In this insightful and heartfelt episode of Food Shrinks, we explore the complex relationship between hormones, perimenopause, and food addiction recovery. Inspired by listener questions, we share our journeys, client experiences, and the science behind hormonal changes—whether you're still cycling, in perimenopause, or navigating menopause.

🌿 In This Episode:

🧘 Hormones and Recovery: How shifts during the menstrual cycle, perimenopause, and menopause can affect food cravings and emotional eating.
💡 Luteal Phase Insights: The science behind increased hunger, metabolism spikes, and why cravings often hit hardest before your period.
🧠 The Grief of Change: Exploring the emotional impact of hormonal transitions and why acceptance is key.
💪 Recovery Strategies: Planning for hormonal changes and aligning your recovery support around them is essential.
🌿 The Grandmother Hypothesis: Reframing menopause as a rite of passage into wisdom, connection, and leadership.

💡 Key Takeaways:

💪Hormonal Changes Are Not the Enemy: Learn how fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone influence cravings and mood.
💪Self-Compassion First: Accepting body changes, reducing shame, and prioritizing self-care during hormonal shifts.
💪Awareness is Power: Tracking cycles and recognizing patterns can help you support your recovery plan.
💪Don’t Give Away Your Power: Beware of quick-fix solutions and trust your body's innate wisdom.
💪Find Joy and Connection: Nourish your serotonin with creativity, friendships, and meaningful activities.

💬 Share Your Experience!
We’d love to hear from you! What has been your experience with hormones and recovery? How have you navigated perimenopause or menopause on your food addiction journey?

💌 Have a question for us? We want to hear from you! Please email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

🎥 Watch & Share: If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to our channel. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from learning about healthy communication and conflict resolution!

📢 Follow Us:
📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks
📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com
🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode of Food Shrinks, Molly C. shares a significant life shift—she's entirely off social media! Coming back from a retreat, she realized how much screen time was impacting her nervous system, focus, and ability to engage with life. She opens up about the moment she knew she had to step away, the withdrawal symptoms she experienced, and how she transitioned off social media with the help of the Freedom app.

Molly and Clarissa also explore the broader topic of digital addiction, drawing connections to food addiction and other compulsive behaviors. They discuss insights from Dr. Anna Lembke’s work on dopamine and addiction, how social media companies profit from our dysregulation, and what it means to take back your power.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why Molly decided to quit social media and what changed for her

The surprising benefits of stepping away from constant scrolling

How screen addiction mirrors food addiction and other compulsive behaviors

Practical steps to reduce digital dependence

Signs your social media use might be a problem

Why reclaiming your time is an act of self-care

Resources & Mentions:

Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke

Dr. Anna Lembke’s podcast interview

Freedom app for screen time management

Join the Conversation:

Have a question for us? We want to hear from you! Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

Watch & Share: If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to our channel. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from learning about healthy communication and conflict resolution!

Follow Us:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodShrinks

Instagram: @FoodShrinks

Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com

Website: foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode of Food Shrinks, we dive into an important question: When do we need to go deeper than recovery coaching, and when is it enough to stay at that level?

🔑Key Topics Discussed:

🔒Two Approaches to Healing – Clearing out the body and mind first vs. addressing deeper emotional work upfront.
🔒When Coaching Isn’t Enough – How to recognize when therapy, trauma work, or other professional support is needed.
🔒The Rush to Go Deeper – Why there’s no need to sprint toward deeper work and how cultural pressure impacts this mindset.
🔒Intuition as a Guide – How to trust yourself in knowing when it’s time to explore deeper healing.
🔒The Limits of Helpers – Coaches, therapists, and sponsors can only take you as far as they’ve gone themselves.
🔒The Importance of Readiness – Why sometimes it’s okay not to do deeper work and simply focus on life and joy.
🔒Recovery as a Bridge Back to Life – Remembering that healing isn’t about fixing yourself but expanding your ability to live fully.

