Learning how to support someone with an eating disorder with psychologist Meghan Gray

Trigger Warning: Please be advised that this episode contains discussions around eating disorders, complex trauma, and suicide. Should you now, or at any time during this episode, feel triggered by these discussions, please feel comfortable leaving this space at any time.

In this week’s episode, I am joined by psychologist and founder of Gray Mind Psychology, Meghan Gray to discuss how best to support someone with an eating disorder. Meghan has a background working in severe and complex trauma settings and has a particular interest in trauma-informed practice. Within her current work with eating disorders, Meghan focuses on helping individuals to develop a healthy sense of self and new ways of coping to enable them to separate from their eating disorder self and reconnect with a fulfilling and meaningful life once again.

We discuss:

• The difference between disordered eating and an eating disorder (4:40)
• Why people develop eating disorders (8:20) 
• Whether certain personality traits make people more susceptible to developing an eating disorder (15:14)
• What is happening inside the mind of someone with an eating disorder...why can’t they just ‘stop’? (17:15) 
• What treatment looks like for someone with an eating disorder (27:16)
• How to start a conversation with someone you think may be struggling with an eating disorder (34:16) 
• Things to avoid saying when speaking to someone who has an eating disorder (37:20)
• Is it better to start a conversation with someone and say the wrong thing? Or better to say nothing at all? (44:10) 
• Eating disorder recovery - What does it look like? How long does it take? (46:50)

Resources for family and friends
Nation Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC) 
Butterfly Foundation 

Resources for those with an eating disorder
8 Keys to Recovering from an Eating Disorder by Carolyn Costin (book)
Butterfly Foundation Helpline 1800 334 673
Lifeline Australia 13 11 14 

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