Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
[00:00:09] Speaker B: Happy Sunday, y'all. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Na on 90.7, the capstone. And here we are in the last week of February. N.
Like, how did we get here?
[00:00:22] Speaker C: I know, I know I say this every time, but I feel like January was three years long and I feel like February was three hours long.
[00:00:30] Speaker B: Truly, that. Honestly, that's probably the best analogy that I've ever heard about the comparison between January and February. It's the craziest thing. And it was funny because earlier this month, I was already in some different department head meetings talking about end of year performance things, things of that nature, kind of end of semester stuff. And I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa. We haven't even touched spring break yet. Why are we talking about this?
[00:01:01] Speaker C: Right?
[00:01:02] Speaker B: I mean, I guess that's just the nature of the game. Right?
[00:01:05] Speaker C: Always got to say a couple steps ahead because it will stand up on you. Yes.
[00:01:08] Speaker B: Now, how's it been going with your students in advising or even in the classroom? Is this the point in the semester where. I guess I'm just curious, where are students heads at at this point in the semester when they're interacting with you either in your advisor hat or your faculty hat?
[00:01:26] Speaker C: Yeah. So February 28th marks the midpoint of the term, so that is midterm for the students. So right now we are still eager, coming to class, wanting to learn. I don't think there's much burnout happening right now, which is a good thing. I think it helps also that the weather has been a little chilly because, you know, when the weather turns pretty, we kind of lose focus, which, I mean, I do too. I can't blame them.
[00:01:52] Speaker B: I know.
[00:01:52] Speaker C: I'm like, yeah. So with advising, we're already talking about summer plans in fall, which is crazy. So, like, you know, we talked about just a second ago having to stay a couple steps ahead. So they're already coming to get advised and, you know, making plans for when they register and registration opens up at the end of March.
[00:02:12] Speaker B: Sure.
[00:02:13] Speaker C: But we just kinda, you know, get everybody in and get everybody seen. So nobody's scrambling at the last minute.
[00:02:19] Speaker B: Yes. Well, and I'm curious, for the students that you interact with, how common is it for the students in your program to do study abroad opportunities? I feel like with colleagues and friends that teach in other academic units, they're always talking about these different, exciting study abroad opportunities. And I just, I did not do that in undergrad or grad school. And it's One of those. I really wish that I did. And so I didn't know if that's common for the students in health studies that you work with.
[00:02:51] Speaker C: It is. I have seen it gain lots of popularity in the past nine years, just, you know, in my role previous to being in health studies and in now. And we don't really offer a ton of our core classes study abroad. A lot of students get some of their core, so history, let's say fine arts, humanity, those kinds of classes. But what I'm seeing a lot of students do, which I love this is instead of studying abroad during the fall or spring term, they're taking advantage of it in the summer and they'll go and take a class that's just interesting to them that might just come back as an elective. But they're actually going and fully immersing themselves in that culture and that experience. And I love that. I love that for them because, you know, sometimes it's hard if you're doing a full fall or spring study abroad. You know, you don't really want to quote, unquote, waste that semester until you're really trying to load up on classes that will transfer back. And sometimes if, you know, you're in the library here in Tuscaloosa studying for classes, what makes you think you won't be in the library in Rome studying for classes?
[00:04:05] Speaker A: Right.
[00:04:06] Speaker C: I don't get to get out and experience it. So I think they've kind of figured out like, let me do it in the summer.
[00:04:11] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:04:11] Speaker C: And really go and just experience it. And I love that. I love that. I'm like you. I wish I would have known more about it back in the day. But yeah, you know, I am pre Google, so I didn't know about all those things.
[00:04:25] Speaker B: See, I didn't either. So now you're giving me some inspiration for thinking about some, some future episodes on the show. But for our listeners that are tuning in today, we will not be talking about study abroad. Hopefully we will in the future. But today, you know, just as Nika mentioned, with this being the midpoint in the semester coming up, you know, we really thought that it would be timely to talk about some mental health related things. You know, stress comes up for our students, for our UA community. We've got to take a quick break, but you are listening to Fit to Be Tied and when we get back, we will introduce our guest.
[00:05:07] Speaker A: WVUAFM Tuscaloosa.
[00:05:17] Speaker C: Welcome back, listeners. You are listening to Fit to be tied on 90.7, the capstone with Sheena And Neeka.