We also explore the balance between doing inner work and simply being in life, finding joy, and knowing when to step back instead of always digging for the next thing to “fix.”

💌 Have a question for us? We want to hear from you! Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

🎥 Watch & Share: If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to our channel. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from learning about healthy communication and conflict resolution!

📢 Follow Us:

📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks

📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com

🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode, Molly, Clarissa, and Molly (aka The Food Shrinks) dive deep into healthy conflict resolution and how it impacts relationships, recovery, and our connection with food. Through personal stories, the hosts share their challenges and breakthroughs when it comes to communication, boundaries, and repair.

📌 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Molly’s 2025 Resolution
🩷Why she’s committing to ending people-pleasing and learning to say “no” without guilt.
🩷How people-pleasing behaviors can show up in recovery and eating habits.

Turning Conflict into Growth
🩷A behind-the-scenes look at a recent scheduling conflict between the Food Shrinks and how it strengthened their collaboration.
🩷Clarissa’s mindful approach to addressing frustration and setting boundaries.
🩷How the team repaired the situation and grew closer as a result.

Practical Conflict Resolution Skills
🩷Clarissa’s go-to tools: Pause, take space, reflect, and respond.
🩷Molly’s approach: Validate, own mistakes, and focus on repair instead of apology.
🩷Tips for staying grounded and handling emotional triggers.

Connection to Recovery
🩷How appeasement, fear of abandonment, and difficulty setting boundaries are tied to disordered eating.
🩷Why addressing these underlying behaviors can help heal your relationship with food.

💡 Listener Takeaways:
🗝️Conflict doesn’t have to be scary—it can actually bring you closer to the people you care about.
🗝️Learn to pause and reflect before reacting emotionally.
🗝️Validate others’ experiences and focus on tangible repairs, not just apologies.
🗝️Boundaries and honest communication can transform your relationships—and your recovery.

🎥 Watch & Share:
If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to our channel. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from learning about healthy communication and conflict resolution!

🗨️ Have a question? Drop it in the comments or email us at AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com. We love hearing from you!

📢 Follow Us:
📱 Instagram: @FoodShrinks
📧 Email: AskTheShrinks@foodshrinks.com
🌐 Website: foodshrinks.com

Let’s keep the conversation going and help each other thrive in recovery! See you next time!

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this candid and impromptu episode of The Food Shrinks, Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab dive deep into their personal experiences with psychedelics, focusing on their potential as tools for emotional and psychological healing. From ketamine-assisted therapy to psilocybin journeys, the hosts share raw insights into their transformative—yet challenging—experiences. This conversation emphasizes the importance of preparation, professional guidance, and integration, underscoring that psychedelics are not a quick fix but a profound tool in the toolbox of recovery and self-growth.

Key Topics Discussed:
🔥The unexpected start to this heartfelt conversation on psychedelics.
🔥Molly Carmel’s journey through ketamine-assisted therapy and its impact on her reactivity and emotional balance.
🔥Clarissa Kennedy’s psilocybin experience addresses shame and self-compassion and the science behind how psychedelics work on the serotonin pathway and parietal lobe.
🔥Molly Painschab’s profound insights from her psilocybin journey, including overcoming deeply ingrained emotional narratives.
🔥The importance of therapeutic preparation, intention-setting, and post-experience integration.
🔥The challenges and benefits of these experiences, including shadow work and ego death.
🔥A reminder that psychedelics are a tool—not a silver bullet—and require careful consideration and professional support.

Key Takeaways:
🔥Personal Growth Through Psychedelics: Psychedelics can offer transformative experiences, but they demand a willingness to face difficult emotions and memories.
🔥Preparation and Integration Matter: Effective use involves guided preparation, structured sessions, and post-experience processing to maximize benefits.
🔥Scientific Insights: Psychedelics impact the brain by reducing inflammation, increasing neuroplasticity, and rewiring key areas like the serotonin pathway and parietal lobe.
🔥Varied Experiences: Every journey is unique, and expectations can shape outcomes.
🔥Caution and Support Are Essential: These tools are not suitable for everyone and must be used with care, professional guidance, and in safe environments.
🔥Broader Implications for Recovery: Psychedelics may serve as an intervention for those struggling to move past entrenched patterns or emotional barriers in recovery.

