Dr. Marianne-Land: An Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast

Why do some people with ADHD feel like no amount of food is ever enough? Why can you finish a satisfying meal and still find yourself searching the pantry, thinking about dessert, or feeling like something is missing?
In this solo episode of Dr. Marianne-Land, I explore the often-overlooked connection between ADHD and binge eating disorder (BED). I explain why many ADHDers describe feeling like a "bottomless pit" around food, why satisfaction can remain elusive even when physical hunger has passed, and why traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) doesn't always address the executive functioning and nervous system challenges that drive binge eating.
Using the fictional case example of Zoe, we look beyond willpower and self-control to better understand how ADHD can shape reward processing, food thoughts, understimulation, sensory needs, and the search for regulation. If you've ever wondered why your relationship with food feels different from what most recovery advice describes, this episode offers a compassionate, neurodivergent-affirming perspective.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
You'll learn why ADHD and binge eating frequently occur together, how executive functioning differences can influence eating behavior, and why the feeling of "never being satisfied" isn't always about physical hunger. I also discuss why food often becomes a source of stimulation after mentally demanding days, how shame keeps many people stuck, and why ADHD-informed eating disorder treatment may look very different from traditional CBT.
WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR
This episode is for adults with ADHD, binge eating disorder, compulsive overeating, chronic food thoughts, or food noise. It's also for anyone who has worked on emotional eating, stopped dieting, or completed eating disorder treatment but still feels confused by persistent urges to eat. Therapists, dietitians, and other eating disorder professionals who work with neurodivergent clients will also find this discussion helpful.
IN THIS EPISODE
We explore why binge eating isn't always driven by restriction, how ADHD changes the way many people experience reward and satisfaction, why executive functioning matters in eating disorder recovery, and what clinicians often miss when they focus only on changing thoughts or behaviors. I also explain how approaching binge eating with curiosity instead of self-criticism can open the door to more effective, sustainable healing.
RELATED EPISODES
ADHD & Bulimia: Dopamine, Impulsivity, & the Hidden Link to Binge Eating With Kirsten Book, PMHNP-BC on Apple and Spotify.
Why Eating Feels So Chaotic With ADHD: Binge Eating, Bulimia, & Executive Function Challenges on Apple and Spotify.
Eating Disorders & ADHD: Neurodivergent-Affirming Recovery With Taylor Ashley, RP @taylorashleytherapy on Apple and Spotify.
RESOURCES
If you're looking for additional support, check out my Binge Eating Recovery Membership, where you'll find practical tools, education, and guidance through a neurodivergent-affirming, weight-neutral lens.
You can also explore my ARFID & Selective Eating course, blog, podcast archive, and additional recovery resources at www.drmariannemiller.com.
WORK WITH DR. MARIANNE MILLER
I'm Dr. Marianne Miller, PhD, LMFT, an eating disorder therapist specializing in ADHD, binge eating disorder, ARFID, anorexia, bulimia, and neurodivergent-affirming care. I provide virtual therapy throughout California, TWashington, DC, as well as coaching worldwide.
If this episode helped you better understand your relationship with food, please follow Dr. Marianne-Land, leave a rating or review on Apple and Spotify Podcasts, and share this episode with someone who has spent years wondering why food never seems like enough.

What happens when you stop viewing yourself through a pathology lens and start seeing your differences as part of your identity instead of evidence that something is wrong with you?
In this thought-provoking conversation, I sit down with Shira Collings, LPC, a neurodiversity-affirming, fat-affirming, LGBTQIA+ affirming, disability justice-aligned therapist, to explore neurodivergence as a social identity and how that perspective can transform the way we think about eating disorders, mental health, and recovery.
Together, we discuss the concept of sanism, the oppression faced by people whose minds fall outside societal expectations of "normal," and how shame often develops when people internalize messages that they are broken, defective, or in need of fixing. We also examine the overlap between neurodiversity, anti-fatness, eating disorder recovery, and disability justice.
Shira shares their personal journey with neurodivergence, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and self-acceptance. We discuss why many people identify as neurodivergent without pursuing formal diagnosis, how neurodivergence can function as a cultural identity, and why community often plays a powerful role in healing.
We also unpack radical acceptance, harm reduction, and the limitations of all-or-nothing recovery narratives. Instead of focusing on perfection, we explore how people can reduce suffering, increase self-compassion, and build lives that align with their values.