[00:05:24] Speaker B: That's right. And before the break, we were just acknowledging how long January was and how quickly February has happened and is ending. And I know that I kind of teased earlier on that we were going to be talking about mental health today. You know, as we think about where we are in the semester, you know, we know that this is a natural time for students and, you know, even just our UA community as a whole, to maybe just be evaluating their own mental health, their own self care, things of that nature. Also, we like to acknowledge that on UA's campus, we celebrate UA Body Appreciation Week, which is our way of recognizing Eating Disorders Awareness Week. And so with that said, we have the honor of having the Ms. Jessica Schaefer, who is regional Director of Clinical partnerships with Odyssey Eating Disorder Network, speaking with us today. And Jessica, thank you so much for being on the program.
[00:06:24] Speaker A: Thank you guys for having me. I'm excited to be here.
[00:06:27] Speaker B: Yes, absolutely. Now, you know, we always like to use this first segment to really learn about our guest. You know, your academic and professional background, any ties to ua, where's your hometown, all that good stuff. So share a little bit about yourself.
[00:06:44] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. So I, I started out in college at a community college back home close to Roanoke, Alabama, which is my hometown. So I attended Southern Union, and I, I went there for two years on a dance scholarship. And then I transferred to UA as a junior and I was a double major in dance and in Human development and Family studies.
And then while I was there junior year, I had a marriage and family therapy class, and I was kind of deciding what I wanted to do with the next couple of years and the next steps for my future. So I decided that I wanted to apply to the Marriage and family Therap Therapy master's program at ua. And so I did that once I completed undergrad and I started my, my grad school journey, and then I completed my master's in 2017.
So I was there for four years and really enjoyed my time there.
[00:07:42] Speaker B: Roll tide.
[00:07:43] Speaker A: Roll tide.
[00:07:44] Speaker C: Roll tide. She's one, she's one of our. She's a college environmental sciences grad. Love it.
[00:07:50] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:07:51] Speaker B: Yes. And now, Jessica, tell us a little bit about your role with Odyssey Eating Disorder Network. And for our listeners who were local to the Alabama or UA area, you know, they may be even more familiar with Magnolia Creek, which is a part of that network.
[00:08:11] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. So as I mentioned, my background is in marriage and family therapy. So I have been, I started out being a clinician doing marriage and family therapy work At Magnolia Creek, so I was on the clinical side of things for about almost five years or so. And then I transitioned over into the business development and outreach side. And so now my role is to help clients get into treatment, if that is what they're needing from their. Or that's the recommendation from their outpatient providers, whether they're working with a dietitian, therapist, physician, and they're needing a little bit more intensive therapy and eating disorder support. So I help get those clients into our treatment centers. And so Magnolia Creek is one of five facilities under Odyssey's umbrella, All primary eating disorder networks. And then obviously, we support secondary mental health and comorbidity with substance use and whatnot. But we can treat clients as young as 10 and up. And so we have adolescent and adult programming across our network. But at Magnolia Creek, Specifically, we treat 12 and up biological females, and we have residential and partial hospitalization levels of care. So 24, 7 care, all the way down to practicing some independence, where they're living on their own and making their own meals. But they have a full care team, including a family therapist, individual therapist, psychiatrist, and dietitian that all work collectively as a team to get them what they need and start the recovery process.
[00:09:49] Speaker C: That's amazing.
[00:09:51] Speaker B: Yes. I. You know, when I hear about everything that Magnolia Creek does, and really just, I would say higher levels of care for eating disorders in general, you know, I'm always blown away with the level of support that's provided. And I feel like those that go into that work, you know, it almost feels like a calling. So I'm kind of curious what got you interested in working with the eating disorders population?
[00:10:16] Speaker A: Yeah. So I will say that I kind of just fell into it.
So I'm really passionate about integrated care, so multidisciplinary and care. So having the full care team spectrum, it can be a barrier in terms of, like, collaboration and providing all of the services that are needing to a client when you're just one person working as, you know, solo. And so I really love being able to collaborate and bounce ideas off and support one another, multiple different roles at the same time. And so I had a. I had a cohort member from grad school who was actually working at Magnolia Creek and kind of recruited me to come and see the property. And once I got on the property, I was like, oh, this is it. I'm coming to our pier because we're out in the country. And so it really very much so reminded me of home, because I live in the city of Birmingham, but driving out to Chelsea, Columbiana area. I was like, wow, this is, this is like a home away from home for me. And so the treatment environment within itself is just so therapeutic and homelike. And so it was a, it was a nice reprieve from the city life every day. So I really love that piece of it. But I fell into it and ended up just kind of falling in love with the whole recovery process.
