Stop, Collaborate, and Listen

✨ Episode Summary: America’s Next Top Model shaped a generation’s body image. In this episode, Jen and Allison are joined by fellow CCN clinician, Brenna Banard, LMHC, to take a critical look at America’s Next Top Model and its lasting impact on body image, eating disorder risk, and media ethics. We unpack how the show normalized extreme beauty standards, reinforced diet culture, and exposed contestants to harmful power dynamics an...

✨ Episode Summary: Intuitive eating gets talked about a lot — and misunderstood even more. In this episode, we’re slowing things down and having a real, nuanced conversation about what intuitive eating actually is (and what it definitely isn’t).

We break down the foundations, unpack common myths, and explore how intuitive eating can be adapted — especially for folks navigating eating disorder recovery, trauma, or years of diet cultu...

✨ Episode Summary: Can diabetes care be approached from a non-diet,  weight-neutral lens? In today’s episode, Jen and Allison break down what actually matters for blood sugar management, including natural fluctuations, how tools like continuous glucose monitors can help, and the role of consistent nourishment. They unpack diabetes stigma, common misconceptions, and the role diet culture and the wellness industry play in shame and c...

✨ Episode Summary: What can the Olympics teach us about eating disorder awareness, autonomy, and the scrutiny placed on women’s bodies? Using recent conversations in elite sports as a starting point, Jen and Allison unpack how female athletes’ bodies are often publicly judged, privately criticized, and politically weaponized. The discussion highlights how performance culture, body surveillance, and societal expectations intersect w...

✨ Episode Summary: What happens when eating disorder recovery support isn’t enough — but you don’t need a higher level of care?

In this episode, we talk about the often-overlooked “in-between” stage of eating disorder recovery, when weekly outpatient therapy doesn’t feel like enough but returning to higher levels of care doesn’t feel right either.

The conversation also introduces the Transitional Recovery Program (TRP) — a new evenin...

✨ Episode Summary: In this episode, we are joined by CCN therapist and former school counselor, Michelle Butler, LCSW, to explore the often-misunderstood role of school counselors in supporting youth mental health. We talk about how school environments shape body image and eating disorder risk, what counselors actually do behind the scenes, and how schools can become safer, more supportive spaces for students. We also explore h...

✨ Episode Summary: In this episode, we are joined by Farah Myers, FNP, DipACLM, nurse practitioner and direct primary care provider, to unpack how weight stigma shows up in healthcare—and why it causes real harm. We explore how weight-centric care can delay diagnoses, overlook eating disorders, and erode trust between patients and providers. This conversation highlights the mental health impacts of weight stigma, the benefits of di...

✨ Episode Summary: In this episode, we explore communication in romantic relationships through a trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming lens. Joined by a couple's therapist, Sara Blacklidge, LPCC, we unpack why communication breaks down, how emotional regulation and safety shape conflict, and what happens when ADHD, neurodivergence, or eating disorders are part of the relationship dynamic.

We discuss common misunderstandings ...

✨ Episode Summary: Buckle up, because we are diving into all things GLP-1s in today’s episode! We take a critical look at GLP-1 medications—cutting through the hype to examine their mental health impacts, weight-loss marketing, and lack of long-term data. We unpack “food noise” as a mental health concern, the systemic pressures driving weight-centric care, and why GLP-1s can pose real risks for people with eating disorders. This ep...

✨ Episode Summary: In this episode, Jen and Allison are joined by Wren Buse, a board-certified music therapist, to explore how music therapy can support emotional regulation, embodiment, and systemic liberation efforts like fat and body justice. Discover practical insights into how music can be a healing force for clients of all backgrounds.

🎶 Wren's Music Therapy and Body Image Support Group

Grab all the details and sign up ⁠HE...

✨ Episode Summary: 

In this episode, we’re joined by Lauren Harding, a therapist specializing in OCD and eating disorders, to unpack what OCD actually is—and what it isn’t. We discuss common misconceptions and why it so often overlaps with eating disorders. We explore the obsession–compulsion cycle, what effective treatment looks like, and why recovery isn’t about eliminating thoughts.

🧰 Takeaways:

• Recovery ≠ absence of intrusive...

✨ Episode Summary: 

Welcome back for Season 2 of Stop, Collaborate, and Listen! In this episode, we talk with our RD boss and favorite voice of reason, Lauren Rieker. And today’s episode is… a little spicier than usual. We’re talking about the new Dietary Guidelines that are being marketed as revolutionary… but in reality are confusing, misleading, and honestly kind of dangerous. 

In this conversation, we break down why these so-call...

✨ Episode Summary: 

In this season finale of the podcast, we reflect on our journey through the first season, discussing our favorite episodes, achievements, and the impact of celebrity culture on body image. We delve into the Hollywood thinness trend, the societal pressures surrounding body image, and the importance of navigating these conversations with care. 

🎧 Rate & Review:

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✨ Episode Summary: 

In this episode, we sit down with CCN dietitian Amber Riggin for a deep, honest conversation about the intersection of neurodivergence and nutrition — and why traditional “just try harder” advice fails so many ADHD, autistic, and otherwise neurodivergent folks.

Together, we unpack the real-life experiences behind labels, stigma, and support. We dig into how neurodivergence shapes eating patterns: sensory needs, ex...

✨ Episode Summary: In this episode, Jen and Allison sit down with fellow CCN clinician, Megan, to talk all things PCOS — what it is, what it isn’t, and how diet culture has totally distorted the conversation. We unpack the myths, the medical confusion, and the real-life impact PCOS has on body image, hormones, and mental health. Megan shares insights from her work with clients navigating PCOS and offers a grounded, compassionate ta...

✨ Episode Summary: In this episode, we break down the basics of Internal Family Systems (IFS) in a way that actually makes sense for real life and eating disorder recovery. We explore the inner “parts” we all have—like the perfectionist, the food police, the people-pleaser, the inner teen, the one who just wants to check out—and how they’re all trying to help us in their own ways, even when it doesn’t feel helpful.

Together, we talk...

✨Episode Summary: From Mean Girls to Love Island to the endless “hot girl” eras, diet culture has been hiding in plain sight — and pop culture’s been serving it up for decades.

In this episode, we take a nostalgic (and slightly cringe) walk down memory lane, unpacking how our favorite TV shows, movies, and celebrities shaped the way we think about bodies, food, and worth. We talk about early 2000s media moments that fueled disordere...

✨ Episode Summary: In this conversation, Collaborative Counseling and Nutrition owner and founder, Lauren Reiker, joins us to go back to the basics. We explore how food access, SNAP benefits, and food insecurity intersect with eating disorder recovery and gentle nutrition. Together, we unpack the realities of nourishing yourself (and supporting others) when access isn’t guaranteed, and share compassionate, practical ways to approac...

✨ Episode Summary:  “Love your body!” sounds great… until it doesn’t. In this episode, Jen and Allison sit down with Brenna Barnard, LMHC, a therapist from Collaborative Counseling and Nutrition, to talk about one of the most complicated relationships out there — the one we have with our bodies. Together, we unpack what body image really means, why “loving your body” can feel out of reach, and how the idea of body neutrality can of...