On this episode of What You’re Craving, Molly is joined by addiction specialist Clarissa Kennedy and her Food Junkies podcast co-host Molly Painschab. Clarissa shares her personal experience with food and alcohol addiction, discussing how changing her eating habits helped her overcome her alcohol addiction. Molly Painschab also shares her experience working in the field and her own journey of addressing her food addiction.
This conversation delves into important aspects of food addiction, including how it presents itself, the benefits of a low-exposure food plan, and the underlying causes. The episode also explores the role of mindfulness and sleep in managing food addiction, emphasizing the importance of seeking support in the recovery process. Furthermore, they will discuss how most food addiction recovery requires a foundation free of diet culture thinking and rooted in self-compassion.
Episode Quotes:
- “The world is really missing out on a lot of us who are so deeply embedded in healthy eating as an eating disorder.”
- “So much of what we do with food addiction is undoing diet culture.”
About Clarissa Kennedy:
Clarissa is a Clinical Social Worker and the founder of Reinvent Your Bliss Point. She is
a registered member of the Ontario Association of Mental Health Professionals. She has over 14 years of experience working with adolescents, adults and families in a wide range of treatment settings, including residential treatment, outpatient services, and private practice.
Clarissa has a personal history of recovery from eating disorders and food addiction which helps
her connect and build trust with clients. She views working with her clients as a privilege and
through her compassionate approach to treatment, she guides and supports her clients through
the process of change. She prides herself on teaching individuals actionable solutions to
problems that occur when they are struggling with food addiction and eating disorders.
Clarissa hopes to create real change in the awareness of the disease of Food Addiction. She is
on the team working towards getting Food Addiction recognized in the ICD, the International
worlds DSM. In 2021 she launched the podcast Food Junkies: Recovery from Food Addiction
with Dr. Vera Tarman and Molly Painschab. She has been participating in a clinical audit on
Food Addiction treatment and their latest publication in Frontiers in Psychiatry called “Low
carbohydrate and psychoeducational programs show promise for the treatment of ultra-
processed food addiction” is now in the top 2% of papers ever published in Frontiers and Top
100 papers published of all time in the online journal.
About Molly Painschab:
Molly Painschab, LCPC, LAC is a dual-licensed mental health and addiction counselor and has
worked in the field since 2005. She is co-chair of the Sugar & Food Addiction Professional
Network. Molly is also a member of the Academy of Eating Disorders and the Substance Use
Disorders Special Interest Group. She is also a co-host of the Food Junkies Podcast along with
Dr. Vera Tarman and Clarissa Kennedy.
Molly’s background in addiction treatment while working with individuals being supervised by
the Department of Corrections, Child Protective Services, and other Court-Ordered situations
inform her solution-focused and forward-thinking style.
Molly is fueled by her belief that recovery is possible. She considers herself a ‘helper’, eager to
encourage and support individuals and families on their journey to mental and emotional
wellness.
Molly uses Solution-Focused Brief Therapy techniques to move clients toward the life they no
longer want to escape from.
Clarissa and Molly recently launched Sweet Sobriety, an interactive, one-of-a-kind online coaching,
community, and connection for those seeking an improved relationship with self, food, and
body.
Connect with Molly:
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Come join me March 30th and April 1 at the ownyourworthexperience.com – it’s going to be INCREDIBLE!
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