In This Episode, We Discuss
Neurodivergence as a social identity rather than a diagnosis
The origins of the neurodiversity paradigm
What sanism is and how it affects mental health care
Self-diagnosis, formal diagnosis, and personal identity
The intersection of neurodiversity, eating disorders, and anti-fatness
How shame fuels both mental health struggles and eating disorders
Radical acceptance and self-compassion
Harm reduction approaches in eating disorder recovery
Why recovery does not need to be all-or-nothing
How disability justice can reshape the way we support neurodivergent people
About Shira Collings
Shira Collings, LPC (she/they), is a feminist, neurodiversity-affirming, LGBTQIA+ affirming, fat-affirming, and disability justice-aligned psychotherapist. They specialize in reproductive mental health, eating disorders, body image concerns, trauma, grief, and loss. Shira supports clients in healing from internalized and systemic oppression while building lives that align with their values.
Follow Shira on Instagram: @threadandthreshold.therapy
Website: threadandthreshold.com
Who This Episode Is For
This episode is for neurodivergent people, eating disorder survivors, therapists, advocates, caregivers, and anyone who has ever wondered whether they have spent too much of their life trying to fix parts of themselves that were never broken.
Key Takeaway
Healing does not always come from becoming someone different. Sometimes healing begins when you stop treating yourself like a problem to solve and start approaching yourself with curiosity, compassion, and acceptance.
Related Episodes
Why Eating Still Breaks Down for Neurodivergent People With Long-Term Eating Disorders via Apple & Spotify.
Unmasking, Embodiment, & Trust: A Neurodivergent Approach to Eating Disorder Recovery With Dr. Emma Offord @divergentlives via Apple & Spotify.
Unmasking in Eating Disorder Recovery: What Neurodivergent People Need to Know About Safety & Healing via Apple & Spotify.
Autism & Anorexia: When Masking Looks Like Restriction, & Recovery Feels Unsafe via Apple & Spotify.
Recovering Again: Navigating Eating Disorders After a Late Neurodivergent Diagnosis (Part 1) With Stacie Fanelli, LCSW @edadhd_therapist via Apple & Spotify.
Work With Dr. Marianne Miller
I specialize in ARFID, binge eating disorder, anorexia, bulimia, and neurodivergent-affirming eating disorder care. I provide therapy in California and Washington, DC, as well as coaching and educational resources worldwide.
Learn more at www.drmariannemiller.com
On my website, you can also explore my ARFID & Selective Eating Course, Binge Eating Recovery Membership, and additional resources for neurodivergent eating disorder recovery.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it with someone who may need to hear this message.

Have you ever wondered whether ARFID is something a person lives with forever? It's one of the most common questions people ask after an ARFID diagnosis, yet the answer is rarely as straightforward as people hope. Adults with ARFID, parents of children with ARFID, and even clinicians often want to know what recovery really looks like, whether meaningful change is possible, and how neurodivergence influences the long-term course of Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.
In this episode of Dr. Marianne-Land, Dr. Marianne Miller explores the question, "Is ARFID lifelong?" through a neurodivergent-affirming, trauma-informed lens. She examines how conversations about ARFID recovery often become oversimplified and why many people focus on the wrong markers when trying to determine whether treatment is working. The discussion moves beyond food variety alone and considers broader questions about quality of life, flexibility, self-understanding, sensory processing, and participation in meaningful life experiences.
Is ARFID Lifelong?
Many people assume there are only two possible outcomes: either ARFID completely disappears or nothing changes. The reality is often far more nuanced. Dr. Marianne discusses why the future cannot be predicted by a diagnosis alone and how growth, adaptation, treatment, accommodations, and self-understanding can shape a person's relationship with food over time.
What Does ARFID Recovery Look Like?
Recovery from ARFID does not always fit traditional eating disorder narratives. In this episode, Dr. Marianne explores how recovery may involve reduced distress around food, increased flexibility, improved nutrition, greater participation in social experiences, and less time spent managing food-related anxiety. She also examines why quality of life deserves a central place in conversations about recovery.
ARFID, Autism, ADHD, and Neurodivergence
ARFID frequently overlaps with autism, ADHD, sensory processing differences, OCD, anxiety, chronic illness, and other neurodivergent experiences. Understanding these intersections can dramatically change how people view treatment, accommodations, and long-term outcomes. Dr. Marianne discusses why neurodivergent-affirming care matters and why recovery may look different from person to person.
Why the Question Matters
For many people, the question "Is ARFID lifelong?" is not simply about food. It is often about identity, hope, relationships, travel, family experiences, social connection, and the desire to spend less mental energy managing meals. Dr. Marianne explores the emotional weight behind this question and why understanding the future can feel so important after years of struggle.