I found that it can be one of the most challenging areas to work in, but one of the most rewarding. So here I am, almost seven years later.
[00:11:49] Speaker C: I think I caught where you said you're working with biological females. Is that correct? So if a male was to, you know, experience disordered eating, where would, for our listeners, where would you usually suggest that they, you know, start with getting help?
[00:12:09] Speaker A: For sure. So we have a facility under our network that is in Ohio. It's called Toledo Center. And so I would offer that as an option for them. And then if it's, you know, if that's too far away or insurance is a barrier or there's, there are other barriers, I would reach out to local providers to see if they could be a good fit for them, because if it's not us, then it's someone else. And so that's a big part of my role as well, is just making sure that they get the care that they need, regardless of where that is.
[00:12:39] Speaker C: Right. Okay. Thank you. Yeah, of course.
[00:12:43] Speaker B: I know that, you know, in just a bit, we're going to have to go on a break, Jessica. But, you know, as I was listening to you share about your experience kind of, you know, falling into eating disorders therapy, I'm actually curious, you know, when you've talked to other therapists that maybe have not been in the eating disorder world, have you ever had discussions about how therapy and eating disorders is different from, you know, just the general private practice experience?
[00:13:13] Speaker A: Yes. And I also, So I feel like a lot of times when I bring up, hey, I work in the world of eating disorders and providers, let's say that's not their area of expertise. They're usually like, whoa, that's, that's, that's something I definitely refer out for. I don't touch it kind of hands off, scary zone. And so a lot of those conversations of I just kind of delve in and say, well, what has been your experience been with that? Or is it just, you know, these horror stories that you might hear or just kind of the word on the street?
And then we have conversations of what the therapy process actually looks like? And a lot of my conversations are, well, actually doing, you know, parts work or identity work or healing trauma or just working on cognitive distortions and challenging the thought process. That's what you're doing with eating disorder clients. You just have this, have to have this extra wealth of knowledge of being informed of eating disorders and knowing the warning signs, risk factors, boundaries to hold and things like that and how to have a multidisciplinary and team so you're not siloed in it.
[00:14:16] Speaker B: No. I love your explanation to that. And I know that in just a moment after we take a break, we're going to be talking more about mental health in general. But I love, you know, just how you articulate that to other providers. But, y'all, we've got to take a quick break. We are getting into some exciting stuff. But grab some water, get hydrated, run to the restroom, do what you got to do. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 the capstone.
[00:14:46] Speaker A: WVUAFM Tuscaloosa.
[00:14:55] Speaker C: Welcome back, listeners. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 the Capstone.
[00:15:02] Speaker B: That's right. And if you are just now joining us, we want you to definitely go back, rewind. Listen to our previous segment as we have introduced Ms. Jessica Schaefer, who is regional director, director of clinical partnerships with Odyssey Eating Disorder Network. And she was sharing her time at the Capstone Roll Tide. We always like to celebrate our alums. And now we're kind of diving into mental health in general. And so, Jessica, we would love for you to kind of open up with sharing. What do you believe are the biggest perceived obstacles for individuals to get mental health therapy?
[00:15:38] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. I feel like this list could go on for hours and days. But I think some of the biggest obstacles, barriers or just stigmas regarding health and mental health in general, I think cost is a big one, especially in today's society. I mean, eggs are so expensive, much less going to therapy.
Accessibility.
Coming from a very rural hometown where there are no therapeutic options, I know that that is a big barrier to clients or people getting the getting care or having options to care.
I think also just the stigma of going to therapy or having any mental health. I'm using air quotes here because I think it's just saying anything is wrong is bad. You know, coming from the south, it's always rub some dirt on it, toughen up, you'll be all right kind of thing versus acknowledging what anxiety might actually be or depression might Be.
And then lack of knowledge, I think that's another one. I think people, you know, we grow up in our. In our own bubbles and we take on the beliefs of our families and the cultures that we're raised in. And if that is, if it's something that is not talked about, then there isn't really much room for it to be talked about or for it to be acknowledged or even to understand what's going on.
And then that adds in the, the cultural beliefs piece too. You know, if there isn't, if that is, if there's no room for that within, you know, a family or just creating some knowledge around it, then there's going to be the stigma around trying to even figure out what that looks like or what support could be like for that.
