body without being consumed by it.

Molly drops a mic-worthy soliloquy that will stay with you long after the episode ends. This one is full of discomfort, truth-telling, and a whole lot of love.

💡 Themes We Explore:

• Can we ethically care about our weight in recovery?
• The myth of "body image" when real changes happen in the body
• Navigating shame, identity, and belonging in various-sized bodies
• Why the relentless pursuit of thinness is a trap—and what freedom looks like instead
• What's adaptive vs. maladaptive care when it comes to our appearance?

📣 Call to Action:
This episode is a gift from our hearts—if it resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear they're not alone. Hit subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen to your podcasts. Your support means the world.

💌 Email us! asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

🔗https://www.sweetsobriety.ca/

🔗https://mollycarmel.com/

❤️ You're not crazy. You're not alone. You're on Food Shrinks—and we love you.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this unapologetically honest and deeply validating conversation, the Food Shrinks crew dives into one of the hottest topics in food addiction recovery: weight as a false measure of success. Why do some professionals in the recovery field still equate smaller bodies with deeper healing? And what happens when people in larger bodies feel excluded—even when they're abstinent and thriving?

Molly, Clarissa, and MP break down the damaging impact of internalized weight stigma, explore why body size is not a clinical marker of recovery, and call out harmful assumptions that show up even in professional spaces. They share real stories from their Sweet Sobriety groups, challenge toxic cultural messaging, and reclaim the right to define recovery on your own terms.

Whether you're in a larger body, a smaller one, or still figuring things out—this episode is a must-listen.

💬 Topics We Cover:

• Why weight is not and has never been a reliable recovery metric
• The harmful myth of the "right-sized" recovery body
• How professionals perpetuate weight stigma (even unintentionally)
• What it means to define your own recovery
• The danger of unprompted weight commentary from practitioners
• Recovery at every size: nuance, metabolism, and lived experience
• Why shame, not weight, is often the real barrier to healing
• The difference between health at every size and health at a lot of sizes
• How to protect your recovery from body-based judgment

🧠 Mic Drop Moments:

"Judging recovery by weight loss is like judging a house fire victim by how quickly they redecorated."

"You do not owe the world an aesthetically pleasing body."

"One person doesn't get to decide what recovery looks like for someone else."

📬 Have a Question or Topic You Want Us to Cover?

Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com
We'd love to hear from you!

💖 Help Us Spread the Word:

If this episode spoke to you, please take 30 seconds to:

• Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube
• Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating or review
• Share it with a friend or recovery group

Every share supports our mission to bring truth without shame to the food addiction recovery world. Thank you!

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this spontaneous and heart-forward episode, Molly C., Clarissa, and Molly P. crack open the resistance so many of us feel toward group work, and why that resistance might be precisely the sign we need more connection, not less.

Together, the trio explores why group healing matters, how co-regulation works, and what it means to feel seen, safe, and mirrored in community. From AA meetings to clinical groups to retreats full of "I-don't-do-group" folks turned soul sisters, they share raw stories about belonging, shame, and the life-changing magic of not doing recovery alone.

If you've ever thought, "I don't do groups," this one's for you.

What We Talk About in This Episode:
🌀 Why so many people resist group work—and what's underneath that
🧠 The neuroscience of co-regulation and how groups help our nervous systems
💔 The loneliness epidemic and why isolation fuels addiction
✨ The healing power of being seen, heard, and mirrored
🙅‍♀️ How "my problems aren't that bad" is a symptom of chronic invalidation
🐀 Rat Park, connection, and the real root of addiction
💬 Group doesn't have to be perfect to be powerful

Resources & Links:
🔗 Learn more about Sweet Sobriety and upcoming groups: https://www.sweetsobriety.ca/
📬 Get updates and free resources: https://www.sweetsobriety.ca/ and https://mollycarmel.com/
📲 Rate, review, and share this episode—it helps more than you know!

Join the Conversation:
💌 Have a topic you want us to cover? Send us a note at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

The Food Shrinks are back with a spicy, heartfelt conversation about one of the most polarizing tools in the recovery world right now—GLP-1 medications (like Ozempic and Wegovy). In this episode, they tackle the growing buzz (and backlash) around these drugs in eating disorder and food addiction spaces. Are GLP-1s a betrayal of "real" recovery, or can they be a supportive tool for healing?

The hosts spill some behind-the-scenes tea, share their personal and clinical experiences, and ask hard questions: Who gets to decide what recovery looks like? Why is there so much shame around using medication? And what if we stopped gatekeeping tools that might help?

If you're curious about how GLP-1s fit into a trauma-informed, shame-free approach to food addiction recovery, this episode is for you.

In This Episode:
• Why the GLP-1 debate is heating up in the recovery world
• The team's take on healing vs. weight loss goals
• The difference between fear-based gatekeeping and client-centered care
• What should recovery support look like when trying a new tool
• The power of expanding your window of tolerance
• Why we need to make room for nuance, autonomy, and compassion

Key Quote:
"If a medication helps someone quiet the noise long enough to heal—why wouldn't we support that?"

Resources & Support:
💻 Check out Sweet Sobriety to learn more about group programs and 1:1 coaching with Molly and Clarissa.
💻 Book a free Consultation with Molly Carmel
📧 Thinking about GLP-1s or bariatric surgery? Schedule a consultation with a coach who gets it.

If this episode resonated with you:
✔️ Subscribe
⭐ Rate & Review
📤 Share it with a friend who's curious about GLP-1s or exploring recovery options

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this compelling episode, the Food Shrinks team tackles one of the most used—and deeply harmful—labels in recovery spaces: "chronic relapser." With both fire and tenderness, the Shrinks dismantle this shame-based term and offer a new way to understand recurrence through the lens of chronic ambivalence, self-compassion, and trauma-informed care.

You'll hear why language matters, how shame can block healing, and why we must stop reducing people to their most painful patterns. Instead, the team explores what it means to stay curious, build emotional safety, and make your recovery as big as your disease. Whether you've struggled with "starting over" or have judged yourself harshly for returning to food, this episode will offer relief, insight, and a powerful reframe.

🔑 Topics We Cover:

• Why "chronic relapser" is a harmful, moralizing label
• The power of reframing: from chronic relapse to chronic ambivalence
• Understanding recurrence as part of a chronic condition
• The trap of perfectionism and diet culture in recovery
• How confirmation bias reinforces addiction
• When you've "tried everything" but nothing sticks
• Recovery as practice—not performance
• Why your recovery must be as big as your disorder
• Meeting recurrence with curiosity, not shame

💬 Quotes Worth Sharing:

"Please don't say that about my friend."
"Chronic ambivalence is a sign of your complexity—not your failure."
"Your addiction doesn't get a seat at the table if you want to build traction in recovery."
"One bad moment doesn't define your recovery. It's just a single patch in the quilt."
"You haven't failed. You're still practicing. You're still learning."

🛎️ Call to Action:

Love what we're doing on Food Shrinks? Do us a big favor:
📱 Subscribe
⭐ Leave a rating
💬 Drop a comment
🧡 Share with someone who needs to hear this!

Your support helps us grow—and helps others find compassionate, shame-free recovery conversations.

📢 Follow Us:

📽 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodShrinks

📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks

📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com

🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this deeply honest and layered conversation, The Food Shrinks—Clarissa Kennedy, Molly Carmel, and Molly Painschab— dive into one of the most misunderstood and rarely talked-about experiences in food addiction recovery: volume of whole foods in food addiction recovery. What begins as a casual check-in quickly becomes a masterclass on the biological, psychological, and emotional roots of overeating.