In This Episode, You'll Learn
You'll learn why ARFID recovery is rarely a simple yes-or-no answer, how sensory processing and neurodivergence influence treatment outcomes, why quality of life matters alongside food variety, and how people can experience meaningful growth even when challenges remain. You'll also gain a deeper understanding of why conversations about ARFID often benefit from curiosity, flexibility, and a broader definition of recovery.
Related Episodes
When Safe Foods Stop Working: ARFID Plateaus, Burnout, & What Helps on Apple & Spotify.
ARFID Explained: What It Feels Like, Why It’s Misunderstood, & What Helps on Apple & Spotify.
Why Sensory-Attuned Care Matters More Than Exposure in ARFID Treatment on Apple & Spotify.
Complexities of Treating ARFID: How a Neurodivergent-Affirming, Sensory-Attuned Approach Works on Apple & Spotify.
Learn More About ARFID
If you're looking for neurodivergent-affirming support for ARFID and selective eating, check out Dr. Marianne Miller's self-paced ARFID & Selective Eating Course. Designed for adults with ARFID, parents, caregivers, and providers, the course explores sensory processing, nervous system regulation, autism, ADHD, family dynamics, food flexibility, accommodations, and practical strategies that move beyond shame, pressure, and one-size-fits-all approaches.
Learn more at:https://www.drmariannemiller.com/arfid
About Dr. Marianne Miller
Dr. Marianne Miller is a licensed marriage and family therapist, eating disorder therapist, and host of the Dr. Marianne-Land podcast. She specializes in ARFID, binge eating disorder, anorexia, bulimia, and neurodivergent-affirming eating disorder care. Dr. Marianne developed the Neurodivergent-Affirming Integrative Therapy for ARFID (NAIT-AR) framework and provides therapy, coaching, courses, and educational resources for individuals, families, and professionals.
Website: https://www.drmariannemiller.com
Instagram: @drmariannemiller

Have you ever wondered where your beliefs about food, weight, and body image actually came from?
Many people assume their eating disorder, body dissatisfaction, or disordered eating patterns developed entirely from personal experiences. In reality, family food rules, generational diet culture, and inherited beliefs about bodies often shape our relationship with food long before we recognize what's happening.
In this episode of Dr. Marianne-Land, I explore how eating disorders can develop within family systems, why body shame often travels across generations, and what happens when you begin questioning the food and body rules you inherited. Through the story of a fictional client named Esme, we examine how childhood messages about weight, dieting, health, and appearance can become deeply embedded in adulthood, even when they were never spoken directly.
Whether you're recovering from anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, ARFID, chronic dieting, or longstanding body image struggles, this conversation offers a compassionate look at the ways family history and diet culture can influence recovery.
What You'll Learn
In this episode, you'll learn how family food rules shape eating behaviors and body image across generations, why children often absorb beliefs about food and weight without realizing it, and how multigenerational diet culture can contribute to eating disorders and disordered eating.
You'll also learn why inherited beliefs often feel like facts, how anti-fat bias and cultural beauty standards influence family conversations about bodies, and why recovery frequently involves examining long-held assumptions about food, health, worth, and appearance.
Why Family Systems Matter in Eating Disorder Recovery
Eating disorders rarely develop in a vacuum.
Many people grow up surrounded by messages about dieting, weight loss, body size, exercise, and food morality that seem completely normal at the time. Those messages often become part of a family's culture, shaping how people think about hunger, fullness, health, self-worth, and belonging.
When clients begin recovery, they often discover that some of the rules guiding their relationship with food did not originate with them. Instead, those beliefs may have traveled through multiple generations, influenced by diet culture, weight stigma, sexism, anti-fat bias, food scarcity, trauma, and larger social systems.
Recognizing these patterns can create opportunities for healing, self-compassion, and greater freedom around food.
Who This Episode Is For
This episode is for anyone recovering from an eating disorder, struggling with body image, questioning family food rules, or trying to understand how childhood experiences continue to affect their relationship with food.
It may be especially helpful for people navigating anorexia recovery, binge eating recovery, bulimia recovery, ARFID recovery, chronic dieting, weight cycling, body image concerns, or the emotional impact of growing up in a family where weight and appearance received significant attention.
Related Episodes
Family Dynamics & Eating Disorders: How Early Relationships Shape Disordered Eating on Apple & Spotify.
