Village Counseling

Podcast with Katy Harvey, Non-Diet Dietitian

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:06:56 GMT

Podcast with Katy Harvey, Non-Diet Dietitian

Episode description from Spotify

Episode 260 | What Does "Having a Healthy Relationship with Food and Your Body" Actually Mean?

What does it actually mean to have a healthy relationship with food and your body?

Is it eating nutritious foods most of the time? Never overeating? Loving your body? Not caring about your weight? And how do you know when your attempts to be "healthy" are actually starting to work against you?

In this episode, I'm joined by Donna Friedman, a licensed professional counselor and eating disorder specialist who brings a unique perspective through her clinical expertise, her own lived experience with an eating disorder, and her experience as a parent.

We talk about what a genuinely healthy relationship with food and body looks like, where the line falls between dieting, disordered eating, and an eating disorder, and some of the behaviors around food, weight, and exercise that our culture considers completely "normal" but may actually be cause for concern.

Donna also shares why letting go of intentional weight loss can feel so threatening, what people misunderstand about body image, why changing your body doesn't necessarily change how you feel about it, and the less obvious signs that your pursuit of health may be costing you more than you realize.

If you've ever wondered, "Okay, but what am I actually trying to get TO with intuitive eating and body image work?" this conversation will help you see what a healthier, more peaceful relationship with food and your body can actually look like in real life.

Episode Highlights:

-What a genuinely healthy relationship with food and your body actually looks like and how to know what you're working toward beyond simply "not dieting."

-Where the line falls between dieting, disordered eating, and an eating disorder, including behaviors our culture praises as "healthy" that may actually be concerning.

-Why changing your body doesn't necessarily improve body image, and why letting go of intentional weight loss can feel so threatening even when you know dieting isn't working.

Listen Here:

Spotify

Podcast with Maureen Kritzer-Lange MSW, LCSW

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 15:59:34 GMT

My Secret Life with an Eating Disorder ft. Donna

Episode description from Spotify

EP 127 EATING DISORDER: PAIN TO PURPOSE | In Conversation with Donna Friedman, MS, LPC

What happens when the patient becomes the therapist—and uses her own pain to help others find hope? In this powerful episode of My Secret Life with an Eating Disorder, Maureen Kritzer-Lange welcomes Donna Friedman, MS, LPC, for a deeply personal conversation about anorexia, survival, and turning lived experience into professional purpose. Donna opens up about life-threatening illness, repeated hospitalizations, treatment that left her feeling dismissed, and the moment she recognized an eating disorder in her own son. Together, they explore the emotional realities behind the diagnosis, the pressures of social media, and why recovery looks different for everyone. Hear how one doctor’s unexpected words of compassion helped Donna feel truly seen—and why she refuses to give up on hope. Listen to the full episode for an honest conversation about finding your voice, reclaiming your life, and offering others the understanding you once needed.

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Donna Friedman, MS, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor, eating disorder advocate, and speaker who brings both clinical expertise and personal experience with anorexia to her work. Based in Charleston, South Carolina, she helps individuals and families navigate recovery with compassion and connection. Her message: every person’s recovery journey is unique, and a meaningful life beyond an eating disorder is possible.

Donna founded the Medical University of South Carolina Center for Eating Disorders in 2016 and has served in leadership and advisory roles with organizations including the Academy for Eating Disorders and Project HEAL. Through her writing and speaking, she champions the importance of lived experience in clinical care—helping others understand the person beyond the diagnosis.

Podcast Produced by: David Alan Kogut - Star Equity Group

To listen:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/33m6RxZuYeWdvQbFImFLbf

iHeartMedia: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-my-secret-life-with-an-eat-80570462/episode/ep-127-eating-disorder-pain-to-purpose-in-conversation-with-donna-friedman-ms-lpc-343606074

Copy of Blog Post Title

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 10:36:18 GMT

The Nine Truths About Eating Disorders

Truth #1: Many people with eating disorders look healthy, yet may be extremely ill.
Truth #2: Families are not to blame, and can be the patients’ and providers’ best allies in treatment.
Truth #3: An eating disorder diagnosis is a health crisis that disrupts personal and family functioning.
Truth #4: Eating disorders are not choices, but serious biologically influenced illnesses.
Truth #5: Eating disorders affect people of all genders, ages, races, ethnicities, body shapes and weights, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic statuses.
Truth #6: Eating disorders carry an increased risk for both suicide and medical complications.
Truth #7: Genes and environment play important roles in the development of eating disorders.
Truth #8: Genes alone do not predict who will develop eating disorders.
Truth #9: Full recovery from an eating disorder is possible. Early detection and intervention are important.