In this episode of the Inclusive Movement and Nutrition podcast, host Maggie Lawler is joined by Sean Blake and Deirdre Reddan to discuss the complexities of eating disorders, the importance of family support in recovery, and the unique challenges faced during the holiday season. They explore how families can navigate these challenges, the significance of planning, and the need for awareness and education around eating disorders. The conversation emphasizes the importance of language, the impact of societal pressures, and the hope for recovery, encouraging listeners to approach the topic with compassion and understanding.

takeaways

• Families play a crucial role in the recovery process.
• Recovery is a journey of self-discovery and understanding.
• The holiday season can amplify challenges for those with eating disorders.
• Routine is essential for individuals in recovery.
• Planning ahead for family gatherings can alleviate anxiety.
• Conversations about food and body image should be approached with care.
• Eating disorders can manifest in various ways and are not always visible.
• Education and awareness are vital in combating stigma around eating disorders.
• Language used around food and body image can significantly impact individuals.
• There is hope for recovery, and it is possible to find peace away from anxiety.

Seán Blake is a Shine ambassador and his story has been featured on the documentary Anorexia, My Family & Me, which is available on the RTÉ Player.

Deirdre Reddan works with Zuzanna Gajowiec, in SupportED Families. Together they help parents, partners, friends and family members to understand the important role that they play in their loved one’s eating disorder recovery and, teach them tools and techniques so that they can provide help and support.

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In this episode, Maggie Lawler sits down with Laura Casey and Alicia Woods from Lois Bridges Treatment Centre to discuss eating disorder treatment in Ireland. This conversation provides valuable insights into how treatment works, what to expect when reaching out for help, and the importance of multidisciplinary care for eating disorders.

Episode Highlights

• Accessing Treatment: Learn about the different pathways to treatment including HSE funding, private health insurance, and GP referrals
• Treatment Options: Understanding the difference between inpatient, day patient, outpatient, and virtual programs
• The First Contact: What happens when you reach out for help for the first time
• Real-World Challenges: How treatment prepares people to navigate diet culture and weight-centric messaging while in recovery
• Body Image Work: The importance of body image groups and learning to manage triggers in everyday life
• Multidisciplinary Care: The role of psychiatrists, psychologists, dietitians, nurses, and other specialists in eating disorder treatment
• Beyond BMI: Why BMI is not an accurate measure of health and the importance of holistic care
• Societal Impact: Discussion of how social media, influencers, and GLP1 medications are affecting eating disorders

Guest Information

Laura - Director of Services at Lois Bridges Alicia Woods - Clinical Nurse Specialist at Lois Bridges

Contact Lois Bridges

Phone: 01 2107906

Website: https://loisbridges.ie

Instagram: @loisbridgesdublin

Referrals can be made by GPs, therapists, dietitians, or individuals can reach out directly. The team is available to answer questions via phone call, text, email, or WhatsApp.

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They explore how sensory sensitivities, trauma, and social expectations can all influence eating behaviours, and how current cultural norms—both in parenting and the wellness industry—can unintentionally worsen disordered eating.

Key Highlights

• What is ARFID and why it’s often misdiagnosed or overlooked.
• How ARFID shows up differently from anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder.
• The intersection of neurodivergence and disordered eating.
• Why pushing “healthy” food in schools or home settings can backfire.
• How fitness and nutrition culture often ignores individual sensory and psychological needs.
• What workplaces and professionals can do to support, not shame.

Trigger Warning: This episode contains conversations about depression, mental health issues, and eating disorders. Please take care while listening.

About Dr. Marianne 

Dr. Marianne Miller is a licensed therapist based in California, specialising in eating disorders including ARFID, binge eating disorder, bulimia, and anorexia. She takes a neurodivergent-affirming, trauma-informed, and sensory-attuned approach to therapy, working with both teens and adults. In addition to her clinical practice, she offers online courses, resources, and hosts the podcast Dr. Marianne Land, where she shares compassionate, practical insights into eating disorders and mental health.

