#132: The Connection Between Perfectionism, Health Anxiety, and Orthorexia with Natalie Rose, Therapist & Coach

Sep 9

On this week’s episode of the Full Plate Podcast, Natalie Rose (@wakeupandsmelltherosay), therapist and wonderful human, joins us to share her journey with disordered eating, which began during her high school years due to social pressures and a desire for acceptance.

We talk about her struggles with body image that led to a cycle of restriction and binge eating, exacerbated by a heart condition that limited her ability to exercise. Natalie also shares how her mother’s cancer diagnosis reignited her obsession with "healthy eating", pushing her into orthorexia.

We explore perfectionism, health anxiety, relationships, and what it actually means to lean into self-kindness over self-hatred (plus how that line can be so thin).

Eventually, exposure to anti-diet culture on social media helped Natalie challenge her disordered relationship with food and begin her true recovery. She reflects on how her obsession with health distanced her from others and how realigning with her values was crucial to healing. This is such a beautifully honest, vulnerable conversation, and you'll walk away with hope and tangible ideas for navigating your own experience with food and body image.

Natalie Rose is a therapist and coach who helps women improve their relationship with food and their body. She runs an online membership platform and teaches psychological skills to help her members overcome chronic dieting, disordered eating, and body image issues. Follow her @wakeupandsmelltherosay and learn more at wakeupandsmelltherosay.com

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Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching

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