Podcasts have become an increasingly popular way to learn about eating disorders and related experiences such as body image for people living with an eating disorder, families, supports, and practitioners. They are a way to access information and enhance knowledge and understanding at a time and in a place that suits the listener. People can multi-task (go for a walk, do chores around the house, go for a drive) and fit podcasts into their daily lives, while at the same time learning from practitioners and people with lived experience.

We have collated several podcasts contributed to or developed by eating disorder organisations or clinicians across Australia. In these podcasts, there is information to support clinician knowledge and practice, while other episodes and series are designed to cater to families, supports and people with lived experience.

NEDC-MHPN 

Dr Beth Shelton, NEDC past National Director, and Belinda Caldwell, CEO of Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV), co-host Eating Disorders: Beyond the Unknown, a podcast series produced in partnership by the NEDC and the Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN).

In this four-part series, Beth and Belinda engage people with lived experience of an eating disorder, their supports, and dietitian Shane Jeffrey in wide-ranging and thought-provoking discussions in understanding what it’s like to live with, care for and provide support for someone living with an eating disorder.  

To learn more about the hosts and guests for these episodes, or to access the supporting resources, please visit the MHPN website.

SBS

The Disruptive Companion podcast series, featuring NEDC Strategy and Policy Lead Louise Dougherty, won VicHealth’s 2022 Outstanding Media Reporting Award.  Listen here:

Episode 1 – Carers: features Deakin University researcher Genevieve Pepin and co-founder Eating Disorders Families Australia Christine Naismith.

Episode 2 - Early intervention features Eating Disorder Victoria CEO Belinda Caldwell, Butterfly Foundation Clinical Director Ranjani Utpala, and The Royal College of General Practitioners spokesperson Dr Caroline Johnson.

Episode 3 - First Nations stories: features Butterfly Foundation Clinical Director Ranjani Utpala, NEDC Strategy and Policy Lead Louise Dougherty, and Black Dog Institute Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy Director Leilani Darwin. 

Episode 4 - Men, the untold story: features NEDC Strategy and Policy Lead Director Louise Dougherty, Eating Disorder Victoria CEO Belinda Caldwell, and Body Image Research Unit Lead at Monash University Dr Gemma Sharp.

Episode 5 – Migrants' stories: features May Zaki, an Egyptian-Australian, and clinical psychologist Dr Maala Lal.

Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia

EDNA's NeurospicED podcast shares neurodivergent voices with lived experience of eating disorders.

Butterfly Foundation

Butterfly's Let's Talk podcasts feature experts, people with a lived experience and their families and carers, covering topics such as mental health, teens and body image, social media and difficulties accessing care. 

Listen to Let's Talk here

Eating Disorders Families Australia 

EDFA's 'Strong Enough' podcast was created for a worldwide audience of carers and families impacted by eating disorders. The Strong Enough podcast speaks to leaders in the field of research as well as specialists in education, advocacy, and self-care. You also hear from those with lived experience who are bravely sharing their biggest challenges and successes in their caring journey. 

Eating Disorders Victoria

EDV Candid Conversations is a podcast that looks at a different aspect of recovery. 

Find out more about Candid Conversations here

Eating Disorders Queensland

EDQ's Carer's Helpkit includes access to podcasts on overcoming an eating disorder, recovering from anorexia in mid-life and more.

Listen to EDQ podcasts here

Embrace Hub

Dr Zali Yager and Taryn Brumfitt present six episodes of Season 1 of their podcast with practical strategies aimed at empowering parents to understand and implement the messages from the Embrace Kids film.  

Listen to the Embrace Your Body Podcast here. 

Body Matters

Insight from psychologists, guest speakers and recovered individuals to inspire recovery and help people impacted by eating disorders and body image issues to understand more about these disorders. 

Listen to Understanding Body Matters here.

Australian Eating Disorders Research and Translation Centre (AEDRTC)

Dr Norman Swan and leading international eating disorders researchers Cynthia Bulik, Kamryn Eddy and Hunna Watson speak about their hopes for the future of treatment, research innovation, and the AEDRTC. 

Listen to AEDTRC Research Bites podcasts here.

 Life's Too Short to Count Almonds 

Join non-diet dietitians Meg and Susan as they chat over food and body issues and help you find ways to defend your family against dieting, disordered eating and navigate a really difficult food culture. 

Listen to Life's Too Short To Count Almonds here. 

The Mindful Dietitian

Hosted by Fiona Sutherland, Dietitian from Melbourne Australia. The Mindful Dietitian community is for Dietitians and health professionals world-wide who are committed to promoting peace with food and bodies alongside individuals and communities. 

Listen to The Mindful Dietician here.

Unpacking Weight Science

Mainstream weight science is built upon a plethora of assumptions. We now know that many of these assumptions about human body and health are flawed. Fiona Willer helps you learn to interpret weight centric research for yourself, bust myths about body, weight and health and presents weight-neutral research and relevant content. 

Listen to Unpacking Weight Science here.  

Individual episodes

ABC All in the Mind: Why we need more indigenous psychologists, with Sana Qadas

Indigenous Health MeDTalk: Indigenous food sovereignty and security with Indigenous Dietitian Tracy Hardy

ABC Ladies We Need to Talk: Aubrey Gordon, Just say fat. With Yumi Stynes

International Podcasts

Maintenance Phase

Michael Hobbes and Aubrey Gordon debunk the junk science behind health and wellness fads.

Listen to Maintenance Phase here.