🔍 What you'll learn:

🌸Volume addiction might be harder to heal from than sugar and flour because it's not just about what you eat, but how much and why.
🌸For many, volume eating is a trauma response—a way to regulate a dysregulated nervous system, not just a habit or lack of willpower.
🌸Physiological shifts like stretch-blunted stomachs, serotonin imbalances, and leptin resistance play a massive role in satiety and fullness signals.
🌸There's no one-size-fits-all solution: healing involves patience, interoceptive awareness, nervous system work, and sometimes nutritional supplementation.
🌸And above all? It's about slowing down, getting curious, and giving ourselves the grace to find our unique path to peace.

Whether you identify with volume struggles or you're just learning about this facet of food addiction, this episode offers deep validation, practical insights, and hope.

🔗 Mentioned:
🌸 Sweet Sobriety Foundations Program 
https://sweetsobriety.newzenler.com/courses/sweet-sobriety-foundations
🌸 Breaking Up with Sugar
https://mollycarmel.com/buws/
🌸 Sacred Immersion Retreat (June 20–22 in Stamford, CT)
email molly@mollycarmel.com

📢 Follow Us:
📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks
📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com
🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this vulnerable and fiery episode, the Shrinks crack open a raw conversation about what happens when you dare to speak your truth in a world that's not always ready to hear it. Molly C. shares the emotional fallout of going viral on TikTok — and getting slammed for it. What started as a conversation about food boundaries quickly turned into a deep dive on childhood bullying, impostor syndrome, clinical appeasement, and the gut-punch of online criticism.

The shrinks hold space for one another while exploring big themes:

• Why it's so hard not to dim your light when people don't agree with you
• The survival response of people-pleasing and self-abandonment
• The spiritual test of standing in your truth, even when it's unpopular
• How neglect and injustice can activate rage that feels bigger than the moment
• How to protect your nervous system (and your purpose) in a noisy, opinionated world

If you've ever questioned your right to speak up, struggled with self-doubt after rejection, or felt the inner war between being palatable and being powerful — this one's for you.

Oh, and there's also dating drama, a story about unmatching on Hinge, and a rallying cry to all the kids who once felt like they didn't belong. (Spoiler: You do.)

💬 Favorite Quote:
"There is no rage so great as a neglected child."

📌 Topics Include:

• TikTok trauma and the curse of virality
• Emotional flashbacks and old wounds in new comments
• Clinical appeasement vs. embodied truth
• When you want to fight but freeze instead
• Navigating food boundaries at the dinner table and online
• Spiritual downloads, sunscreen for the soul, and showing up anyway

🧠 Bonus Takeaway:
You don't need to be palatable to be worthy. You're allowed to take up space as you are — imperfect, passionate, and powerful.

📣 Call to Action:
If you loved this conversation, please subscribe, rate, and review us!
And if you've got thoughts, feedback, or want to send us a love letter (we won't say no), drop us a line at AskTheShrinks@FoodShrinks.com.

📢 Follow Us:

📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks

📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com

🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

Feeling like you're slogging through sludge in your recovery? You're not alone. In this vulnerable and validating episode, the Shrinks get real about what to do when the motivation to stay on track just… isn't there. From functional freeze to emotional flatness, we unpack what it means when everything feels like too much—even when you know what to do.

We explore:

• Why recovery can feel like pushing through quicksand
• What "motivation collapse" and "functional freeze" look like in real life
• The grief that comes with ongoing transformation
• Why nervous system fatigue and willpower overload matter
• How values, compassion, and community help us recalibrate
• Why it's OK to tread water as long as you don't burn it all down

We also talk about being highly sensitive in a world on fire, navigating recovery in times of collective distress, and how commitment—not motivation—is what keeps the engine running when your beetle bug (aka your recovery) just won't start.

📩 Keep in Touch:

Have a question for the Shrinks? Want to tell us how this episode landed for you?
Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com — we love hearing from you.

📢 Follow Us:

📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks

📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com

🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com

♥️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodShrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode, the Food Shrinks crew explores a powerful, overlooked concept: fragilization. From personal stories to real recovery insights, the team explores how treating ourselves—or others—as too delicate can actually stall growth, deepen shame, and keep us stuck.

Whether it's in addiction recovery, mental health, or just day-to-day life, fragilization can quietly shape how we show up, ask for help, and relate to our own resilience. We talk about how fragilizing ourselves in depression or post-relapse moments can reinforce powerlessness, and how others fragilizing us—even with good intentions—can feel invalidating. You'll hear raw reflections, lots of laughs, and a serious reframe: you are not broken, and you are not fragile.

💡 Topics We Explore:

• What fragilization is—and how it shows up in recovery, families, and friendships
• The line between vulnerability and self-erasure
• Why over-helping or shielding others can disempower them
• Self-awareness beyond just self-criticism
• How diet culture and the patriarchy reinforce fragility myths
• Reclaiming your resilience and giving others space to rise

🛠️ Tools & Takeaways:

• Ask yourself: Am I being honest, or am I being a chameleon?
• Give people the chance to say no—and trust them to say yes
• Self-awareness means noticing your wins, not just your wounds
• You don't need to break to grow
• Sometimes the most loving thing you can do is stop managing others' feelings

📬 We want to hear from you!
Have a question, a win, or a hot take? Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com and be part of the next episode.

🌟 Don't forget:
Subscribe ⭐ Rate ⭐ Review ⭐ Share ⭐

Love you, mean it.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this deeply relatable episode, the Food Shrinks— tackle one of recovery's most persistent companions: the belief that we are not enough… or sometimes too much. From early childhood conditioning to nervous system dysregulation, the trio explores how these painful stories take root, how they drive people-pleasing and perfectionism, and why they so often lead us to use food for comfort or control.

With honesty and compassion, they unpack their own journeys through shame, codependency, and recovery — offering tools to recognize when the "not enough" voice shows up, how to regulate through it, and how to begin standing in the truth of our inherent worth.

What We Talk About
• The "not enough / too much" paradox — and how both can exist at once
• Why dysregulation and shame keep these stories alive
• The role of ADHD, rejection sensitivity, and trauma in feeling unworthy
• Early family messages that shaped how we seek validation
• The long game of recovery: time, patience, and radical self-focus
• How to practice compassion and curiosity instead of judgment

Key Takeaways
• Feeling not enough or too much isn't a personal flaw — it's often a trauma echo.
• Awareness is the first step: notice when and where the story appears.
• Shame is not fact; it's a state — and it softens through compassion.
• You are not alone. Every person in recovery wrestles with these feelings.
• Standing in your truth means choosing yourself again and again — with time, patience, and love.

If today's conversation resonated with you, we'd love to hear from you.
💌 Email your questions to asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com.

And if you found this episode supportive, please hit subscribe and leave a quick review — it helps others find their way to recovery and hope.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

Welcome to the Food Shrinks podcast! In this heartfelt and honest episode, the Food Shrinks team dives into a powerful listener-submitted question: What happens when the people, places, and things that once brought us comfort no longer fit in our healing and recovery journey?

This week, we explore the grief and growth that come with outgrowing relationships, hobbies, environments, and identities that once felt like home.