And I think time, too, I think especially if you are trying to manage your job and a household and your own, you know, just sanity, it's just a lot to try to mix that in and trying to find time for that when you're juggling multiple schedules or things like that.
I think those are some of the biggest things that come to mind for me.
[00:17:43] Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. You know, Nika, I was, you know, starting to think about the way that you interact with students, and I'm actually curious, in your advising world, have you ever had students disclose that, you know, they're nervous about telling mom or dad or any family member that they're needing mental health assistance and, you know, maybe family is not necessarily on, on board with that? Have you had those kinds of conversations, Nika?
[00:18:09] Speaker C: Oh, all the time. Yes.
You see some students that are, it's very much welcomed and talked about in their family. And then you see some that are trying to figure out how they're going to have that conversation with a family member because, like, you know, Jessica said it's very much rub some dirt on it, pull yourself up by the bootstrap. So I, like, I think you, you were right when you said there's some miseducation that not everything is willpower, self discipline. There is, you know, chemicals in our brain and sometimes they get, you know, imbalanced. So, you know, you wouldn't tell a pancreas, hey, get your mind right and start producing more insulin. You know, we just wouldn't do it. So you brain, hey, come on, more dopamine, more serotonin and all the like. So explain that to my students. That that's not a weakness, it's not a flaw. None of us are absolutely 100 healthy in all of our areas. Financial, social, Mental, emotional, physical. I mean, like, we can't hit it 100 all the time. So it's okay if there is something that's not, you know, perfectly healthy in our mental realm. But we do need to know when it's time for us to seek out help. So saying that, I would like to ask you, what are some of the big myths that you see when people come to you or even like, as they get more comfortable with you and they go, well, you know what? I used to think xyz, but now I know that's not really the truth. What are some of the big myths that you see that are associated with getting mental health help?
[00:20:03] Speaker A: I think the biggest thing, the first thing that comes to mind, you kind of touched on a little bit is like this, this comparison piece of, oh, well, I'm not, I'm not that seriously, I'm not that mentally ill or I haven't been through X, Y and Z. So my problems are not as big of a deal or not as important or this doesn't count as trauma.
I've seen this online or I've seen this on TV or on the news, and I'm not experiencing that. And so I think that that is one of the biggest pieces is where people are minimizing their experiences, the imbalances that are going on physically, emotionally, psychologically.
And then if they're getting, you know, also that outside influence of people kind of affirming that, yeah, no, you, that's. That's not a big deal. You should just get over it. Then that creates even more of a barrier of their belie that they need support for what they're going through.
Yeah, that's one of the biggest things I think of.
[00:21:05] Speaker B: Yeah. And right as I start thinking about, you know, when we're concerned about someone and we do want them to get help, whether it's for an eating disorder or. Or other mental health disorder. And I think that's actually a good point to point out that with eating disorders that those, they are first and foremost a mental health disorder. That's something that I often would educate parents of clients about because they would just see it as, quote, unquote eating thing, or quote, unquote exercise thing. But when we think about getting somebody help for an eating disorder or other mental health issue, and you're trying to coach an individual through having that conversation with someone, what do you typically tell people to do? Are there certain types of I statements that you have them use? You know, when they are kind of sharing concerns about observed behaviors and you know, and why they think somebody, you know, may need to get some help, for sure.
[00:22:05] Speaker A: So I, what I think of is a lot of training that I went through in grad school about how to be a therapist, essentially of setting, setting aside all of your beliefs, everything about like, you, and then you just putting on your therapist hat and just being present for the person in a session. And so that's what I think of. So I think of practicing reflective listening. So listening to understand versus listening to respond. And that is a very hard thing that we do. You know, people have a hard time doing that because no one's really taught it. And so, you know, reflecting back what you're hearing. So what I'm hearing you say is X, Y and Z versus oh yeah, I've experienced the same thing. And this is what that experience looked like and this is how I dealt with it. So instead of just taking it on and sharing your experiences, taking away that personalization piece and just listening to what they're saying. So being empathetic and truly just validating what you're feeling is okay and what your struggles are, that it's okay to have those.