We want to hear from you! Have questions, topics you'd love us to discuss, or experiences to share? Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com, and join the conversation.

Tune in next week as we continue exploring tools for healing, recovery, and personal transformation. Remember, recovery is a journey, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com
Website: www.foodshrinks.com
Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

Today the Food Shrinks unpack what "diet culture vultures" represent in the context of diet culture and self-help programs, emphasizing the importance of self-determination and how to recognize manipulative tactics in various industries, including healthcare, food recovery, and coaching. This honest conversation also explores personal vulnerabilities, the importance of critical thinking, and the need to trust one’s inner wisdom.

Key Topics Discussed:
⛄Defining "Diet Culture Vultures":
❄How vultures prey on insecurities and vulnerable moments, often selling unrealistic promises of quick fixes.
❄Examples: Diet programs, coaching, self-help services, medical treatments, and even books or summits that create dependency or fear.
⛄The Impact of Vulnerability and Dysregulation:
❄How heightened emotional states can impair critical thinking and lead to susceptibility to manipulation.
❄Personal insecurities make individuals more prone to being "preyed on."
⛄The Science of Self-Determination:
❄Emphasizing sustainable recovery and growth stems from self-ownership and internal motivation rather than external solutions.
⛄Recognizing Red Flags in Offers:
❄Beware of promises of quick fixes or one-size-fits-all solutions.
❄Manipulative tactics, such as isolating you from alternative options or pressuring immediate decisions, are signs of a vulture-like approach.
⛄Navigating Professional Relationships:
❄The importance of advocating for oneself, asking questions, and maintaining boundaries in relationships with professionals or programs.
❄Understanding that not every misalignment is malintent; it could simply be a mismatch of needs and services.
⛄The Role of Recovery in Building Resilience:
❄Recovery is a steady, imperfect process that requires patience, flexibility, and trust in one’s journey.

Key Takeaways:
⛄Mantras to Identify and Avoid "Vultures":
❄❄Safety is sexy: Choose relationships and programs that foster calmness and security.
❄❄Urgency is not an emergency: Quick fixes are neither quick nor sustainable.
❄❄Connect with your inner wisdom: Trust your gut and critically evaluate any offer.
❄❄If someone says there’s only one way, run away: Avoid programs or professionals claiming theirs is the only solution.
⛄Tips for Empowerment:
❄Pause and self-regulate before making significant decisions.
❄Seek second opinions and involve trusted supporters in decision-making.
❄Trust that you can change course if something feels wrong.

Do you have questions or feedback? We’d love to hear from you!
Please email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

Support Us:
If you found this episode helpful, please like, subscribe, and share! Help us spread the message and support others on their journey. Find more content on our YouTube Channel.

Stay connected, stay empowered. See you next week!
Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com
Website: www.foodshrinks.com
Instagram: @foodshrinks
You tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEga4gG2ma0

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this thought-provoking episode of The Food Shrinks delve into the allure—and pitfalls—of wellness programs, self-help summits, and fitness courses that promise transformation but often lead to unfulfilled intentions. The trio unpacks the psychological and emotional drivers behind impulsive purchases, the cultural conditioning of "quick fixes," and strategies to make more intentional decisions about investments in personal growth.

Key Topics Discussed:
🔑The pervasive marketing tactics targeting pain points in wellness and recovery.
🔑The emotional and psychological reasons behind impulsive purchases include fear of missing out (FOMO) and searching for external validation.
🔑The damaging cycle of buying self-help programs and not following through leads to decreased self-trust.
🔑The importance of pausing, reflecting, and taking intentional steps before purchasing.
🔑Strategies for regaining power and making aligned decisions prioritizing consistency over quick fixes.
🔑The upcoming challenges of January's "New Year, New You" marketing blitz.