How Childhood Trauma Shapes Eating Disorders & Body Shame (Content Caution) on Apple & Spotify.
Childhood Trauma & Eating Disorders on Apple & Spotify.
Work With Dr. Marianne Miller
If you're struggling with an eating disorder, disordered eating, ARFID, binge eating, body image concerns, or the long-term effects of family food rules and diet culture, I offer eating disorder therapy and coaching services designed to help you build a more peaceful and sustainable relationship with food and your body.
I specialize in ARFID, binge eating disorder, anorexia, bulimia, neurodivergent eating challenges, and eating disorder recovery for adults and teens.
Learn more about working with me at www.drmariannemiller.com.
Connect With Me
Website: www.drmariannemiller.com
Instagram: @drmariannemiller
If this episode resonates with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may benefit from this conversation.

What happens when children struggle with body image and restrictive eating?
In this conversation, I welcome back eating disorder advocate, educator, and JenUp founder Jenny Tomei @askjenup to discuss a troubling trend she is seeing in schools across the UK. Children as young as elementary school age are making comments about each other's bodies, judging what peers eat at lunch, and absorbing diet culture messages long before most adults realize it.
Jenny shares what students, teachers, and parents are telling her about body image concerns, food shame, social media pressure, and the growing influence of TikTok on how young people think about food, weight, and appearance. We also discuss why some students avoid eating at school altogether, how body-based teasing affects children, and what adults can do to create safer environments around food.
Later in the episode, we explore concerns about weight loss injections and GLP-1 medications being used with young people, the messages children receive about success and thinness, and why eating disorder prevention efforts need to start much earlier than many schools currently address them.
What You'll Learn
Children as young as elementary school age are already absorbing diet culture messages and making comments about peers' bodies and food choices.
Many students avoid eating lunch at school because they fear judgment, teasing, or unwanted attention.
Social media trends on TikTok continue to shape how young people think about weight loss, nutrition, and appearance.
Food policing and body-based comments can increase shame and elevate eating disorder risk.
Parents, teachers, and other adults play a powerful role in shaping children's relationships with food and body image.
Digital literacy skills can help young people question nutrition myths and appearance-focused content online.
Growing interest in GLP-1 medications and weight loss injections raises important concerns about youth health and eating disorder prevention.
Early intervention and prevention efforts can help create safer school environments around food, bodies, and self-worth.
About Jenny Tomei
Jenny Tomei is an eating disorder advocate, speaker, educator, and founder of JenUp Community CIC. Drawing from her own recovery from anorexia and compulsive exercise, Jenny works with schools, students, educators, and families throughout the United Kingdom and internationally to increase awareness of eating disorders, challenge harmful body image messages, and promote early prevention.
Through JenUp, she delivers workshops, staff trainings, and educational programs focused on body image, disordered eating, social media literacy, and mental health awareness.
Who This Episode Is For
Parents concerned about body image issues, food anxiety, or eating disorder risk in children and teens.
Teachers, school counselors, and educators who want to create more supportive environments around food and body image.
Eating disorder professionals, therapists, dietitians, and healthcare providers.
Anyone interested in eating disorder prevention, youth mental health, and the influence of social media on young people.
Connect With Jenny Tomei
Follow Jenny on Instagram at @askjenup.
Check out her TikTok: @JenUpCommunity
Learn more about her work through JenUp at JenUp.com.
Listen to her JenUp podcast Apple & Spotify.
Other Episodes With Jenny Tomei
SkinnyTok & Anorexia: How Harmful Trends Thrive Despite TikTok’s Ban with Jenny Tomei @askjenup on Apple & Spotify.
Overexercising, ADHD, & Eating Disorders with @askjenup Jenny Tomei on Apple & Spotify.
Work With Dr. Marianne Miller
I provide eating disorder therapy for adults in California and Washington, DC, along with coaching services worldwide. I specialize in ARFID, binge eating disorder, anorexia, bulimia, neurodivergent eating challenges, and complex relationships with food.
You can learn more about working with me, my ARFID and Selective Eating Course, and my Binge Eating Recovery Membership at DrMarianneMiller.com.

Do you spend the entire day feeling in control around food, only to find yourself eating far more than expected at night? If nighttime eating leaves you feeling confused, ashamed, or convinced that you lack willpower, this episode may offer a different perspective.
Many people with Night Eating Syndrome focus on what happens after dinner without realizing that the story often begins much earlier. Delayed meals, subtle restriction, chronic stress, ADHD, autism, masking, trauma, sensory overwhelm, and nervous system exhaustion can all shape eating patterns that become more intense in the evening. When we look only at nighttime eating, we often miss the conditions that created it.