It's okay to have this conversation right now. So really offering a lot of normalization and kind of what's going on and then patience, you know, especially if it's a child opening up to a parent, they may give it, they may be giving breadcrumbs, right? So it's not going to be, it's not always going to be. I'm just going to spill everything out all at once. And then we create this beautiful plan and it just goes so smoothly. It may just be giving a few breadcrumbs and signs just to see how someone else might be. Might react to that, and then offering information when they're open to it. So, you know, let's say you sat down and you've had a conversation with someone and they really, really opened up to you and confided in you, asking them, how, how can I best support you? Or what. What would be helpful for. For you right now in my position? Would it be helpful for us to look at some options together?
Want me to listen and just be. And be empathetic and be a listening ear, or do you want me to help you create a plan? Just kind of offering up some different options of what you know might be helpful? Because sometimes people, when they're struggling, they may not know what will be helpful, especially if they haven't sought help before. So they might not know what that could look like. And Then also saying, just normalizing. I don't know what the best thing to do is for you specifically, because everybody's struggles look different. Even if you have two people with the same diagnosis, this same background, that what they might need is different because they're both two different individuals with their own individual makeups.
So offering options is always important, I think, too.
[00:24:44] Speaker B: Gosh, thank you for throwing down the wisdom on that.
[00:24:47] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. So good. So good.
[00:24:50] Speaker A: I feel like I could talk about that, that specific question for hours.
[00:24:56] Speaker C: Now.
[00:24:57] Speaker B: Jessica, could you tell us, like, what kind of strides have you seen that have been made culturally, naturally, to put mental health awareness on the forefront? So I think as much as we've acknowledged that there are obstacles to, you know, people getting mental health or, you know, having some reservations about it, I think all of us on the show today can acknowledge that it seems a lot more. And I cringe saying this, acceptable to get mental. It just. It seems like it's. It's more. More well promoted in the day and age that we are. So what kind of strides have you seen within your profession for.
[00:25:35] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. Well, the first thing I think of is, like, representation in media, which I call a blessing and a curse, because especially in the eating disorder world, it can be portrayed like, so much can be portrayed to advocate for both sides to have disordered eating and to have a certain type of body image view or the culture around what that should be like or what the news trends are and whatnot. And then I think of the other side, where just during the super bowl, they had the Dove commercial where the little girl was running, and it was. She was three years old, and it was talking about the statistics of women quitting sports during their high school ages due to body shaming. And then there was the Nike ad about all these female athletes. And so I think that there is a lot more representation around just healthier views around mental health and body image awareness and all the things.
And then I think along with that, there's a lot more mental health movements which can very much so be empowering for people.
I think of a time when I lived in St. Louis, when I was exploring my doctorate career and I joined a Women's March movement. And it was just. It was just about women empowerment and all of these, like, beautiful pieces of that. And it was so empowering and just inclusive, and I just love that experience.
And then another piece, I think of, you know, integration of mental health support within school systems and workplaces when I. So now it's very much so encouraged to have a mental health day if you can. So for my company, we do get those. And so I think that that is very, very, I think that's making a lot of strides because when I first started working in my career, that wasn't, you know, something that was advertised or encouraged. And then having this conversation here and then, you know, what you mentioned earlier about the, the body appreciation week on campus and having that as like a campus wide display like that is, that's so awesome and empowering and supportive and inclusive.
Those are some of the things I think of that have been strides in making more awareness around mental health support.
[00:28:09] Speaker B: Thank you for sharing that. And I would say, yeah, Nika and I are pretty blessed for lack of better words when it comes to being on a campus of higher education where we try to be progressive with making that a priority for our campus culture. I know we've got to take a quick break, but Jessica, we're going to keep you aware along for the ride. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 the capstone.
[00:28:44] Speaker A: WVUAFM Tuscaloosa.
[00:28:53] Speaker C: Welcome back, listeners. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 the Capstone.
[00:28:59] Speaker B: That's right. And if you are just now joining us, man, you have missed such a good conversation so far. Today we've had Jessica Schaefer who is regional director of clinical partnerships with Odyssey Eating Disorder Network. And you know, we've talked a lot about mental health and, you know, stigma related to getting mental health assistance as well as a lot of the cultural strides that have been made for making mental health more of a priority for, for society, which has really wonderful and you know, kind of just to circle back into our initial conversation about eating disorders, Jessica, we'd love for you to talk a little bit about what can quote, unquote, cause an eating disorder. And the reason I phrase it that way is because I feel like, you know, in just, you know, general everyday interactions, that's the kind of question that you're going to get from folks that don't work in the mental health space. They're like, what causes an eating disorder? So, so what do you, what would you typically say to somebody when they ask that question?
