#256: How Trauma and Shame Affect Our Relationships with Food and the Body with Judith Matz & Amy Pershing, Anti-Diet Therapists

Food Psych Podcast with Christy Harrison

Anti-diet therapists and authors Judith Matz and Amy Pershing return to the podcast to discuss their latest project, The Body Positivity Card Deck; how trauma and shame affect our relationships with food and the body; intersectionality in body-acceptance work; the role of self-compassion in eating-disorder recovery; and so much more. Plus, in Ask Food Psych, Christy answers a listener question about whether a particular fad diet is misusing the term “intuitive eating.”

Judith Matz, LCSW is a therapist, author and nationally recognized speaker on the topics of diet culture, binge eating, emotional eating, body image, and weight stigma. She is co-author of The Diet Survivor's Handbook and Beyond a Shadow of a Diet, and the author of Amanda's Big Dream. Her work has been featured in the media including NPR, The New York Times, and Psychotherapy Networker. Judith has a private practice in Skokie. She recently co-authored The Body Positivity Card Deck (PESI, 2020). Find her online at JudithMatz.com.

Amy Pershing LMSW, ACSW, CCTP-II is the Founding Director of Bodywise Binge Eating Disorder Treatment Program, and the Clinical Director of the Center for Eating Disorders in Ann Arbor. She is also the creator of Hungerwise™, an online 9-week program for ending chronic dieting and weight cycling.

Based on 30 years of clinical experience, Amy has pioneered a powerful treatment approach for binge eating that incorporates Internal Family Systems theory and the latest somatic techniques for healing trauma. Amy's treatment program also integrates a non-diet “attuned eating and movement" approach and a Health At Every Size philosophy.

Pershing lectures internationally and writes extensively on the treatment of BED and her own recovery journey for both professional and lay communities. She has been featured on radio, podcast, and television speaking about BED treatment and recovery, relapse prevention, weight stigma, and attuned eating and movement. She is the winner of BEDA’s 2016 Pioneer in Clinical Advocacy award, and has served on a variety of professional boards. She is the Past Chair of the Binge Eating Disorder Association, and the author of the book Binge Eating Disorder: The Journey to Recovery and Beyond (Routledge, 2018). Amy maintains a clinical practice treating binge eating disorder both virtually and in Ann Arbor. Find her online at TheBodyWiseProgram.com.

If you're ready to break free from diet culture once and for all, come check out Christy's Intuitive Eating Fundamentals online course.

Christy's book, Anti-Diet, is available wherever you get your books. Order online at christyharrison.com/book, or at local bookstores across North America, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Grab Christy's free guide, 7 simple strategies for finding peace and freedom with food, for help getting started on the anti-diet path.

For full show notes and a transcript of this episode, go to christyharrison.com/foodpsych.

Ask your own question about intuitive eating, Health at Every Size, or eating disorder recovery at christyharrison.com/questions.