Key Takeaways:
🔑Pause Before Purchasing: The hosts emphasize the importance of waiting at least 48 hours before making impulsive purchases. Ask: “Can this wait?”
🔑Interview Your Wellness Programs: Treat choosing a wellness program like interviewing a caregiver—take your time, ask questions, and ensure it aligns with your values and capacity.
🔑Beware of Quick Fixes: Recovery and healing are not one-size-fits-all or instant solutions. Prioritize intentional and sustainable approaches over programs promising overnight change.
🔑Recognize Marketing Manipulation: Understand how advertising plays on pain points and creates urgency. This awareness can help resist impulsive decisions.
🔑Trust Your Inner Wisdom: Healing often requires tuning out external noise and trusting your internal guidance to choose what’s best for you.
🔑Commit to Follow-Through: Only invest in programs or resources you have the time, space, and intention to fully engage with.

Listener Challenge:
Join the Food Shrinks hosts in a no-impulse-buying challenge! Before purchasing, wait, reflect, and consult trusted friends or accountability partners to ensure the decision aligns with your needs.

What are your thoughts on impulsive buying in wellness? How do you decide which programs to invest in? Please share your insights and questions with us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com.

Join us next week for another honest, empowering conversation!

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com
Website: www.foodshrinks.com
Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this candid and deeply personal episode, the Food Shrinks—Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab—dive into the challenging topic of self-abandonment, appeasement, and the consequences of chasing quick fixes. From past experiences with expensive treatment programs to navigating shame and self-doubt, this episode offers valuable insights for anyone struggling to hold on to themselves in moments of uncertainty. The hosts share their missteps, lessons learned, and actionable strategies to help listeners recognize and reclaim their power.

Key Takeaways:

The Cost of Quick Fixes:

🏔️Clarissa reflects on her experience with an overpriced treatment center that promised transformation but delivered minimal value. She highlights the allure of "glitzy solutions" and how they often lead to disappointment.

🏔️Molly Painschab and Molly Carmel share similar stories of misplaced trust in expensive programs, shedding light on the sunk-cost fallacy and the dangers of magical thinking.

SUNK-COST FALLACY: the phenomenon whereby a person is reluctant to abandon a strategy or course of action because they have invested heavily in it, even when it is clear that abandonment would be more beneficial.

Self-Abandonment in the Name of Appeasement:

🏔️The concept of appeasement, or people-pleasing, is explored as a survival mechanism that often leads to self-abandonment.

🏔️The hosts emphasize the importance of identifying and challenging the behaviors that lead to prioritizing others' expectations over personal truth.

The Power of Connection:

🏔️Shame thrives in secrecy. Sharing struggles with trusted individuals can break the cycle of self-doubt and isolation.

🏔️Building a "power circle" of supportive and honest people is essential for navigating challenging situations.

Lessons Learned:

🏔️Trust your intuition. Don't ignore the red flags if a program, relationship, or commitment feels wrong.

🏔️Always evaluate decisions transparently—if you can't explain or defend your choices to a trusted person, reconsider them.

🏔️Remember that true growth and healing come from consistent self-care and inner work, not quick fixes.

Practical Advice:

🏔️Talk to trusted people before committing to significant decisions.

🏔️Don’t let shame silence you. Even a simple text like “I’m not okay” can open the door to support.

🏔️Reclaim your narrative by acknowledging your truth, even in the face of fear or judgment.

Call to Action:

We’d love to hear from you! Please share your experiences, questions, and thoughts with us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com. Your stories inspire us and our listeners.

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with friends and loved ones. Together, we can support each other in navigating the complexities of food, life, and recovery.

Join us next week for another honest, empowering conversation!

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

Website: www.foodshrinks.com

Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.