You'll hear reflections on:
•    Why things that once felt safe can suddenly feel unbearable
•    How identity shifts in recovery can affect our social lives
•    Why it's normal to feel guilt, grief, or even judgment about these changes
•    The importance of compassionate self-awareness and honoring intuition
•    How to navigate change without shame—or setting everything on fire 🔥
•    The difference between cutting ties to protect yourself vs. fleeing out of overwhelm
•    Why kindness doesn't mean self-betrayal
•    And how to hold space for your metamorphosis with curiosity, not self-criticism

Whether you're frustrated by your changing preferences or unsure how to handle friends who no longer "get you," this episode will remind you: You're not going crazy—you're just growing. 💗

In This Episode, You'll Learn:
•    How to tell if you're in a true identity shift
•    How grief shows up in unexpected ways in recovery
•    Tools to slow down and make intentional choices
•    The importance of trusting yourself as you evolve
•    Why it's okay (and often necessary) to set boundaries or walk away

Ways You Can Support the Show:
1.    Subscribe to Food Shrinks on your favorite podcast platform.
2.    Rate & Review—Five stars if you're feeling generous!
3.    Share this episode with a friend who's going through their own transformation.

Got a question for the Shrinks? Email us at AskTheShrinks@FoodShrinks.com or drop your comments on our YouTube channel!

🌱 Remember: healing doesn't always feel good—but it's always worth it. We love you, and we're so glad you're here.
________________________________________
New episodes drop weekly. Until next time, breathe, stay curious, and keep growing. 🌀

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this powerful episode, we tackle a question that resonates deeply for so many in recovery: "Why can't I stay off sugar, even after a life-threatening diagnosis?"

We received a heartfelt listener question from someone who has been struggling with sugar addiction for years—even after a cancer diagnosis. This sparked a deep, honest conversation about the nature of addiction, why even fear or facts aren't always enough to inspire change, and how recovery takes more than just motivation—it takes connection, community, repetition, and reframing.

💬 In this episode, we cover:

🌱Why fear, force, and facts aren't sustainable motivators for change

🌱How addiction hijacks the brain and overrides even our strongest survival instincts

🌱Why relapse is not a moral failing, but a symptom of a powerful brain-based disorder

🌱What to do when willpower alone isn't cutting it

🌱How to expand your recovery toolkit to match the severity of the problem

🌱The importance of community and compassionate self-care in recovery

🌱What "ICU-level care" for food addiction might look like

✨ We explore the truth that addiction is not your fault, but recovery is your responsibility—and you don't have to do it alone. Whether you're binging every day or white-knuckling your way through abstinence, there is hope, and there are practical tools to help you build a sustainable, supported recovery.

📩 We want to hear from YOU!
Got a question for the Food Shrinks? Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

🙏 Support the Podcast:
We LOVE making this podcast for you—but creating free content isn't free. Here's how you can help us keep the mic on:

🌱Subscribe to the show

🌱Rate & Review—we love a 5-star, but you do you, boo

🌱Share this episode with friends, recovery groups, or anyone who needs to know they're not alone

Big hugs. Big whoosh. You've got this—and we're with you every step of the way.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode:

Clarissa opens up about a deeply personal and challenging season in her life—navigating grief, fear, and emotional overwhelm as unexpected hardships pile up. From her puppy's serious health concerns to her mother's cancer recurrence, Clarissa vulnerably shares what it's like to face wave after wave of uncertainty.

The Food Shrinks dive into what happens when emotional pain feels relentless, and all the usual tools start to feel... not enough. Together, they explore:

💡How to manage emotional pain when it feels like you're at capacity
💡The dance between disassociation and anger in response to trauma
💡The silent fears about relapse or returning to old coping mechanisms
💡De-shaming the fear of recurrence and reframing relapse prevention
💡The importance of community and connection when survival mode kicks in
💡How empathic individuals may be significantly impacted by global and personal uncertainty
💡Practical tools for staying grounded, even when the storm feels never-ending

Through candid conversation and dark humor (because, hey, sometimes we need it), the team navigates the murky waters of high-stress seasons and how to "put on your wetsuit" when life feels like an emotional downpour.

Takeaways:
✨ Why acceptance is sometimes more challenging than it sounds
✨ The power of community and skill-building during emotional overwhelm
✨ How loosening shame around relapse fears can actually create more resilience
✨ "Help me to want what I have" – the uncomfortable but powerful prayer for navigating tough times

🎧 Listen now for an honest, raw, and heart-opening conversation on what it means to be human, in recovery, and doing your best when life feels just too heavy.

💌 Listener Q&A is open!
Have a question for The Food Shrinks? Send it to AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com and you might hear it answered on a future episode!

💡 Don't forget to follow, rate, and share the podcast! Your clicks help keep this work going, and we appreciate you being part of this community. 🩷

📢 Follow Us: 
📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks 
📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com 
🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com 

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this thought-provoking episode of Food Shrinks, we challenge the concept of self-sabotage and explore a radical reframe—what if it's not sabotage at all, but an attempt at protection? Join us as we unpack the deeper, more compassionate understanding of behaviors that are often mislabeled as sabotage. Together, we discuss how our brains are wired for survival, not destruction, and how unmet needs, fear, and safety-seeking responses shape our actions.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ Why we don't believe in self-sabotage—and what we think is actually happening
✔️ The difference between intentional harm (true sabotage) and subconscious protective mechanisms
✔️ How labeling behaviors as "sabotage" can create shame and keep us stuck
✔️ The role of childhood survival mechanisms and nervous system responses in our habits
✔️ Why language matters—how the words we use can either empower us or hold us back
✔️ The impact of chaos, stability, and safety on our decision-making and emotional responses

Key Takeaways & Highlights:
💡 "Your brain is wired for survival, not sabotage." The behaviors we often call sabotage are usually our brain's way of keeping us safe from discomfort, fear, or overwhelm.
💡 Labeling creates limitations. When we call ourselves "self-saboteurs," we're reinforcing a belief that we are our own worst enemy rather than recognizing our need for new coping skills.
💡 Self-compassion is key. Understanding our behaviors through a lens of protection rather than destruction allows for healing and real change.
💡 It's not sabotage—it's an unmet need. Instead of asking, "Why am I sabotaging myself?" try asking, "What need is going unmet, and how can I address it in a healthier way?"
💡 Language shapes reality. The words we use—whether "sabotage," "lazy," "manipulative," or others—carry energy and impact how we see ourselves.

Listener Reflection Questions:
🔹 Have you ever labeled your own behaviors as self-sabotage? How did that label impact you?
🔹 What if your "sabotage" was actually your brain trying to protect you? How might that change your perspective?
🔹 What language do you use to describe your struggles? Does it help or hinder your growth?

Join the Conversation:
We'd love to hear your thoughts! Do you believe in self-sabotage, or do you resonate with this reframe? Email us at AskTheShrinks@FoodShrinks.com and let us know!

Support the Show!
If you loved this episode, help us keep Food Shrinks going!
✔️ Share this episode with a friend who might need to hear it.
✔️ Follow/subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode.
✔️ Rate & review us—it's how we grow and stay alive in the podcast world!

Until next time, Food Shrinks—keep it real, keep it kind, and keep exploring! 🎙️🩷

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In today's episode, we dive deep into a thought-provoking listener question: Will there always be something waiting in the wings to take the place of old addictive patterns?

Molly C. shares a personal experience about her resolution to avoid blue light before bed—and how she noticed an urge to watch TV after a fun night out. This sparks a rich discussion on self-awareness, nervous system regulation, and the evolving nature of cravings and coping mechanisms in recovery.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

✅ The idea of whether food (or other behaviors) will always be our first instinct in times of stress
✅ How our nervous system and trauma history influence our default responses
✅ The role of neuroplasticity and whether we can truly rewire our brains to respond differently
✅ The 8 Fs of trauma responses: Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn, Fornicate, Feed, Flop, and Friend
✅ The importance of curiosity and self-compassion when noticing urges and cravings
✅ Why we are wired to crave—and how that doesn't mean we're failing in recovery
✅ The power of observation: how practicing "observe and report" can help us navigate cravings without judgment

📩 Listener Question: Will there ever be a day when food is not our first thought in moments of stress? If not, is the goal simply to acknowledge it, dismiss it, and move on with radical acceptance?