In this episode of the Dr. Marianne-Land Podcast, Dr. Marianne Miller explores Night Eating Syndrome through a neurodivergent-affirming, trauma-informed lens. She discusses why nighttime eating is often a predictable response to unmet physiological and emotional needs rather than a sign of laziness, lack of discipline, or personal failure.
Understanding Night Eating Syndrome
Night Eating Syndrome, often called NES, involves consuming a significant portion of daily food intake during the evening hours or after waking during the night. Many people with Night Eating Syndrome notice little appetite earlier in the day and increasing hunger as the day progresses.
Although Night Eating Syndrome can overlap with binge eating disorder, the two experiences are not identical. Understanding the distinction can help people find more effective support and avoid treatments that fail to address the underlying drivers of nighttime eating.
Why Nighttime Eating Often Starts Earlier in the Day
One of the most overlooked aspects of Night Eating Syndrome is the role of daytime deprivation. Restriction does not always look like skipping meals or intentionally dieting. Sometimes it shows up as rushing through meals, ignoring hunger cues, eating foods that never feel satisfying, relying on caffeine to suppress appetite, or becoming so busy that nourishment consistently falls to the bottom of the priority list.
Over time, the body responds to those unmet needs. For many people, nighttime becomes the point when hunger, exhaustion, stress, and emotional depletion can no longer be ignored.
ADHD, Autism, Masking, and Eating at Night
Neurodivergent adults often face unique challenges around food and eating. ADHD can make meal planning, meal timing, and hunger awareness more difficult. Autism can influence sensory experiences, interoception, routines, and food preferences. Many neurodivergent people also spend significant energy masking throughout the day, navigating sensory demands, social expectations, and executive functioning challenges.
By evening, the nervous system may be depleted. Food can become a source of grounding, comfort, regulation, predictability, stimulation, or relief. This episode explores how neurodivergence can shape nighttime eating patterns in ways that are frequently misunderstood within traditional eating disorder treatment models.
The Connection Between Restriction and Night Eating Syndrome
Many people blame nighttime eating for their distress while overlooking the role of restriction. Whether restriction stems from dieting, weight stigma, food rules, sensory challenges, executive functioning barriers, or chronic stress, the body often responds by increasing attention to food and hunger later in the day.
Rather than viewing nighttime eating as evidence of a lack of control, Dr. Marianne encourages listeners to consider what their body may be trying to communicate.
Weight Stigma, Diet Culture, and Shame
Diet culture frequently rewards people for disconnecting from hunger and ignoring physical needs. At the same time, society often condemns the very eating behaviors that emerge when deprivation accumulates. This contradiction leaves many people feeling trapped in cycles of guilt and self-criticism.
In this episode, Dr. Marianne examines how anti-fat bias, productivity culture, and cultural pressure to suppress needs can contribute to Night Eating Syndrome and nighttime eating struggles.
What You'll Learn
You'll learn how Night Eating Syndrome differs from binge eating disorder, why subtle forms of restriction often go unnoticed, how ADHD and autism can influence eating patterns, why masking and burnout can increase vulnerability to nighttime eating, and how shame frequently keeps people stuck in cycles that make sense from a nervous system perspective. You'll also gain a more compassionate framework for understanding nighttime eating and practical ways to begin approaching these patterns with curiosity instead of self-judgment.
Related Episodes
Anorexia & Night Eating Syndrome: Why Restriction Fuels Night Eating & What Helps on Apple & Spotify.
Night Eating Syndrome on Apple & Spotify (my 2nd most popular podcast episode of all time!)
Understanding Night Eating Syndrome: Executive-Function Tools for Real Recovery on Apple & Spotify.
Why Am I Eating at Night? Understanding Night Eating Syndrome in Your 30s, 40s, & 50s on Apple & Spotify.
Work With Dr. Marianne Miller
If you are struggling with Night Eating Syndrome, binge eating disorder, ARFID, anorexia, bulimia, chronic dieting, or neurodivergent eating challenges, support is available.
Dr. Marianne Miller is a licensed eating disorder therapist providing therapy throughout California and Washington, D.C. She also offers coaching services worldwide. Her work integrates eating disorder treatment, neurodivergent-affirming care, trauma-informed approaches, and weight-inclusive support for adults, teens, and families.