[00:30:08] Speaker A: Yeah, so my first response is, well, that is a loaded question because it is not just one thing, unfortunately.
So it is built up. It could be caused by so many different things. Genetics is one. So if it has been a family, if there's been a family history of eating Disorders or disordered eating or mental health conditions that have not been properly supported or worked through or kind of in recovery with, then that can definitely be passed down and just within like the home environment. Like what does that, what is the message around that look like?
Then there are psychological factors so that that can be made up of low self esteem, perfectionism, anxiety, depression. If someone has a history of trauma such as abuse or bullying, all of those can be contributors to the development of an eating disord.
If someone is struggling with, you know, not feeling like they have any control in their life, that can be what starts it. Oh well, let me just start this diet, you know, and then, oh, they get this sense of control. Well then that control just, you don't have enough of it. So you just keep doing more and more and more and more until you are no longer in control. And now this eating disorder is more in control of you.
Cultural societal pressures. So society's idolization of thinness or what the perfect body is or all the different portrayals of beauty that media puts on and then just that dissatisfaction and having an unhealthy relationship with your, with food or your body. So just feeling uncomfortable in your body or wanting to look like somebody else, whether that's for, you know, acceptance or wanting to be loved or just to fit in, literally and figuratively. And then family dynamics. So family environments are highly influential.
If a family is overly focused on appearance or there are certain expectations around what someone should look like, the way they dress, the way they do their hair, makeup, down to the size of your body, that can be a huge contributor.
Life stressors and events. So if you're moving or having some academic pressures, going through a breakup or just anything stressful that kind of like turns your life upside down, that can definitely trigger an eating disorder or disordered eating.
And the last one I think about is just peer influence. So peer pressure or bullying about body image, especially during adolescence, that is the, you know, that's where our body image is created. And that is where we kind of start thinking about who we are and creating that sense of self and identity. And then we just continue to build from that, that sense of worth that we create in the, in that in those most influential years.
[00:33:09] Speaker B: I appreciate you sharing how multifaceted the, the cause can be or is.
[00:33:19] Speaker C: You know, and the fact that.
[00:33:21] Speaker B: Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt and I.
[00:33:23] Speaker C: Know well, and I mentioned it earlier when I asked about the male population, but I used to have a, a dear friend when I was in grad school that, that had an eating disorder and he was a male and hit it very well until one day he just kind of said it as a joke and then everything kind of made sense. And it kind of has just made me always now be aware that it's not just a female disorder, that. So these parents that are listening in or some of our listeners who may be male and think, well, that could be me or that could be my kid because, you know, they're guys.
And sometimes we tend to think of the body just dysmorphia with guys is wanting to be bigger and to be more, you know, muscular. But that's not always the case. So I would just love to hear your thoughts about that, about what you would tell a parent that has like maybe a son or a listener that is a. A biological male that like, hey, this, you know, here's maybe some warning signs or if you need help, like, it's okay. It's not just a. You're not. There's no shame or stigma that it's not a female quote, unquote, air quotes, female disorder. Necessarily.
[00:34:33] Speaker A: Sure. Yeah. I think that's one of the biggest misconceptions about eating disorders is like, who. Like the discriminatory piece that, oh, it's just, it's a. It's a white female in this, you know, socioeconomic status. Eating disorders do not discriminate towards age, gender, race, culture, socioeconomic status. They, they happen for all of the reasons that I just described. And they look, they show up differently specifically for the male pop. And, you know, I think any of the, any of the statements that I made earlier about what the causes could be or what could be the triggers, if anybody, if any child, male, female, coming from any background, if they are experiencing any of those things, those could be leading like symptoms or triggers or red flags, if you will. So if they, if they are overly focused on what they look like or how much they eat in a day or how much they're working out because of what they ate in the day, or if they start, you know, no longer interacting with their friends by going to dinner or going to sleepovers or, you know, hanging out because it's surrounding around food or movement or lack thereof, those could be some telltale signs.
If, maybe if they're in college, if they're not coming home as often or if they're not getting on that FaceTime call, or if they're only showing half their face or they have their phones down because they're not wanting to be look to look at themselves or for their Family to see them.
So a lot of avoidance could happen. Mood swings, irritability.
I could go on. The list goes on and on.
[00:36:13] Speaker C: This is amazing, though.
[00:36:14] Speaker A: Factors. Yeah.