This led us to a deep and honest conversation about the nature of recovery, self-compassion, and how to shift from reacting to responding with awareness.

Key Takeaways:

🧠 Our nervous system is wired for survival, and old patterns don't disappear overnight—but they can lose their intensity.
💡 Cravings are not a failure. They are a natural part of being human.
💙 Healing is about curiosity, not judgment. The more we understand our behaviors, the less power they hold over us.

💬 Join the Conversation!
We love hearing from you! Send us your questions at AskTheShrinks@FoodShrinks.com and let us know your thoughts on today's episode.

🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review! See you next week!

#FoodAddictionRecovery #NervousSystem #TraumaResponses #CuriosityNotJudgment #Neuroplasticity #FoodShrinksPodcast

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode, Molly C, Molly P, and Clarissa dive deep into the feeling of being "othered"—that sense of not quite fitting in, even among close friends or trusted spaces.

We explore:
✅ The fear of being too different—what happens when our thoughts, experiences, or intuition don't align with those around us
✅ The connection between feeling othered and food behaviors—how discomfort leads to numbing or binging
✅ The armor we put up when we feel excluded—why we protect ourselves instead of reaching out
✅ The power of naming our feelings—and how vulnerability in friendships can heal deep-seated fears

✨ Big Takeaways from This Episode:
• Feeling "othered" often comes from historical wounds rather than present reality.
• Our shame thrives in secrecy, but when shared, it loses power.
• Authentic friendships are a space to practice saying, "I feel left out," instead of shutting down.
• We all have parts of ourselves that we fear are "too much"—but often, those are the parts people love most.
• Belonging doesn't come from sameness, it comes from being fully seen and accepted.

💡 Listener Reflection:
• Have you ever felt like you didn't belong, even in a group where you "should" feel connected?
• What "armor" do you put on when you feel that way?
• How do you soothe yourself when those feelings come up?

💬 Final Thought:
We all want to be seen. And today, we saw each other.

❤️ Take Care of Yourself After This Episode:
This one was deep, friends. If it resonated, be gentle with yourself. Maybe take a walk, journal, or check in with a friend who makes you feel truly seen.

📩 Got a Question or Topic for the Shrinks?
Send it to AskTheShrinks@FoodShrinks.com—we'd love to hear from you!

🎧 Subscribe and leave a review! 
If you found this episode helpful, share it with someone who might need it. 

📢 Follow Us: 
📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks 
📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com 
🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com 

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode of Food Shrinks, we're shaking things up! With one shrink missing, we dive into how we handle scheduling conflicts as a team and the importance of open, honest conversations in problem-solving. Then, we transition into a powerful discussion about a common struggle in food addiction recovery: sneaking, hiding, and lying about food.

We explore how secrecy and shame amplify dopamine release, making the behavior even more rewarding—just like in other substance addictions. By illuminating these patterns, we can dismantle them and find practical ways to break free from the cycle.

Key Topics Discussed in This Episode:

✔️ Handling scheduling conflicts with honesty and flexibility – Why communication is key and how we're restructuring our approach.

✔️ The psychology behind sneaking and hiding food – How secrecy fuels the reward cycle and makes cravings stronger.

✔️ Shame and isolation in food addiction – Why we feel compelled to hide and how it mirrors other addictions.

✔️ Mindful eating and breaking the secrecy cycle – Strategies like eating in the open, using a plate, and slowing down to challenge the food's "forbidden" appeal.

✔️ The power of self-awareness in recovery – Recognizing triggers, patterns, and practical self-binding strategies to avoid relapse.

✔️ Navigating food choices in social and professional settings – Addressing guilt and external expectations and setting personal boundaries in recovery.

Practical Takeaways:

✅ Normalize the struggle – Sneaking and hiding food is common in addiction, and talking about it removes shame.

✅ Break the secrecy cycle – Try eating in the open, paying attention to taste, and challenging the "thrill" of the behavior.

✅ Lean into self-awareness – Identify when and where these urges happen and find strategies to disrupt the pattern.

✅ Own your choices – You can decide what works for you in recovery—without guilt or external judgment.

💡 Want to share your experience or ask us a question?

Please email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

🎧 Subscribe and leave a review! If you found this episode helpful, share it with someone who might need it.

📢 Follow Us: 

📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks 

📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com 

🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com 

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this insightful and heartfelt episode of Food Shrinks, we explore the complex relationship between hormones, perimenopause, and food addiction recovery. Inspired by listener questions, we share our journeys, client experiences, and the science behind hormonal changes—whether you're still cycling, in perimenopause, or navigating menopause.

🌿 In This Episode:

🧘 Hormones and Recovery: How shifts during the menstrual cycle,    perimenopause, and menopause can affect food cravings and emotional eating.
💡 Luteal Phase Insights: The science behind increased hunger, metabolism spikes, and why cravings often hit hardest before your period.
🧠 The Grief of Change: Exploring the emotional impact of hormonal transitions and why acceptance is key.
💪 Recovery Strategies: Planning for hormonal changes and aligning your recovery support around them is essential.
🌿 The Grandmother Hypothesis: Reframing menopause as a rite of passage into wisdom, connection, and leadership.

💡 Key Takeaways:

💪Hormonal Changes Are Not the Enemy: Learn how fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone influence cravings and mood.
💪Self-Compassion First: Accepting body changes, reducing shame, and prioritizing self-care during hormonal shifts.
💪Awareness is Power: Tracking cycles and recognizing patterns can help you support your recovery plan.
💪Don't Give Away Your Power: Beware of quick-fix solutions and trust your body's innate wisdom.
💪Find Joy and Connection: Nourish your serotonin with creativity, friendships, and meaningful activities.

💬 Share Your Experience!
We'd love to hear from you! What has been your experience with hormones and recovery? How have you navigated perimenopause or menopause on your food addiction journey?

💌 Have a question for us? We want to hear from you! Please email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

🎥 Watch & Share: If you found this episode helpful, don't forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to our channel. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from learning about healthy communication and conflict resolution!

📢 Follow Us: 
📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks 
📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com 
🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com 

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode of Food Shrinks, Molly C. shares a significant life shift—she's entirely off social media! Coming back from a retreat, she realized how much screen time was impacting her nervous system, focus, and ability to engage with life. She opens up about the moment she knew she had to step away, the withdrawal symptoms she experienced, and how she transitioned off social media with the help of the Freedom app.

Molly and Clarissa also explore the broader topic of digital addiction, drawing connections to food addiction and other compulsive behaviors. They discuss insights from Dr. Anna Lembke's work on dopamine and addiction, how social media companies profit from our dysregulation, and what it means to take back your power.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why Molly decided to quit social media and what changed for her

The surprising benefits of stepping away from constant scrolling

How screen addiction mirrors food addiction and other compulsive behaviors

Practical steps to reduce digital dependence

Signs your social media use might be a problem

Why reclaiming your time is an act of self-care

Resources & Mentions:

 Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke

 Dr. Anna Lembke's podcast interview

 Freedom app for screen time management

Join the Conversation:

 Have a question for us? We want to hear from you! Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

Watch & Share: If you found this episode helpful, don't forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to our channel. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from learning about healthy communication and conflict resolution!