Learn more about therapy, coaching, courses, and resources at www.drmariannemiller.com. You can also follow Dr. Marianne on Instagram at @drmariannemiller and subscribe to the Dr. Marianne-Land Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

What happens when anorexia no longer feels like something you struggle with and starts feeling like who you are?
Many people with long-term anorexia, so-called "atypical" anorexia, and restrictive eating disorders fear recovery for reasons that go far beyond food. They worry about losing structure, purpose, safety, achievement, or even their sense of self. In this episode, I explore the powerful connection between anorexia and identity, why recovery can feel emotionally disorienting, and how people begin rebuilding a life that feels larger than the eating disorder.
Whether you've lived with anorexia for years, support someone in recovery, or work in the eating disorder field, this conversation offers a compassionate look at one of the most overlooked barriers to healing.
Why Anorexia Can Become Part of Your Identity
I explain how long-term restrictive eating disorders often become intertwined with self-worth, achievement, emotional regulation, relationships, and daily routines. I also discuss why recovery can feel like losing a familiar version of yourself, even when you desperately want freedom.
The Hidden Fear Behind Anorexia Recovery
Many people assume that food is the hardest part of recovery. While nutritional rehabilitation matters, identity loss often creates an equally powerful challenge. I explore why letting go of anorexia can trigger grief, uncertainty, and fear, especially when the eating disorder has shaped your life for years.
How Neurodivergence, Trauma, and Oppression Shape Eating Disorders
I discuss how autism, ADHD, sensory processing differences, trauma, perfectionism, and chronic stress can influence restrictive eating patterns. I also examine how social pressures around thinness, productivity, compliance, and self-sacrifice affect women, queer people, trans people, people of color, disabled people, immigrants, fat people, and other marginalized communities.
A Case Example: When Recovery Feels Like Losing Yourself
Through the story of Angela, a composite case example, I illustrate how anorexia can become a trusted coping system and why recovery often requires building safety, flexibility, and self-trust rather than simply eliminating symptoms.
Rebuilding Identity Beyond the Eating Disorder
Recovery involves much more than changing eating behaviors. It often includes discovering values, interests, relationships, boundaries, creativity, and sources of meaning that exist outside the eating disorder. I share practical ways people begin reconnecting with themselves while navigating the uncertainty that recovery can bring.
Key Takeaways
Anorexia can become deeply intertwined with identity, especially after years of living with the disorder.
Fear of recovery often reflects fear of losing safety, predictability, or self-understanding.
Grief can be a normal part of healing and does not mean you want to stay sick.
People in all body sizes can experience anorexia and restrictive eating disorders.
Recovery creates opportunities to build a life that feels larger, richer, and more flexible than the eating disorder.
Related Episodes
The Quiet Places Where Anorexia Meets Identity & Expression on Apple & Spotify.
“Slips” in Eating Disorder Recovery in 2026: Why Setbacks Are Part of Progress, Not Failure (With Mallary Tenore Tarpley, MFA) on Apple & Spotify.
Chronic Eating Disorders in 2026: What Hope Can Actually Look Like on Apple & Spotify.
Work With Dr. Marianne Miller
If you are looking for support with anorexia, ARFID, binge eating disorder, bulimia, chronic eating disorders, or neurodivergent eating challenges, I would love to help.
I provide eating disorder therapy for clients in California and Washington, D.C., along with coaching services worldwide. My practice specializes in neurodivergent-affirming, trauma-informed, weight-neutral care for adults, teens, and families.
Learn more at www.drmariannemiller.com or connect with me on Instagram @drmariannemiller.

Can you recover from binge eating disorder after years, or even decades, of struggling?
In this inspiring episode, I sit down with a longtime friend and recovery coach to discuss her personal binge eating recovery journey. After living in the binge eating cycle for 14 years, she found a path to lasting freedom and has been binge-free since 2002. She shares how binge eating remained hidden from everyone around her, the turning points that led her toward healing, and why recovery was a gradual process rather than an overnight transformation.
We also explore the role that spirituality played in her recovery, how awareness became a powerful tool for change, and why hope is essential for anyone struggling with an eating disorder. Whether you're dealing with binge eating disorder, emotional eating, chronic dieting, body image concerns, or food obsession, this conversation offers encouragement and practical wisdom.
The Hidden Reality of Binge Eating Disorder
One of the most powerful themes in this conversation is how invisible binge eating disorder can be. Despite suffering daily, my guest appeared successful, healthy, and in control from the outside. Behind the scenes, however, she was living a secret life consumed by binge eating, calorie counting, body checking, and relentless self-criticism.
