#125: We Can't Do This Alone: Body Grief, Recovery During Pregnancy, and Adult Friendships with Allyson Ford, MA, LPCC

Jul 15

The incredible Allyson Inez Ford joins me this week to discuss what pregnancy and post-partum is like when you are recovered from an eating disorder, how community can support us in times of change, and so much more.

This conversation will heal you. What started as an episode meant to be about recovery during pregnancy expanded into one that spans across our lifetime of healing. Allyson Inez Ford, MA, LPCC (also know as @bodyjustice.therapist on IG) joins Abbie in an episode that we all need to hear.

Topics include: Navigating body grief, how white supremacy fuels eating disorders, Allyson's experience as a multiracial child, what it looks like to show up for your partner in recovery, the impact of chronic illness on disordered eating and body image, finding support through community, how to practice self-compassion in our hardest moments, losing friendships as an adult, coping with life transitions that trigger ED behaviors, and continuing to move forward in the face of all that life throws at us.

Oh, and we talk about turkey sandwiches. Come for the body image talk, stay for the pregnancy support, and hang on even longer for the stuff that's really underneath it all.

Listen to hear more about…

How western beauty standards are rooted in white supremacy
Why it can be helpful in eating disorder recovery to address both the actions rooted in things like OCD, AND the beliefs fueled by the culture
The ways certain experiences in pregnancy reminded her of experiences in eating disorder recovery
The expectation to be nothing but joyful and appreciative of every aspect of pregnancy and having an infant, when the reality is that it is hard
How community can be the most healing way to navigate life changes
And so much more!!

More About Allyson

Allyson Inez Ford, MA, LPCC is a multiracial, queer, neurodivergent therapist specializing in Eating Disorders and OCD through a social justice lens. Allyson is also a new mother, which has fueled her passion for working with new and expecting parents in ED recovery. Allyson has lived experience of an Eating Disorder, and owns a group private practice in California. Allyson is rooted firmly in a relational, feminist and liberation psychology framework. In addition to therapy, she provides supervision, consultation and speaking engagements. You can connect with her via her website: www.eatingdisorderocdtherapy.com and IG: @bodyjustice.therapist

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