 Follow Us: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodShrinks

 Instagram: @FoodShrinks 

 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com 

 Website: foodshrinks.com 

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode of Food Shrinks, we dive into an important question: When do we need to go deeper than recovery coaching, and when is it enough to stay at that level?

🔑Key Topics Discussed:

🔒Two Approaches to Healing – Clearing out the body and mind first vs. addressing deeper emotional work upfront.
🔒When Coaching Isn't Enough – How to recognize when therapy, trauma work, or other professional support is needed.
🔒The Rush to Go Deeper – Why there's no need to sprint toward deeper work and how cultural pressure impacts this mindset.
🔒Intuition as a Guide – How to trust yourself in knowing when it's time to explore deeper healing.
🔒The Limits of Helpers – Coaches, therapists, and sponsors can only take you as far as they've gone themselves.
🔒The Importance of Readiness – Why sometimes it's okay not to do deeper work and simply focus on life and joy.
🔒Recovery as a Bridge Back to Life – Remembering that healing isn't about fixing yourself but expanding your ability to live fully.

We also explore the balance between doing inner work and simply being in life, finding joy, and knowing when to step back instead of always digging for the next thing to "fix."

💌 Have a question for us? We want to hear from you! Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

🎥 Watch & Share: If you found this episode helpful, don't forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to our channel. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from learning about healthy communication and conflict resolution!

📢 Follow Us:

📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks

📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com

🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

The crew normalizes why sugar becomes the go-to "tool" for anxiety, boredom, and stress—and offers harm-reduction pathways that build capacity without shame. You'll hear personal recovery pivots (like treating your recovery as seriously as your addiction), crowd-out strategies, micro-delays for cravings, and how to use community even if you don't feel like it. This is practical hope: tiny, doable steps that add up.

What We Cover
• You're not hopeless—you're human: Brains repeat what works for relief. That's learning, not moral failure.
• Add before you subtract: "Crowd out" by adding protein, fiber, and structure before trying to remove sugar.
• Environment tweaks (not ultimatums): Out of sight storage, partner hides, garage stashes, plating treats at the table vs. eating from the bag.
• Micro-delays for cravings: 10–20–60 seconds → a few minutes → an hour. Build the "wait" muscle.
• Choose your hard, but choose support: We rarely recover alone; groups, meetings, lives, or any community can be anchors.
• Treat recovery like it's as big as the addiction: Boundaries around meal times, bedtime eating, social plans, and high-risk settings.
• Compassionate curiosity: If you do eat it, slow down, plate it, and notice what it's solving—then find other ways to meet that need.
Practical Try-This List
• Protein + Produce First: Keep easy protein (rotisserie chicken, eggs, edamame) and a "default veg" ready three ways this week.
• Plate & Pause: If you're having the thing, put it on a plate, sit at the table, and take 3 slow breaths first.
• 10-Second Ladder: Delay 10s → 30s → 2m. Text a friend while you wait.
• Out-of-Sight Ops: Ask a partner/roomie to store trigger foods out of view (garage, trunk, top shelf bin).
• One Boundary This Week: Pick a single non-negotiable (e.g., "no eating after 7pm" or "no eating in the car").
• One Connection Anchor: Pick one community touchpoint (a meeting, live, or accountability check-in) and show up.

Host Insights
• Molly C.: "My recovery only started working when I treated it like the serious condition it was—my recovery had to be as big as my addiction."
• Clarissa: "I didn't have the skills yet, so I built a 'home treatment' season—invited people over when I didn't want to, because it kept me safe."
• Molly P.: "Years of tool-building mattered. Curiosity over shame lets you add supports first and make removal feel possible later."

Key Takeaways
1. Hope is a skill you practice, not a feeling you wait for.
2. Add supportive structure before subtracting the substance.
3. Micro-wins compound. Ten seconds today can become an hour next month.
4. Community is medicine. You don't have to like it to benefit from it.

Share your question or topic

Email: AskTheShrinks@FoodShrinks.com

If this episode helped, please follow, rate, and review—it helps others find the show and keeps these conversations going. 💜

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode, Molly, Clarissa, and Molly (aka The Food Shrinks) dive deep into healthy conflict resolution and how it impacts relationships, recovery, and our connection with food. Through personal stories, the hosts share their challenges and breakthroughs when it comes to communication, boundaries, and repair.

📌 What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Molly's 2025 Resolution
🩷Why she's committing to ending people-pleasing and learning to say "no" without guilt.
🩷How people-pleasing behaviors can show up in recovery and eating habits.

Turning Conflict into Growth
🩷A behind-the-scenes look at a recent scheduling conflict between the Food Shrinks and how it strengthened their collaboration.
🩷Clarissa's mindful approach to addressing frustration and setting boundaries.
🩷How the team repaired the situation and grew closer as a result.

Practical Conflict Resolution Skills
🩷Clarissa's go-to tools: Pause, take space, reflect, and respond.
🩷Molly's approach: Validate, own mistakes, and focus on repair instead of apology.
🩷Tips for staying grounded and handling emotional triggers.

Connection to Recovery
🩷How appeasement, fear of abandonment, and difficulty setting boundaries are tied to disordered eating.
🩷Why addressing these underlying behaviors can help heal your relationship with food.

💡 Listener Takeaways:
🗝️Conflict doesn't have to be scary—it can actually bring you closer to the people you care about.
🗝️Learn to pause and reflect before reacting emotionally.
🗝️Validate others' experiences and focus on tangible repairs, not just apologies.
🗝️Boundaries and honest communication can transform your relationships—and your recovery.

🎥 Watch & Share:
If you found this episode helpful, don't forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to our channel. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from learning about healthy communication and conflict resolution!

🗨️ Have a question? Drop it in the comments or email us at AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com. We love hearing from you!

📢 Follow Us:
📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks
📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com
🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com

Let's keep the conversation going and help each other thrive in recovery! See you next time!

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this candid and impromptu episode of The Food Shrinks, Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab dive deep into their personal experiences with psychedelics, focusing on their potential as tools for emotional and psychological healing. From ketamine-assisted therapy to psilocybin journeys, the hosts share raw insights into their transformative—yet challenging—experiences. This conversation emphasizes the importance of preparation, professional guidance, and integration, underscoring that psychedelics are not a quick fix but a profound tool in the toolbox of recovery and self-growth.

Key Topics Discussed:
🔥The unexpected start to this heartfelt conversation on psychedelics.
🔥Molly Carmel's journey through ketamine-assisted therapy and its impact on her reactivity and emotional balance.
🔥Clarissa Kennedy's psilocybin experience addresses shame and self-compassion and the science behind how psychedelics work on the serotonin pathway and parietal lobe.
🔥Molly Painschab's profound insights from her psilocybin journey, including overcoming deeply ingrained emotional narratives.
🔥The importance of therapeutic preparation, intention-setting, and post-experience integration.
🔥The challenges and benefits of these experiences, including shadow work and ego death.
🔥A reminder that psychedelics are a tool—not a silver bullet—and require careful consideration and professional support.

Key Takeaways:
🔥Personal Growth Through Psychedelics: Psychedelics can offer transformative experiences, but they demand a willingness to face difficult emotions and memories.
🔥Preparation and Integration Matter: Effective use involves guided preparation, structured sessions, and post-experience processing to maximize benefits.
🔥Scientific Insights: Psychedelics impact the brain by reducing inflammation, increasing neuroplasticity, and rewiring key areas like the serotonin pathway and parietal lobe.
🔥Varied Experiences: Every journey is unique, and expectations can shape outcomes.
🔥Caution and Support Are Essential: These tools are not suitable for everyone and must be used with care, professional guidance, and in safe environments.
🔥Broader Implications for Recovery: Psychedelics may serve as an intervention for those struggling to move past entrenched patterns or emotional barriers in recovery.

