No matter how long you’ve been struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, you can get free of the attitudes and behaviours that keep you feeling stuck, hopeless and despairing. You can get off the food and weight control treadmill and recover your life. Hear the stories of four women experiencing this transformation in […]

Illuminating Anorexia, Eating, Self & Body issues

You can get free!

Chelsea, 19, struggled with anorexia in her mid teens followed by a period of binge-eating and purging, which is not an uncommon experience in the recovery process from anorexia. In this podcast she speaks with Michelle about recovery, finding her way back to balance and discovering more peace and self acceptance. “Finding balance” Chelsea says […]

Recovery Conversation with Chelsea age 19 (Part 2 of 2)

Recovery Conversation with Chelsea, age 19 (Pt 1 of 2)

Jeanne, 51, has struggled with disordered eating for decades. In this podcast she talks with Michelle Sparkes about finding hope and freedom from behaviors she thought she would have to live with. You can watch a video of the interview here : https://youtu.be/wZaNw_LzJdM info@michellesparkes.com

Recovery Conversation with Jeanne, age 51

Freda, 38, has struggled with anorexia and disordered eating for 19 years. In this podcast she talks about the process of finding freedom from the obsessive thoughts and rules that circumscribed her life until recently. [If you prefer to watch rather than listen, you can find the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMV-qqqlXss]

Recovery Conversation with Freda, age 38

In this podcast I speak to Kate, a 42 year old mother of two who for decades struggled with disordered eating and who, in a very short space of time, experienced a sense of freedom that she says is “hard to put into words unless you experience it. It’s just a sigh of relief that […]

Recovery conversation with Kate, age 42

The fear that drives us down the scales and into the self-destructive behaviours characteristic of anorexia and other eating disorders can grow into a terror that is difficult to articulate. I believe there is a spiritual dimension to this fear, that it grows from the seeds of lies believed in the crucible of life experience […]

Spiritual Power – what to do when you feel driven by fear

I believe at the heart of an eating disorder lies a deep-seated hunger for acceptance and security. How we see our “self” and what we believe about our worth, value and entitlement (to life, nurture and good things) are critical issues in both the development of, and recovery from, an eating disorder. In this podcast […]

Spiritual Power

Have you ever felt deeply distressed, inconsolable or highly anxious? Right now in my country we’re grappling with the devastating impact of catastrophic bushfires. Closer to home my dearly loved mum is suffering and in decline. It got me thinking about comfort; it got me thinking about you. When we experience distressing emotions (as we […]

Comfort, peace & hope

  I got caught in an ocean current on the weekend and it got me thinking how quickly we can go from being in control (“I’m okay”) to being out of control (“I’m in danger”). The slide from disordered or unhealthy (even sub-optimal) eating patterns and behaviours into a full blown eating disorder can happen […]

Warning…danger ahead!

Paralysing fear. Feeling stuck and terrified. Afraid to make a “wrong” decision; afraid to make any decision. Acute anxiety is a major feature of anorexia and something most of us will relate to in some measure. Even when you’re recovered from anorexia (as I am), there are times when situations trigger that old emotional response. […]

What to do when you’re paralysed by fear

When we are locked in the self hatred of the eating disorder ‘cage’ we need to experience ourselves as seen, known, understood, worthwhile, valuable, loved. Even when and especially in the midst of our most acute struggles. For me the heart of the Christmas message is about this. The sound quality of this audio is […]

Christmas reflection

When it comes to communicating around a difficult situation or personal challenge I find the following piece of wisdom most helpful.

Communicating when it’s difficult

What do you say to two brave women now both in their 40s, struggling to stay ‘well enough’ to stay out of hospital after a long journey with anorexia, both traumatised by previous hospital admissions and struggling to know who to trust and where to turn. This is my response. I welcome your feedback and […]

Help for Chronic and Enduring Anorexia

In response to one listeners request for help “not to revert back to old bad habits” and to learn to eat when hungry, here are some thoughts.

How not to revert to bad habits

Anorexia and Eating Disorder Recovery Help with Health Professional, Author and Coach Michelle Sparkes

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Illuminating Anorexia, Eating, Self & Body issues

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