Fly To Freedom: The anorexia recovery podcast

• Episode 124: Tough Love, Real Self-Love: What It Really Means to Show Up for Yourself in Recovery

  In this episode of Fly to Freedom, I'm sharing the kind of self-love we don’t often talk about — the kind that doesn’t feel soft or sweet at first, but changes everything.This isn’t about face masks or bubble baths. This is about choosing freedom over comfort. It’s about acting like you matter, even when every voice in your head is telling you that you don’t.We explore what it means to practice self-love as a behaviour — not a mood, not a vibe, and definitely not something you wait to feel. We’ll talk about what rewiring the brain really looks like, why things feel fake before they feel real, and how your inner dialogue either builds or breaks down your self-belief.If you've ever thought:🌀 “I’m not ready.”🌀 “This feels fake.”🌀 “It’s easier to stay where I am.”Then this episode is a wake-up call rooted in compassion, neuroscience, and truth.You’ll learn:Why self-love starts with action, not beliefHow to rewire your brain through small, consistent choicesWhat ‘limbic friction’ is and why it makes new behaviours feel wrongHow to speak to yourself in ways that calm your nervous system and support recoveryWhat happens when you stop waiting to feel ready and start acting like you're already enoughAnd I’ll also share the real behind-the-scenes of my own visibility journey — how I had to rewire the belief that it’s safer not to be seen, and how showing up became an act of love, not fear.💛 If you're feeling stuck in perfectionism, control, or self-abandonment… this is for you.Inside The Eating Disorder Recovery Circle, we do this work — not just talk about it.🌿 Monthly live coaching with me🌿 On-demand courses and recovery tools🌿 The Feelings Navigator to help you understand and process intense emotions🌿 Weekly recovery challenges🌿 A private, supportive chat space to connect with others who get it🌿 And the kind of truth, compassion and structure that helps you finally move forwardCome be part of something real.You don’t have to do this alone.👉 Join us here: https://www.edrecoverycircle.com/joinReady for support that actually changes things?

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• Episode 123: “Am I Doing Recovery Wrong?” Real Answers to the Hardest Questions

  This is a special joint Q&A episode with my brilliant friend Victoria from The Body Love Binge, where we answer real recovery questions from our communities. We’re covering so much in this conversation — from getting your period back, to setting boundaries with family, understanding set point theory, challenging intuitive eating rules, and what recovery fatigue really means.If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re doing recovery “right”, feared that eating without hunger will mean endless weight gain, or just needed to hear two people who’ve been through it talk honestly — this one’s for you.⏱️ Listener Questions & Timestamps:[03:01] “What can I do to get my period back?”Georgia asked about restoring her period after 10 years. I share why rest, nervous system regulation and patience are key, and how you don’t need to force-feed yourself — your body already knows how to heal.[10:30] “How do I deal with body comments or judgments from my elderly parents?”We talk about the emotional impact of family comments, how to set boundaries with consequences, and why healing the inner child matters so much in these moments.[19:34] “Is intuitive eating secretly diet culture? Why does it feel so contradictory?”We unpack the truth about intuitive eating — how it can become another rulebook, and why real food freedom means trusting yourself, not following guidelines.[28:46] “Will I keep gaining weight if I eat when I’m not hungry?”I share my own experience with set point theory, why trying to stay at the low end of your ‘range’ backfires, and how eating freely will always stabilise when you're truly at peace with food.[37:10] “Why are some people in very large bodies? Doesn’t that mean they eat too much?”This one gets to the heart of weight stigma. We talk about trauma, shame, emotional coping, bingeing vs restriction, and why body size isn’t a simple equation of input and output.[46:30] “Why am I so exhausted now that I’m finally eating?”I’ve lived this one — the deep, bone-tired fatigue that hits when the eating disorder lets go. I explain why it’s part of recovery, what’s happening in the body, and why it's not something to fight against.[51:15] “Can binge eating become a bad habit after recovery?”Victoria answers beautifully here — the difference between bingeing and emotional eating, how habits aren’t bad unless shame is involved, and why full permission is what leads to true choice.[59:01] “What challenges do you still face in life after recovery?”We both open up about the things we’re navigating now — from motherhood and visibility to self-expression and the ongoing journey of growth beyond recovery.If you’re looking for real support from people who’ve been there and truly get it, The Eating Disorder Recovery Circle is here for you. It’s a unique community of people at all stages of recovery, supporting each other through the mess, the milestones, and everything in between.Inside, you’ll find:Monthly coaching calls with opportunities for 1:1 supportThe Feelings Navigator to guide you through tough emotionsLive workshops and expert-led coursesDozens of how-to recovery guides (like how to eat at a buffet or go to a restaurant without fear)On-demand recovery resources, including Overcoming the Fear of Weight Gain👉 Come join us: https://www.edrecoverycircle.com/join🎤 Want to submit a question?If you're in the Circle, you can drop your question right inside — I always prioritise those first.You can also find a question box on my Instagram Story highlights.And if you’re in Victoria’s free group, she takes questions there for our joint episodes too.If this episode helped you, please take a moment to rate, review and share it — you never know who might need to hear this today.💛 You don’t have to do this alone.