Connect with Maggie:

Instagram: drmariannemiller

Website:www.drmariannemiller.com

About Maggie:

Maggie is the owner of Simple Strength Leixlip, a size-inclusive gym in Ireland that prioritizes evidence-based, non-diet approaches to movement. She’s passionate about creating welcoming, empowering spaces for people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities

Connect with Maggie:

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/inclusive_movement_nutrition/

Business IG: https://www.instagram.com/simple.strength.leixlip/

Website: https://simplestrengthleixlip.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sean has become a prominent voice in mental health advocacy, working with organizations like Shine, Mental Health Ireland, Supported Families and St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services. His mission is to break the silence around eating disorders, particularly in men, and highlight the role that compulsive exercise can play in their development and persistence.

Key Highlights

• How Sean’s disordered eating began long before he realized it
• The social praise and validation that fueled his excessive running
• When exercise stopped being healthy and became harmful
• His turning point: burnout, secrecy, and the need for help
• The unspoken risks of fitness culture, step challenges, and “clean eating”
• The emotional toll on his family, especially his wife
• Why running clubs, gyms, and workplaces need better awareness
• What helped in recovery—including therapy, dietitians, and self-compassion
• Sean’s advice for coaches, fitness instructors, and everyday exercisers

If you’re a coach, parent, fitness lover or anyone navigating conversations around health and body image, this is an essential listen. Sean’s story brings to light how disordered behaviours can be hidden in plain sight, masked by our culture’s obsession with fitness and weight loss.

About Sean:

Sean Blake is a mental health advocate and lived-experience speaker based in Ireland. After years of struggling with an eating disorder—one that was deeply entangled with compulsive exercise—Sean began sharing his story to raise awareness and reduce stigma, particularly around eating disorders in men. Sean’s advocacy is rooted in honesty, vulnerability, and a drive to create more compassionate, informed spaces in fitness, healthcare, and everyday life.

Connect with Sean:

Instagram

Visit the #EDinformed campaign for fitness and health professionals

About Maggie:

Maggie is the owner of Simple Strength Leixlip, a size-inclusive gym in Ireland that prioritizes evidence-based, non-diet approaches to movement. She’s passionate about creating welcoming, empowering spaces for people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities.

Connect with Maggie:

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/inclusive_movement_nutrition/

Business IG: https://www.instagram.com/simple.strength.leixlip/

Website: https://simplestrengthleixlip.com/

Resources Mentioned:

• BodyWhys
• Shine Mental Health Support
• Patrick’s Mental Health Services
• Mental Health Ireland

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Through raw reflection, Maggie explores how even the most celebrated wellness behaviors—like running during pregnancy—can become unhealthy when driven by fear, perfectionism, or internalized pressure. She also challenges common fitness narratives around confidence, “bouncing back,” and mental health, offering a compassionate reminder that movement should serve you, not control you.

Key Highlights

• How postpartum running became a coping mechanism for undiagnosed postnatal depression
• The subtle shift from “healthy habits” to obsessive exercise and the fear that drove it
• Why running during pregnancy wasn’t about fitness but about control and fear of stopping
• The dark side of “bounce back” praise and how external validation fed unhealthy behaviors
• Red flags in your relationship with exercise and why obsession is often mistaken for discipline

If this episode resonates with you or someone you know, please share it. Let’s change the conversation around exercise and motherhood.

About Maggie:

Maggie is the owner of Simple Strength Leixlip, a size-inclusive gym in Ireland that prioritizes evidence-based, non-diet approaches to movement. She’s passionate about creating welcoming, empowering spaces for people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities

Connect with Maggie:

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/inclusive_movement_nutrition/

Business IG: https://www.instagram.com/simple.strength.leixlip/

Website: https://simplestrengthleixlip.com/

Mental Health Support Ireland

HSE Mental Health Services

• Website: HSE.ie or YourMentalHealth.ie
• Freephone: 1800 929 539 

St Patrick's Mental Health Services

• Website: stpatricks.ie
• Phone: (01) 249 3200

Mental Health Ireland

• Address: Marina House, 11-13 Clarence Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
• Website: mentalhealthireland.ie

