Looking for something thoughtful to add to your summer listening queue? Here are some of our favorite podcast episodes we’ve been listening to lately, from body image and eating disorder recovery to identity, flexibility, and personal growth.
1. The Body Image Podcast — S5 E1: Digestive Issues, Eating Disorder Recovery, & Body Image with Marci Evans, MS, CEDRD-S, LDN
Hosted by non-diet registered dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor Corinne Dobbas, MS, RD, this episode explores the relationship between digestive issues, eating disorder recovery, and body image. Marci Evans discusses functional GI disorders and the reality that digestive symptoms do not always resolve with nourishment alone. We appreciated the attention given to the role anxiety can play in worsening symptoms, as well as the discussion of self-blame and the experience of feeling dismissed when seeking support. It’s a validating conversation for anyone navigating ongoing digestive concerns during recovery.
2. The Appetite Podcast #146: A Teen Male’s Perspective on Sport and Identity: An Interview with Nicholas Macha
In this conversation, Opal co-founder Kara Bazzi, LMFT, interviews distance runner and podcaster Nicholas Macha about sport, injury, and identity. One idea that stayed with us was the distinction between something you do and who you are. When so much time and energy is invested in athletics, performance can easily become intertwined with identity. This episode explores what happens when injury, setbacks, or life changes challenge that connection and offers a reminder that there is value in the process—not just the outcome.
3. Life Wisdom – By Words of Taoism: Know Yourself Without Limiting Yourself
This episode examines how the stories we tell ourselves can gradually become fixed beliefs about who we are. Chen Li discusses the tendency to confuse what we’ve observed about ourselves at one point in time with who we are permanently. We found his discussion of labels particularly interesting: while they can help us make sense of ourselves, they can also become restrictive when we stop questioning them. One takeaway that resonated with us was the idea that certainty about our identity is not always a sign of truth—it can simply be a sign of repetition. The episode encourages a more flexible approach to identity, one that leaves room for growth, change, and new experiences.
4. The Appetite Podcast #139: From Rules to Trust: Opal’s Meal Support Approach
In this episode, Lexi Giblin discusses Opal’s meal support approach through the lens of radically open dialectical behavior therapy (RO-DBT). We appreciated the focus on flexibility and connectedness, particularly the idea that recovery is strengthened through relationships and community rather than rigid adherence to rules. The conversation also offers a helpful perspective on eating as a decision rather than a capability, recognizing that recovery often involves making choices that align with long-term values, even when those choices don’t feel easy in the moment. It’s a thoughtful discussion of how trust, openness, and connection can support healing while reducing loneliness.
For more about how the team at LCWN integrates RO-DBT in nutrition therapy, click here.
5. The Running Explained Podcast: ADHD, Anxiety, and Running: What No One Talks About with Mary Johnson
Coach Amanda and Coach Nick interview running coach Mary Johnson about ADHD, anxiety, and the role running can play in managing both. The conversation explores how ADHD is often masked by achievement and structure, particularly among high-performing adults, and how anxiety can sometimes develop alongside untreated ADHD. We also appreciated the discussion around identity and labels—how helpful they can be in understanding ourselves while recognizing they do not tell the whole story. The episode offers a nuanced look at the connection between mental health, movement, and self-understanding.