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• Episode 122: Sex, Shame and Learning to Feel Again in Recovery

  In this powerful and tender episode of Fly to Freedom, I’m opening up about something that so many people in eating disorder recovery experience but rarely speak about: intimacy.When your body is changing and you’re learning to feel again, sex and closeness can stir up shame, fear, and deep vulnerability. You might question your worth, wonder how to be seen in your new body, or feel overwhelmed by returning desire. You might even feel numb, disconnected, or unsure how to let someone close when you’re still trying to come home to yourself.This conversation was inspired by a beautiful message I received from someone in recovery—and from my own experience. If you’re struggling with intimacy, please know: you are not broken, and you are not alone.In this episode, we explore:Why intimacy often felt performative or disconnected during the eating disorderHow disconnection, people-pleasing and body shame show up in sexWhat it means when your sex drive disappears… and when it comes rushing backThe nervous system truth behind sudden desire (and why it can feel like extreme hunger)How to stop performing and start feeling again—on your own termsRebuilding safety in your body through small, gentle stepsCommunicating with your partner when you feel too exposed, too emotional, or not enoughLetting intimacy evolve into something real, raw, and deeply healingThis episode is a love letter to anyone who feels confused or overwhelmed by intimacy in recovery. It’s not about getting it perfect—it’s about allowing yourself to be present, vulnerable, and loved just as you are.If you’re feeling messy, unsure or alone in this part of recovery, this is for you.Resources & Support🌿 Join the Eating Disorder Recovery Circle – a private, supportive community where we talk honestly about every part of recovery, including intimacy🌿 Looking for more personal support? Apply for 1:1 coaching with me🌿 Explore the Feelings Navigator to support yourself through discomfort: https://www.edrecoverycircle.com/how-are-you-feeling

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• Episode 121: Breaking the Cycle: Understanding and Healing Purging Behaviours with Dr Rachel Evans

  In this powerful episode of Fly to Freedom, I’m joined by someone whose story and work I deeply admire—Dr Rachel Evans. Rachel is a chartered psychologist, hypnotherapist, and podcast host with her own lived experience of bulimia recovery. Known for her compassionate and trauma-informed approach, she supports individuals who feel trapped in cycles of food obsession, body hatred, purging, and compulsive exercise.Together, we explore a part of eating disorders that often lives in the shadows—purging behaviours. Whether it’s vomiting, laxatives, or over-exercising, these actions often feel impossible to stop. Rachel opens up about her personal journey through restriction, bingeing, and purging, revealing the emotional layers, life pressures, and deep-rooted fears that fed her eating disorder.We discuss:How control, perfectionism, and fear of rejection can fuel purging behavioursWhy purging often becomes a coping mechanism beyond just ‘getting rid of food’The physical and emotional impact of purging on the body and mindThe turning point that made Rachel say “enough” and begin true healingHow to begin understanding your own urges to purge with curiosity, not shameThe role of identity, academic pressure, and self-worth in recoveryWhy awareness and self-compassion are the first steps to lasting changeRachel’s story is a testament to what’s possible when we stop fighting symptoms and start listening to what they’re trying to tell us. Whether you’re struggling with purging yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode offers validation, insight, and hope.You can find Rachel on Instagram at @rachel.evans.phd or visit her website at eatingdisordertherapist.co.uk to explore her work and book a free consultation.Julia will also be appearing on Rachel’s podcast soon—so stay tuned!Julia Trehane is a specialist anorexia recovery coach who blends lived experience with compassionate, practical tools to help others achieve full freedom from eating disorders. To access workshops, courses, community support and 24/7 recovery tools, join The Eating Disorder Recovery Circle today: www.edrecoverycircle.com/joinKeywords: bulimia recovery, purging behaviours, compulsive exercise, binge purge cycle, eating disorder recovery, emotional healing, trauma-informed, body image, laxative abuse, stop purging, overcome bulimia, eating disorder therapist

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• Episode 120: When Anorexia and Recovery Feel Like Two Equal Loves

  This episode of Fly to Freedom is a heartfelt answer to a listener question that echoes what so many people feel in eating disorder recovery: How do I find the willpower to recover when it feels like I love both anorexia and recovery?If you’ve ever felt torn—like you're standing between two lives, both calling your name—this episode is for you.I’m sitting down with you, heart to heart, to explore the unbearable split that can happen in recovery. When one part of you is desperate for peace and freedom, and another part is still clinging to the eating disorder, it can feel like choosing between two identities, two versions of love, or two paths that both feel vital.But what if it’s not willpower that you need?What if it’s clarity?In this episode, I share:Why it’s not weakness to feel torn between recovery and anorexiaWhat’s really going on in your brain, body, and nervous system that keeps you attached to the eating disorderWhy anorexia often feels like love, but is actually a trauma bond disguised as safetyHow to begin choosing recovery even when you don’t feel readyA powerful journaling practice and practical steps to take when you feel stuckThe difference between survival mode and fully living—and why you deserve so much more than just survivingWhether you’re at the very start of recovery or deep in the messy middle, this episode is a loving invitation to see things more clearly, to stop waiting for courage to arrive, and to begin choosing yourself again and again.You don’t need more willpower.You need support. You need truth. You need love.And you’re allowed to take the next step—even if your hands are shaking.Resources & Support🌱 Come and be held in the Eating Disorder Recovery Circle — our private, compassionate recovery community filled with people who truly get it.💬 If this episode brought something up for you, feel free to reach out on Instagram or email me your thoughts or questions — I love hearing from you.🎧 And if you're ready for deeper, personalised support, I currently have a few 1:1 coaching spaces available.You don’t have to figure this out alone. You never did.And you were always enough—just as you are.

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