We want to hear from you! Have questions, topics you'd love us to discuss, or experiences to share? Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com, and join the conversation.

Tune in next week as we continue exploring tools for healing, recovery, and personal transformation. Remember, recovery is a journey, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution.

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com 
Website: www.foodshrinks.com 
Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

Today the Food Shrinks unpack what "diet culture vultures" represent in the context of diet culture and self-help programs, emphasizing the importance of self-determination and how to recognize manipulative tactics in various industries, including healthcare, food recovery, and coaching. This honest conversation also explores personal vulnerabilities, the importance of critical thinking, and the need to trust one's inner wisdom.

Key Topics Discussed:
⛄Defining "Diet Culture Vultures":
❄How vultures prey on insecurities and vulnerable moments, often selling unrealistic promises of quick fixes.
❄Examples: Diet programs, coaching, self-help services, medical treatments, and even books or summits that create dependency or fear.
⛄The Impact of Vulnerability and Dysregulation:
❄How heightened emotional states can impair critical thinking and lead to susceptibility to manipulation.
❄Personal insecurities make individuals more prone to being "preyed on."
⛄The Science of Self-Determination:
❄Emphasizing sustainable recovery and growth stems from self-ownership and internal motivation rather than external solutions.
⛄Recognizing Red Flags in Offers:
❄Beware of promises of quick fixes or one-size-fits-all solutions.
❄Manipulative tactics, such as isolating you from alternative options or pressuring immediate decisions, are signs of a vulture-like approach.
⛄Navigating Professional Relationships:
❄The importance of advocating for oneself, asking questions, and maintaining boundaries in relationships with professionals or programs.
❄Understanding that not every misalignment is malintent; it could simply be a mismatch of needs and services.
⛄The Role of Recovery in Building Resilience:
❄Recovery is a steady, imperfect process that requires patience, flexibility, and trust in one's journey.

Key Takeaways:
⛄Mantras to Identify and Avoid "Vultures":
❄❄Safety is sexy: Choose relationships and programs that foster calmness and security.
❄❄Urgency is not an emergency: Quick fixes are neither quick nor sustainable.
❄❄Connect with your inner wisdom: Trust your gut and critically evaluate any offer.
❄❄If someone says there's only one way, run away: Avoid programs or professionals claiming theirs is the only solution.
⛄Tips for Empowerment:
❄Pause and self-regulate before making significant decisions.
❄Seek second opinions and involve trusted supporters in decision-making.
❄Trust that you can change course if something feels wrong.

Do you have questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you!
Please email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

Support Us:
If you found this episode helpful, please like, subscribe, and share! Help us spread the message and support others on their journey. Find more content on our YouTube Channel.

Stay connected, stay empowered. See you next week!
Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com 
Website: www.foodshrinks.com 
Instagram: @foodshrinks
You tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEga4gG2ma0

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this thought-provoking episode of The Food Shrinks delve into the allure—and pitfalls—of wellness programs, self-help summits, and fitness courses that promise transformation but often lead to unfulfilled intentions. The trio unpacks the psychological and emotional drivers behind impulsive purchases, the cultural conditioning of "quick fixes," and strategies to make more intentional decisions about investments in personal growth.

Key Topics Discussed:
🔑The pervasive marketing tactics targeting pain points in wellness and recovery.
🔑The emotional and psychological reasons behind impulsive purchases include fear of missing out (FOMO) and searching for external validation.
🔑The damaging cycle of buying self-help programs and not following through leads to decreased self-trust.
🔑The importance of pausing, reflecting, and taking intentional steps before purchasing.
🔑Strategies for regaining power and making aligned decisions prioritizing consistency over quick fixes.
🔑The upcoming challenges of January's "New Year, New You" marketing blitz.

Key Takeaways:
🔑Pause Before Purchasing: The hosts emphasize the importance of waiting at least 48 hours before making impulsive purchases. Ask: "Can this wait?"
🔑Interview Your Wellness Programs: Treat choosing a wellness program like interviewing a caregiver—take your time, ask questions, and ensure it aligns with your values and capacity.
🔑Beware of Quick Fixes: Recovery and healing are not one-size-fits-all or instant solutions. Prioritize intentional and sustainable approaches over programs promising overnight change.
🔑Recognize Marketing Manipulation: Understand how advertising plays on pain points and creates urgency. This awareness can help resist impulsive decisions.
🔑Trust Your Inner Wisdom: Healing often requires tuning out external noise and trusting your internal guidance to choose what's best for you.
🔑Commit to Follow-Through: Only invest in programs or resources you have the time, space, and intention to fully engage with.

Listener Challenge:
Join the Food Shrinks hosts in a no-impulse-buying challenge! Before purchasing, wait, reflect, and consult trusted friends or accountability partners to ensure the decision aligns with your needs.

What are your thoughts on impulsive buying in wellness? How do you decide which programs to invest in? Please share your insights and questions with us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com.

Join us next week for another honest, empowering conversation!

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com 
Website: www.foodshrinks.com 
Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this candid and deeply personal episode, the Food Shrinks—Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab—dive into the challenging topic of self-abandonment, appeasement, and the consequences of chasing quick fixes. From past experiences with expensive treatment programs to navigating shame and self-doubt, this episode offers valuable insights for anyone struggling to hold on to themselves in moments of uncertainty. The hosts share their missteps, lessons learned, and actionable strategies to help listeners recognize and reclaim their power.

Key Takeaways:

The Cost of Quick Fixes:

🏔️Clarissa reflects on her experience with an overpriced treatment center that promised transformation but delivered minimal value. She highlights the allure of "glitzy solutions" and how they often lead to disappointment.

🏔️Molly Painschab and Molly Carmel share similar stories of misplaced trust in expensive programs, shedding light on the sunk-cost fallacy and the dangers of magical thinking.

SUNK-COST FALLACY: the phenomenon whereby a person is reluctant to abandon a strategy or course of action because they have invested heavily in it, even when it is clear that abandonment would be more beneficial.

Self-Abandonment in the Name of Appeasement:

🏔️The concept of appeasement, or people-pleasing, is explored as a survival mechanism that often leads to self-abandonment.

🏔️The hosts emphasize the importance of identifying and challenging the behaviors that lead to prioritizing others' expectations over personal truth.

The Power of Connection:

🏔️Shame thrives in secrecy. Sharing struggles with trusted individuals can break the cycle of self-doubt and isolation.

🏔️Building a "power circle" of supportive and honest people is essential for navigating challenging situations.

Lessons Learned:

🏔️Trust your intuition. Don't ignore the red flags if a program, relationship, or commitment feels wrong.

🏔️Always evaluate decisions transparently—if you can't explain or defend your choices to a trusted person, reconsider them.

🏔️Remember that true growth and healing come from consistent self-care and inner work, not quick fixes.

Practical Advice:

🏔️Talk to trusted people before committing to significant decisions.

🏔️Don't let shame silence you. Even a simple text like "I'm not okay" can open the door to support.

🏔️Reclaim your narrative by acknowledging your truth, even in the face of fear or judgment.

Call to Action:

We'd love to hear from you! Please share your experiences, questions, and thoughts with us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com. Your stories inspire us and our listeners.

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with friends and loved ones. Together, we can support each other in navigating the complexities of food, life, and recovery.

Join us next week for another honest, empowering conversation!