Her story is a reminder that eating disorders do not always fit stereotypes and that many people suffer silently for years before seeking help.
Why Recovery Takes Time
If you've ever felt discouraged because recovery isn't happening fast enough, this episode is for you.
We discuss how recovery often unfolds through increasing awareness rather than dramatic breakthroughs. My guest shares how she slowly learned to recognize her binge eating urges earlier and earlier, eventually developing the ability to choose different responses. This gradual process helped her build a foundation for lasting recovery rather than temporary change.
The Role of Spirituality in Recovery
Spirituality became a central part of my guest's healing journey. We explore how spiritual practices helped her move away from perfectionism, control, and isolation while developing greater trust, self-compassion, and connection. Although spirituality may look different for everyone, this conversation highlights how finding meaning, purpose, and connection can support recovery from binge eating disorder.
Journaling, Awareness, and Healing
We also talk about the surprising power of journaling. My guest has been journaling for more than four decades and shares how writing has helped her uncover patterns, process emotions, and gain insights that she couldn't access through thinking or talking alone. Her experience offers a compelling perspective on why self-reflection can be such a valuable recovery tool.
About My Guest
My guest, Deb Elbaz, is a binge eating recovery coach who has spent more than 20 years helping women heal their relationships with food, their bodies, and themselves. Drawing from her own experience of recovering from binge eating disorder, she now helps women find freedom from the binge-restrict cycle while developing deeper self-awareness and self-trust.
Related Episodes
Healing Binge Eating Disorder: One Woman’s Journey Toward Body Trust & Food Freedom With Dr. Michelle Tubman, M.D. @wayzahealth on Apple & Spotify.
Lived Experience of Having Both Bulimia & Binge Eating Disorder With Milda Zolubaite @nutrition.path on Apple & Spotify.
ADHD & Binge Eating Disorder With Toni Rudd @the.binge.dietitian on Apple & Spotify.
Connect with Deb
Website: DebElbaz.com
Instagram: @debelbazcoach
YouTube: Deb Elbaz
Connect with Dr. Marianne Miller
Website: DrMarianneMiller.com
Instagram: @drmariannemiller
Subscribe, Rate, and Review
If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. Your support helps more people struggling with binge eating disorder, emotional eating, body image issues, and eating disorders discover that recovery is possible.

What happens when eating disorder recovery does not look neat, linear, or complete? In this episode of the Dr. Marianne-Land podcast, Dr. Marianne Miller explores the emotional reality of living with a chronic eating disorder, including long-term anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, and restrictive eating disorders that persist for years or decades. This conversation examines the grief, shame, exhaustion, and isolation many people experience when they do not relate to polished recovery narratives or dramatic “before-and-after” transformations.
Dr. Marianne discusses how eating disorders can become intertwined with identity, nervous system regulation, trauma, neurodivergence, sensory processing differences, OCD, ADHD, autism, chronic illness, and anti-fat bias. She also explores why many people feel invisible inside traditional eating disorder treatment spaces, especially when recovery feels nonlinear, partial, or emotionally complicated.
Rather than framing recovery as all-or-nothing, this episode offers a more nuanced conversation about hope, harm reduction, quality of life, and what meaningful healing can look like when vulnerability still exists. Dr. Marianne also discusses the emotional burden of perfectionism in eating disorder recovery and why redefining progress may help people reconnect with themselves more compassionately.
In This Episode, Dr. Marianne Addresses the Following Topics:
Chronic Eating Disorders & Long-Term Recovery
How chronic eating disorders can affect identity, relationships, emotional regulation, and quality of life over time, including the hidden grief many people carry when recovery feels more complicated than expected.
Eating Disorders, Neurodivergence, & Nervous System Differences
How autism, ADHD, sensory processing differences, executive functioning struggles, OCD, trauma, and chronic illness can shape eating disorder recovery in ways that traditional treatment models often miss.
Anti-Fat Bias & Eating Disorder Misdiagnosis
Why people in larger bodies are frequently overlooked, misdiagnosed, or praised for dangerous eating disorder symptoms because of weight stigma and diet culture.
Redefining Hope Beyond Perfect Recovery
A compassionate conversation about recovery ambivalence, harm reduction, emotional complexity, and why meaningful healing does not always require perfection or complete symptom elimination.
ARFID & Selective Eating Support
Dr. Marianne also shares resources for ARFID and selective eating support, including her self-paced virtual course grounded in neurodivergent-affirming care. Get more information at drmariannemiller.com/arfid.