Perinatal Mental Health

HSE Specialist Perinatal Mental Health

• Access through HSE mental health services or your GP
• Website: HSE.ie

Body Image & Eating Disorder Support

Bodywhys - The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland

• Helpline: (01) 2107906
• Website: bodywhys.ie
• Address: PO Box 105, Blackrock, Co Dublin

St Patrick's Eating Disorders Programme

• Phone: (01) 249 3200
• Website: stpatricks.ie

Eating Disorder Clinic Ireland

• Website: eatingdisorderclinic.ie

Crisis Support

• Samaritans: 116 123 (free, 24/7)
• Text HELLO to 50808 (free crisis text line)

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This conversation explores why food is never just food, and how “healthy choices” are often rooted in privilege, perfectionism, and fear. 

Key Highlights:

• Why processed food isn’t inherently bad, and can be life-changing for people with dietary needs.
• How “better-for-you” messaging reinforces shame, ableism, and food privilege.
• The emotional and mental load of trying to eat “perfectly” (especially for parents)
• Why intention matters more than ingredients, and how to reclaim peace with food.

If you've ever felt guilty about your food shop or caught yourself overthinking every label, this one’s for you.

Please hit subscribe, rate & review the podcast, and share it with a friend, colleague, or client who’s exploring life beyond diet culture.

About Laura:

Join Laura in person on the 26th July in Rathcoffey Co. Kildare for a retreat for people in bigger bodies who want to practice accessible yoga in an authentic and affirming atmosphere.

https://www.lauradoyle.ie/pages/biggerbodiesretreat

Laura Doyle is a trauma-informed yoga and meditation teacher who helps women in bigger bodies reconnect with themselves through movement, rest, and radical self-compassion. Her work gently invites you to step away from shame, perfectionism, and the quiet grip of diet culture—and into practices that feel nourishing, supportive, and deeply human.

She’s the founder of Move ~ Breathe ~ Belong, a soon-to-launch membership that offers short, soul-soothing yoga and meditation practices designed for real life. Laura’s approach is warm, welcoming, and rooted in the belief that your body is not a problem to fix—it’s a place to come home to.

Connect with Laura: 

Website: https://www.lauradoyle.ie/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulfullylaura/

About Maggie:

Maggie is the owner of Simple Strength Leixlip, a size-inclusive gym in Ireland that prioritizes evidence-based, non-diet approaches to movement. She’s passionate about creating welcoming, empowering spaces for people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities

Connect with Maggie:

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/inclusive_movement_nutrition/

Business IG: https://www.instagram.com/simple.strength.leixlip/

Website: https://simplestrengthleixlip.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aoife shares her personal journey of navigating disordered eating, compulsive exercise, and poor body image, and how healing her relationship with food became the catalyst for helping others do the same. Together, they explore how body image isn’t just about appearance. It’s about identity, self-worth, and liberation.

Key Highlights:

• How body image is learned and how early messaging from family, media & society shapes how we see ourselves
• The importance of understanding the deeper psychological aspects behind eating behaviors.
• The toxic role of weight stigma in healthcare and why it’s often a barrier to true health.
• How to start challenging internalised fatphobia and self-criticism.
• Practical tips for improving body image, including self-awareness and challenging negative thoughts.

Please hit subscribe, leave a 5 star rating & review, and share with a friend, client, or colleague who’s ready to explore a life beyond body shame and diet rules.

About Aoife:

Aoife O’Brien is a registered nutritionist and body image coach helping people reconnect with their bodies and build a peaceful relationship with food. Drawing from lived experience and professional training, Aoife supports clients through a non-diet, weight-neutral lens that prioritizes compassion, autonomy, and healing.