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

Website: www.foodshrinks.com

Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode, the Food Shrinks—Molly C., Molly P., and Clarissa—gear up to combat the "diet culture vultures" that descend during the New Year season. They discuss empowering listeners to reclaim their role as the solution to their challenges rather than falling victim to shame-based marketing tactics. This conversation is packed with insights into navigating January's pressures with mindfulness, self-compassion, and an emphasis on long-term recovery.

Key Takeaways:
🔥"You're Not the Problem" Mantra: Shift the narrative—you're not the problem; you're the solution.
🔥Avoiding Shame-Based Marketing: Recognize when urgency or fear tactics are being used to manipulate you. YOUR healing is not for sale; recovery isn't about dependency on a single program or coach.
🔥The Power of Mindful Choices: Making decisions from a grounded place, rather than in states of shame, fear, or urgency, leads to sustainable recovery.
🔥Understanding the Brain and Nervous System: Trauma responses like fight, flight, and appease can cloud judgment. Regular self-care practices, such as mindfulness and peer support, help regulate these responses.
🔥Recovery is Personal: Growth requires evolving tools and practices. What worked years ago might not be what you need today. Stay curious about your changing needs.

Listener Challenge:
As you face the tidal wave of New Year's diet marketing, ask yourself:
🔥"Does this program enhance me as the solution?"
🔥"Am I buying this out of fear or empowerment?"
🔥"What do I truly want for myself this year?"

Molly C.'s Pro Tip:
"If it's urgent, it's not wisdom." Take your time and trust your inner guidance.

Quotes from the Episode:
🔥"Your healing is not for sale." – Clarissa
🔥"Their urgency is not your emergency." – Clarissa
🔥"When we make decisions in a dysregulated state, we lose the thread." – Molly C.

Connect with the Food Shrinks:
Have questions or stories about navigating diet culture vultures? Share them with us!
📧 Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com
We'll incorporate your stories and questions into upcoming episodes and YouTube content. Let's face the January frenzy together—empowered and awake!

Subscribe & Share:
Love this episode? Don't forget to like, comment, and share with friends. See you next week!
Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com 
Website: www.foodshrinks.com 
Instagram: @foodshrinks

In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode, your hosts, Molly Painschab, Molly Carmel, and Clarissa Kennedy, dive into the topic of 12-step programs and their role in food addiction recovery. This conversation explores their diverse experiences with 12-step recovery, its benefits, challenges, and alternatives, offering valuable insights for anyone navigating their own path to healing.

Key Takeaways from the Episode

🩷Personal Experiences with 12-Step: Molly Carmel shares her transformative journey through OA (Overeaters Anonymous), from initial skepticism to finding a foundation for her spirituality and emotional recovery. Meanwhile, Clarissa Kennedy reflects on how her experience with AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) differed, highlighting challenges like shame and fear-mongering but also discussing how she found support in alternative recovery programs like Women for Sobriety and Monument.

🩷The Power of Community: All three hosts agree on the vital importance of community in recovery, whether through 12-step programs or other support networks. They emphasize the value of finding what works best for each individual.

🩷Trusting Yourself in Recovery: This episode tackles balancing outside advice with self-trust. The hosts discuss the importance of listening to your inner wisdom while navigating the complexities of recovery programs.

🩷Finding the Right Fit: Whether exploring different meetings, seeking out supportive sponsors, or finding alternative programs, the hosts encourage listeners to stay curious and keep searching until they find the right recovery environment.

🩷Practical Advice for Recovery: From learning tolerance and humility to understanding the neurobiology of addiction, this episode is packed with actionable advice for those in any stage of their recovery journey.

Episode Highlights

🩷Molly Carmel's candid story of reluctantly joining OA and how it became the foundation for her spiritual and emotional recovery.

🩷Clarissa's experience of leaving AA and finding healing in alternative programs felt more compassionate and empowering.

🩷The hosts' discussion on the pitfalls of diet culture infiltrating food-based recovery groups and the importance of rejecting shame-based approaches.

🩷Practical advice for interviewing sponsors, navigating challenging recovery environments, and staying open to new possibilities.

We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts on this episode, and let us know what topics you'd like us to cover next. 

Please email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com. We're here to support you on your recovery journey.

🩷Stay Connected
Follow The Food Shrinks for more insights, personal stories, and expert advice on food addiction recovery. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps us reach more listeners like you!

Resources Mentioned
🩷Overeaters Anonymous (OA)
🩷Women for Sobriety
🩷Monument: An online recovery community for alcohol addiction
🩷Sweet Sobriety: A supportive community for food addiction recovery

Tune in, stay curious, and remember—you're not alone on this journey. Let's recover together!

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com 
Website: www.foodshrinks.com 
Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

Ever wondered whether stepping on the scale supports or sabotages your food recovery? This week on Food Shrinks, we're tackling this tricky topic head-on! Today, the Shrinks discuss the complexities of weighing oneself during recovery, the potential triggers, and the importance of tailoring recovery to individual needs.

Key discussions include:
🔥The dangers of focusing on weight loss over recovery.
🔥How scales can act as triggers and distractions for those in recovery.
🔥The power of spiritual and emotional growth in stabilizing recovery.
🔥Understanding recovery non-negotiables for long-term success.

Takeaways:
🔥Recovery over weight loss: Focusing solely on weight can undermine recovery. Prioritize healing and stability.
🔥The role of the scale: Weighing oneself can be helpful but must be approached with caution, neutrality, and clear intent.
🔥Patience with weight stalls: A stall in weight loss may require patience, medical intervention, or acceptance—it's a journey, not a race.
🔥Tailored recovery: Every individual's journey is unique; avoid cookie-cutter solutions and work with an experienced practitioner.
🔥Self-care is key: Regular routines, mindfulness, and support systems are essential to maintaining recovery and mental health.
🔥Recovery non-negotiables: Identify daily practices that keep you grounded and focused on long-term healing.

We want to hear from you! Do you weigh yourself as part of your recovery, or have you let go of the scale? Please share your thoughts, questions, and recovery stories with us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com. Your feedback inspires our future episodes!

📩 Connect with us: Do you have ideas for future topics? Please send us an email or comment on our social platforms. Let's continue the conversation together!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Please stay connected for more honest conversations about recovery, tools, and hope.

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com 
Website: www.foodshrinks.com 
Instagram: @foodshrinks
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EURgLlAddwE

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

⚠️Please forgive the poor internet connection in this episode!

In today's episode, the Shrinks go off-script to discuss a topic that lit a fire in Molly C.'s heart last night while scrolling Instagram. This raw and authentic conversation unpacks the challenges, complexities, and nuances of navigating advice in the recovery and coaching space—especially when it comes to weight loss, bariatric surgery, and GLP-1 medications.

Molly C. shares her visceral reaction to a controversial Instagram post suggesting that people should only consider medical interventions after "getting straight with God." From there, the discussion evolves into exploring the fine line between empowerment and victim-blaming, the ethical responsibility of coaches and counselors, and the dangers of relying solely on personal experience without professional training.

Key Topics Discussed:

✴The importance of integrating spirituality, science, and evidence-based care in recovery journeys.

✴ People face vulnerabilities when seeking support and how predatory marketing can exploit that.

✴How to discern if a coach or counselor is qualified to provide the help you need—questions to ask and red flags to watch for. 

✴Why it's okay (and essential) to fire a professional who isn't serving your best interests.

✴The power of GLP-1 medications and bariatric surgery as tools for recovery and the myths and stigma surrounding them.

✴The broader cultural implications of moralizing health interventions and the importance of meeting people where they are.