[00:36:15] Speaker C: Yeah. I think this helps, like. Well, no, I love this because I think it helps some of our listeners out there that may have known somebody before that, you know, but they didn't know details. And then now they find themselves maybe closer to somebody who is struggling, and they're like. But they. Like you said, they don't match up to, in their mind what the person that they did know was struggling with. And like you said, it looks different for everybody.
[00:36:42] Speaker A: Yes. Yeah.
[00:36:45] Speaker B: Yes. I mean, I just. I appreciate you sharing those examples. And I think, you know, one. One of the biggest things that I've told my own clients, as well as family and friends of clients, is that, you know, if. If an individual thinking about their relationship or their concern about food or their body, and it's to a level that it's impacting activities of daily living or quality of life, where, because of your relationship with food, it's disengaging you from, you know, socializing with friends or, you know, or maybe even just simply showing up to class or whatever the case may be, then that's when we know that it's an issue. And, um, I just wanted to briefly share. I remember several years ago, I had a client come to my office, and, you know, she was wanting to get some advice about improvement with her eating. And the way she talked about it, I could tell that it kind of fell under that umbrella of orthorexia. And for listeners who aren't aware of that, that's an obsession with eating healthy. And so she. This. This student had talked about how her sister had anorexia nervosa. And so I asked the student, I said, have you ever considered that you may also have disordered eating or an eating disorder? And I kid you not, y'all. This student said, no, my dad said, I don't have the willpower for an eating disorder. I. Y'all. I about fell out of my chair. And so it was one of those things where, you know, in that regard, they were seeing, like, the. The pinpoint of an eating disorder. Having this strong willpower, this sense of control just. It just blew my mind. So, of course, at that point, you know, we just kind of. We. I just kind of zoned in on that conversation at that point in time. But, you know, but again, you know, Jessica, with, like, what all you mentioned, with, you know, the different family dynamics and, you know, and how Those pivotal relationships kind of play a role into what our perceptions are and thoughts about food and our own body.
So I don't know just so much to say here and I think in our last moments together for this segment, can you tell our listeners what does getting help for an eating disorder look like? Like, what does that entail?
[00:39:08] Speaker A: Yeah. So again, I feel like all of my answers are very loaded and there's not just one clear cut answer, but I think that that within itself is very important to know that there is no one, there is not one path to treatment and everybody's path is going to look different and that's okay. And so I think the first thing, the first thing you can do is just acknowledgement that, okay, something is going and we need some support and then it's okay that we need some support that's outside of us. I think so as a family therapist and a big proponent of supporting families throughout this process is, is to not place blame on yourselves and to acknowledge that you can only do what you can do. And no one gives you a handbook that says how to deal with an eating disorder when you have a child.
Now, I think the first thing, you know, like I said, is to not acknowledge it and then to seek out support. So whether that's going to a physician to get some labs and medical, full medical workup done, just to kind of assess the physicality piece of what's going on because it is a mental health condition, but it is also a physical condition. It is a condition that is impacting you physically.
And so then from there also seeking some therapeutic support. And if you don't know where to go, where to go for that, I think the best thing you can do is cast a net wide. So reach out to multiple different people, multiple different professionals and resources, you know, searching on Google different different provider options or different paths to take.
I can be a resource in this area. I always like to say that even though I'm a business development rep, I'm a clinician and resource first because that is where my passion lies. And so I can help get, you know, families and clients connected with outpatient providers. Providers, whether that's a dietitian, family therapist, individual therapist, medical provider, psychiatrist, kind of the whole gamut. And then also just assessing, you know, if anybody is ever needing that assessment. Our company does that for free and we are more than happy to do that. And we can give a level of care recommendation. So if it's, you know, I'm not really sure if we need a higher level of care. Or even what higher level cares are, I can help kind of break that down and help you understand what the options are. And then our admissions team, they can do all of the assessments and talk about the criteria for each level of care.
So I think seeking out all of the different support networks options are very important. So the mental health piece of therapeutically, medically and then getting also your own support as a loved one and as someone that is trying to help someone who is struggling, that is just as important. So even though your loved one might be struggling, it is not an isolated related struggle.
It is impacting the whole family system, the whole relation, relational dynamics. So having your own support and having a safe space to process that is so important.
And I think something that is very important to think of too. And I remind myself this and clients, this recovery is possible even if it's something that someone has been dealing with for 20 plus years.