Connect with Aoife: 

Website:https://www.aobcoaching.ie/ 

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aob.coaching/ 

About Maggie:

Maggie is the owner of Simple Strength Leixlip, a size-inclusive gym in Ireland that prioritizes evidence-based, non-diet approaches to movement. She’s passionate about creating welcoming, empowering spaces for people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities

Connect with Maggie:

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/inclusive_movement_nutrition/

Business IG: https://www.instagram.com/simple.strength.leixlip/

Website: https://simplestrengthleixlip.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Through honest reflections on postnatal depression, fad dieting, and years of being disconnected from movement, Maggie shares how she learned to show up imperfectly, and how that philosophy became the foundation of Simple Strength Leixlip.

Key Highlights:

• How becoming a mother shook her identity (and sparked a mental health awakening)
• Why traditional fitness spaces can feel alienating and exclusive
• The transformational power of movement without diet culture
• What it really means to support postpartum health (without pressure to "bounce back")

Whether you’re navigating body image after motherhood, struggling with fitness perfectionism, or just trying to rebuild trust with yourself, this episode is for you.

If this episode resonated with you, hit subscribe, rate & review the podcast, and share it with a friend, colleague, or client who’s exploring life beyond diet culture.

About Maggie:

Maggie is the owner of Simple Strength Leixlip, a size-inclusive gym in Ireland that prioritizes evidence-based, non-diet approaches to movement. She’s passionate about creating welcoming, empowering spaces for people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities

Connect with Maggie:

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/inclusive_movement_nutrition/

Business IG: https://www.instagram.com/simple.strength.leixlip/

Website: https://simplestrengthleixlip.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Together, they unpack how wellness culture, fitness spaces, and even body positivity can sometimes reinforce the very things they aim to dismantle. This is a deep, honest, and incredibly validating conversation for anyone seeking liberation from diet culture.

Key Highlights:

• Laura shares her journey through binge eating, body dysmorphia, and finding healing through yoga.
• Insight into how diet culture has “shape-shifted” into wellness and lifestyle narratives.
• The co-opting of body positivity by diet culture – and why that’s so harmful.
• Why praise for weight loss can be one of the most damaging reinforcements of body hierarchy.
• Rebuilding trust in your body and your hunger after years of external control.
• How strength training and embodied movement in inclusive spaces rebuilds agency and confidence.
• The importance of noticing, pausing, and honest reflection in healing – and how Laura uses internal cues to spot when support is needed.

If this episode resonated with you, hit subscribe, rate & review the podcast, and share it with a friend, colleague, or client who’s exploring life beyond diet culture.

About Laura:

Laura Doyle is a trauma-informed yoga and meditation teacher who helps women in bigger bodies reconnect with themselves through movement, rest, and radical self-compassion. Her work gently invites you to step away from shame, perfectionism, and the quiet grip of diet culture—and into practices that feel nourishing, supportive, and deeply human.

She’s the founder of Move ~ Breathe ~ Belong, a soon-to-launch membership that offers short, soul-soothing yoga and meditation practices designed for real life. Laura’s approach is warm, welcoming, and rooted in the belief that your body is not a problem to fix—it’s a place to come home to.

Connect with Laura: 

Website: https://www.lauradoyle.ie/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulfullylaura/

About Maggie:

Maggie is the owner of Simple Strength Leixlip, a size-inclusive gym in Ireland that prioritizes evidence-based, non-diet approaches to movement. She’s passionate about creating welcoming, empowering spaces for people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities

Connect with Maggie:

Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/inclusive_movement_nutrition/

Business IG: https://www.instagram.com/simple.strength.leixlip/

Website: https://simplestrengthleixlip.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Connect with our guest: Jess at Willow Nutrition Instagram: @willow_nutrition Website: willownutrition.ie Email: jess@willownutrition.ie

This episode is brought to you by Simple Strength Leixlip A weight-inclusive gym in Leixlip, Co. Kildare Host: Maggie Lawler Website: simplestrength.ie

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can find Coach Damali liftoffstrength.ca

This podcast is sponsored by Simple Strength Leixlip.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.