Related Episodes
Orthorexia, Quasi-Recovery, & Lifelong Eating Disorder Struggles with Dr. Lara Zibarras @drlarazib on Apple & Spotify.
The Truth About "High-Functioning" People With Lifelong Eating Disorders on Apple & Spotify.
Understanding Harm Reduction: Why "Full Recovery" May Not Be the Goal for Lifelong Eating Disorders on Apple & Spotify.
About Dr. Marianne Miller
Dr. Marianne Miller is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in eating disorders, ARFID, binge eating disorder, neurodivergent-affirming care, and body liberation. She provides therapy and coaching for adults, teens, and families and works with clients throughout California, Washington, D.C., and globally through coaching and educational offerings. Check out her website at drmariannemiller.com.
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What happens when eating disorder recovery starts colliding with nervous system overwhelm? In this episode of the Dr. Marianne-Land podcast, Dr. Marianne Miller explores one of the most confusing parts of restrictive eating disorder recovery: learning how to tell the difference between genuine nervous system dysregulation and eating disorder avoidance disguised as self-protection.
Many people with anorexia, ARFID, orthorexia, chronic dieting histories, OCD, autism, ADHD, trauma, or sensory processing challenges struggle to know when they truly need accommodations and support versus when the eating disorder is quietly shrinking their world through avoidance. This episode explores why restrictive eating disorders often borrow the language of nervous system regulation, why food anxiety does not always mean danger, and why recovery sometimes requires gentle exposure to discomfort instead of waiting to feel completely “safe” before eating.
When “Listening to Your Body” Gets Complicated in Eating Disorder Recovery
Social media often promotes messages about protecting your peace, avoiding discomfort, and never forcing yourself into situations that feel activating. But what happens when restrictive eating disorders begin using that language to reinforce food fear, rigidity, and avoidance?
In this episode, Dr. Marianne talks about:
Anxiety Around Eating and Restrictive Eating Disorders
Why anxiety during meals does not automatically mean you are unsafe.
How starvation and undernourishment intensify emotional dysregulation, obsessive thinking, rigidity, panic, sensory sensitivity, and distress tolerance difficulties.
Why many people get trapped waiting to feel calm enough to eat while restriction continues worsening nervous system symptoms.
ARFID, Autism, ADHD, and Sensory Food Struggles
Why neurodivergent people often need both accommodations and recovery support at the same time.
How sensory overwhelm, executive functioning challenges, contamination fears, and burnout can complicate restrictive eating disorder recovery.
Why recovery does not need to become harsh or punishing in order to challenge avoidance patterns.
Restrictive Eating Disorders and the “Shrinking Life” Pattern
How anorexia, ARFID, and restrictive eating disorders gradually narrow food choices, social experiences, spontaneity, travel, and daily functioning.
Why temporary anxiety relief from food avoidance can increase long-term nervous system sensitivity.
How to begin recognizing when the eating disorder is quietly gaining more control over your life.
Neurodivergent-Affirming Support for ARFID and Selective Eating
Dr. Marianne also shares more about her ARFID and selective eating course, which explores restrictive eating through a neurodivergent-affirming lens. The course addresses sensory sensitivities, executive functioning challenges, nervous system regulation, autonomy needs, accommodations, and gentle food expansion without shame-based recovery approaches.
Related Episodes
Fear of Uncertainty in Eating Disorder Recovery: Why It Feels So Terrifying + 5 Practical Skills That Help on Apple and Spotify.
An Open Letter to the Body: Listening to the Part That Fears Getting Better on Apple and Spotify.
Eating Disorders as Safety Systems: Why Letting Go Can Trigger Fear on Apple and Spotify.
If Recovery Feels Unsafe Right Now: A Guided Moment for Eating Disorder Recovery Fear on Apple and Spotify.
About Dr. Marianne Miller
Dr. Marianne Miller, LMFT is a fat eating disorder therapist, podcast host, and educator specializing in ARFID, binge eating disorder, anorexia, neurodivergence, OCD, and restrictive eating disorders. She provides eating disorder therapy and coaching for people across California, Washington, D.C., Texas, and globally through coaching services. Dr. Marianne is especially passionate about neurodivergent-affirming eating disorder care for autistic clients and ADHDers navigating complex relationships with food, sensory overwhelm, and body image distress. Check out her website at drmariannemiller.com.
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If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone navigating restrictive eating recovery, ARFID, anorexia, food anxiety, or nervous system dysregulation.