Takeaways for Listeners:

✴There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to recovery. Every journey is unique, and the right tools vary for everyone.

✴It's vital to find practitioners who are trained, compassionate, and genuinely invested in your healing—not in keeping you sick.

✴Be wary of shame-based messaging that suggests you're not "doing enough" or "faithful enough" to heal.

✴Your recovery is valid, whether it includes medical interventions, spiritual growth, or a mix of both.

✴Always hold onto hope—healing is possible, and you deserve the best care and support available.

Listener Challenge: We'd love to hear your thoughts on this conversation! Have you experienced shame-based coaching? How do you choose the proper support in your recovery journey? Please share your insights and stories with us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com.

Resources Mentioned:

✴Questions to Ask a Coach or Counselor Before Working with Them (from a previous Food Junkies episode) https://www.foodjunkiespodcast.com/episodes/episode-151-molly-painschab-clarissa-kennedy-bethany-mazereeuw-what-to-look-for-in-a-counsellor

✴Dr. Rhona Epstein: A trusted Christian food addiction counselor with decades of experience. https://drrhona.com/

Follow Us: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Please stay connected for more honest conversations about recovery, tools, and hope.

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

Website: www.foodshrinks.com

Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com 
Website: www.foodshrinks.com 
Instagram: @foodshrinks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJz7uP8kmP4

In this episode of Food Shrinks, Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab sit down to unpack what it really takes to live—and thrive—in recovery while on the move. From European conferences to beach vacations, cross-country trips, and jam-packed social calendars, the Shrinks share how they balance life on the road with staying grounded in their recovery.

What We Talk About
• Recovery on the road: Why prioritizing recovery has to come first when routines and environments shift.
• Yellow light behaviors: How subtle slips (like bites, licks, and tastes) can creep in while traveling—and what to do about it.
• Food flexibility: The challenges of different food cultures, time zones, and access, and how to adapt without abandoning your plan.
• Practical tools: From stocking Airbnbs with groceries, packing Tupperware, and bringing along a fan for sleep, to scheduling meetings and workouts strategically.
• Emotional honesty: Jet lag, depression, comparison, and the courage it takes to honor vulnerability instead of pushing through.
• Takeaways: Why self-care, boundaries, and compassion matter as much as meal planning and meetings.

Key Insights
• Recovery is the priority—if it slips, everything else does too.
• Flexibility grows with time: What feels unsafe in early recovery may become manageable years later.
• Comparison kills: Everyone's recovery looks different—what matters is meeting your own needs, not matching someone else's.
• Future-you needs present-you's support: From meal prep to scheduling downtime, small acts of foresight pay off big.

Travel can be a gift of recovery—but only if you protect it. Tune in for candid stories, practical hacks, and heartfelt reflections on making recovery work wherever life takes you.

👉 Got a question or topic idea for the Shrinks? Email us at AskTheShrinks@FoodShrinks.com

If you enjoyed today's episode, please subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review—it helps others find the show and supports our growing community.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.
Transcript

Welcome back to another heartfelt episode of Food Shrinks! This week, we're diving deep into what triggers us and how they show up in our lives. It's Molly C.'s turn to share, and her honesty and vulnerability bring so much wisdom to the table.

Molly opens up about navigating big life transitions, like her recent move from North Carolina, back to the Northeast. She shares how underestimated stressors—like moving, saying goodbye, and caring for a sick pet—combined with her "I'm fine" coping mechanism led to a challenging time in her recovery journey.

Key highlights from the episode include:
•Navigating Big Life Changes: How Molly's move and life upheavals triggered unexpected behaviors and emotions.
•Facing the Scale and Reality: Molly's candid story of realizing she needed to reset her recovery plan after emotional eating and stress.
•The Importance of Asking for Help: Molly's decision to hire a coach, reframe her support system, and accept that even with 15 years of abstinence, there's always room for growth and guidance.
•Humility in Recovery: The humbling experience of needing to revisit basic tools, despite being a leader in the recovery space.
•Reframing Relapse: Why the term "recurrence" is a more compassionate and accurate way to describe returning to disordered behaviors in food addiction recovery.
•Embracing Imperfection: Life isn't about perfection, even in long-term recovery. Molly discusses how recognizing moments of chaos can lead to profound personal lessons.
•We also explore the importance of maintaining ongoing support, staying curious about your own behaviors, and embracing the idea that recovery isn't linear—it's a lifelong process of learning and growing.

Key Takeaways for Listeners:
•Recovery is a daily practice, not a destination.
•It's okay—and vital—to ask for help when you need it.
•Naming and normalizing struggles can be the most healing act.
•Life's challenges don't disappear; learning to navigate them with grace is what matters.

Thank you for tuning in and joining us on this journey. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might benefit from hearing it. Don't forget to rate and review—we love hearing from you!
See you next time, and remember: We're all in this together. 💜

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com 
Website: www.foodshrinks.com 
Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern. 

In this episode, The Shrinks dive deep into identifying and managing triggers on the path to recovery, with a special focus on insights from Molly P. We discuss how overwhelming schedules, feeling controlled, and people-pleasing tendencies can drive emotional eating or even binge-eating episodes. Molly reflects on her journey and the importance of recognizing when she's overextending herself, neglecting self-care, or shouldering more than she can bear—all classic triggers in her recovery.

Key takeaways include the value of setting boundaries and prioritizing yourself in the face of external demands. Our panel emphasizes creating space in your schedule for breaks and meals and urges listeners to pause and check in with themselves regularly, even if it's just for 10 minutes. This small act can help curb stress and prevent overwhelm.

A powerful theme emerges around vulnerability and the need for support in recovery. Whether it's scheduling short breaks, learning to say "no," or asking for help, these are essential skills for protecting one's mental and emotional health. Remember, self-care doesn't require perfection—it's about consistent, small steps that help you thrive. Join us as we explore the daily practices that contribute to a resilient recovery journey.

Watch now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOnmZOhF9Ts&t=1s Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share with others who might need these insights!

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com
Website: www.foodshrinks.com
Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode Clarissa shares one of her latest challenges in Food Addiction Recovery. The shrinks dive into a heartfelt and inspiring conversation about resilience and recovery in the face of unexpected health challenges. After Clarissa lost her sense of taste and smell due to long COVID, she found herself navigating a tricky path back to healthy eating and sobriety. She opens up about how these changes impacted her relationship with food, triggering old patterns and even leading to a brief return to use. 

Together, they explore how to keep a balanced food plan, manage fatigue, and find self-compassion through tough times. With supportive insights and practical strategies for maintaining routines when food loses its appeal, this episode is a beacon of hope and encouragement for anyone on a recovery journey. Tune in for a candid chat on the power of not feeling like you have to start over but instead just continuing on your recovery journey, leaning on support systems, and embracing self-care every step of the way.

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

Website: www.foodshrinks.com

Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

We're beyond excited to bring you real recovery talk with some of your closest friends. Welcome to Food Shrinks, where your hosts— Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab —serve up candid, compassionate conversations about food addiction, recovery, and finding true freedom with food.

In every episode, we dive deep into the messy, meaningful realities of healing your relationship with food. Drawing from years of clinical experience and personal insight, we share what we've learned, what's worked, and practical tools to guide you along your journey.

This is not just expert advice—it's real, raw, and honest talk among friends. We know that recovery isn't always a straight line, and we're here to embrace that truth. Whether you're unpacking diet culture, learning to trust yourself with food again, or still figuring out what works best for you, we'll walk this path together.

Join us for heartfelt conversations, actionable insights, and a space where you feel seen, supported, and empowered.

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

Website: www.foodshrinks.com

Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.