It is a hard and difficult and challenging road. But like most things in life, if we, if we get what we need and we're, you know, dedicated to creating that change, then it is definitely possible and something that you can, you can gain, man.
[00:42:36] Speaker B: On that note, I mean, just the words of wisdom that you shared there, I, you know, I want to leave it at that in this segment. You know, we've got one more segment. Jessica, I'm hoping that you'll stay on for that as we wrap up the show. But y'all, you are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and N on 90.7 the capstone. And we will catch you after the break.
[00:43:00] Speaker A: WVUAFM Tuscaloosa.
[00:43:09] Speaker C: Happy Sunday. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 the Capstone.
[00:43:15] Speaker B: That's right. And we have had the most wonderful conversation with Jessica Schaefer, regional director of clinical partnerships at Odyssey Eating Disorder Network. She has just unloaded a ton of knowledge today. So if you are just now joining us, we definitely invite you to go back and listen to earlier parts of the show. And Jessica, you know, we're just trying to take advantage of all of your knowledge today. And so in, you know, in the last little bit of our show, we wanted to see if you would be willing to share with our listeners, especially for those that are supporting a friend or loved one with an eating disorder, what are the best things to say to tell someone? You can tell that they are recovering without triggering that person. We know that, you know, the, those statements can be very delicate. And so as we know that eating is an Activity that we can't avoid, and they're going to be part of our everyday life. You know, how do we, how do we navigate those. Those environments with, with our loved ones that are going through recovery?
[00:44:25] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. So I think so the first thing I would say is creating an open dialogue. So what you don't want want is being the loved one. Whether you're a family member, you know, partner, spouse, or just a friend. Interpersonal relationship.
You don't want to feel like you're. You're walking on eggshells because the reality is we're going. Life is going to trigger you no matter what. And so it. But if you can create an open dialogue in the way of, like, understanding what those triggers look like or how that individual person feels best supported or most encouraged, then you can then feel more equipp to supporting them. So asking questions like, hey, you know, can you tell me a little bit more about what some statements are that might be bothersome and triggering to you? And then they can explain it and then asking, okay, what could be an example of what I could say instead? So something I think of is, you know, when, you know, family members or loved ones are trying to compliment someone who might be in the recovery process, you know, instead of saying, oh, you look so great, you're doing so wonderful, I see how many changes you've had. Someone with an eating disorder or someone that's in recovery, they may hear, oh, wow, I've gained so much weight, or I'm no longer skinny, or what are they thinking about how I look now?
And so maybe instead say, they might say something that I feel more comfortable with hearing is, wow, I see how hard you're working.
I see the progress that you've made because I feel like your personality is coming back. And I haven't heard you laugh like that in months.
You know, that was really funny. I've missed having our banter with one another. So acknowledging your interactions and the efforts someone is making versus it being focused on the physical, I think that that is a really big one. And especially in our Southern culture, we're taught that's how you relate, that's how you connect, that's how you introduce yourself.
So that's something I think a lot about. Um, and then just also understanding that if someone gives a, you know, hey, could you not say that? Or could you say this instead, Understanding that that's not about you, that that's about them. So not not taking on that personalization of I'm bad, I'm wrong, I just derailed them and going down this rabbit hole and then having an open conversation about it. Oh, wow. I'm so sorry. Thank you for telling me. That is really helpful. Can you make sure to do that so that I make sure that I'm mindful of what I'm saying During our time together, just creating a safe space to be open and communicating with one another, I think is the biggest help piece.
[00:47:18] Speaker B: Hey, you.
I just. I don't think I could have heard it articulated. Anyway, so, Jessica, again, thank you. Yeah. Thank you for being with us today.
[00:47:29] Speaker C: Yes, thank you. You and dropping such knowledge.
It's such tangible things. I love that. Like, I feel better equipped if I were to, you know, be in a situation like I feel like you've given me tools for my toolkit.
[00:47:47] Speaker A: Oh, thank you. Well, it's. It's so easy to talk about these things when, you know, you're super passionate about it. And I could talk about it for forever. So I just appreciate you. You guys opening the space and having a platform. Platform for me to. To spread awareness and to just be another resource. So thank you.
[00:48:03] Speaker B: Absolutely. And so, you know, again, we're just so grateful. We have had another fabulous show of Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika and we again, thank you for your time and listeners, thank you for your time. We will catch you next week. You have been listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Na on 90.7 the capstone.
[00:48:27] Speaker A: WVUAFM Tuscaloosa.
