Sometimes the hardest part of recovery isn’t the illness itself — it’s what happens inside treatment.
For many people navigating eating disorders, and especially those who’ve also struggled with substance use, treatment trauma is a painful and often silent wound.
Today’s episode of the pod is a compassionate, honest conversation with Sandi James — a registered psychologist and certified eating disorder recovery coach — whose lived experience with both eating disorders and substance abuse profoundly shapes her work.
Sandi knows firsthand the complexities of healing from intertwined challenges. She’s walked the difficult path of feeling let down by treatment systems that often miss the mark, sometimes causing more harm than healing.
Together, we explore:
The intersection of mental health, trauma, and addiction
Why recovery isn’t a straight line, especially with co-occurring substance use, disordered eating, and compulsive exercise behaviors
What it means to experience treatment trauma — and the barriers it can create down the road
Why relapse often occurs during times of disconnection, loneliness, and life transitions
How harm reduction offers a lifeline — a compassionate, realistic approach that honors where each person is at without demanding perfection
Why Sandi’s dual lens — as survivor and clinician — helps illuminate what traditional treatment often overlooks
How healing can include joyful movement and somatic practices
This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt afraid to trust recovery again, worn down by rigid “all or nothing” recovery messages, or searching for a kinder, more flexible path forward.
Sandi’s story and wisdom remind us recovery isn’t about following one “right” script. It’s about reclaiming safety, respect, and autonomy — even in the messiness of real life.
The full conversation is available for paid subscribers, and you can upgrade here (it helps sustain the pod and this newsletter!).
Thank you for being here, for holding space for all the stories shared in this community, and for believing that healing can be both imperfect and valid.
