Free Spirit Academy Podcast

YOUR INNER BINGE EATER IS ON YOUR SIDE WITH EATING PSYCHOLOGY AND BINGE EATING COACH, MELISSA RICCARDI. It's been amazing to me since I graduated from the Institute for the Psychology of Eating what a huge variety of teachers and coaches I meet. Some who are amazing and some who's approaches I don't care for at all and each with their own focus whether it be on weight loss or intuitive eating or emotional eating but today's guest is someone who feels like a true sister in this eating psychology coach community - our perspectives are so similar but of course she has plenty to share that I don't and I'm thrilled to share her no-nonsense but super warm and loving approach to binge eating disorder with you here. If you've listened to a few episodes, you'll know that I always tie things up with the question "what is your definition of a free spirit" and while I love Melissa's answer, we got to messaging about it later and she added this. She said me "A free spirit to me symbolizes going back to our child selves. Children are explorers, curious observers, wonderers. They have no judgements, they see everything through fresh eyes and are amazed by everything and anything. They are completely uninhibited, unafraid to speak their minds and are unphased by what other people are doing or saying about them. This is what it means to me to be a free spirit. Revisiting the place within us, the person we were as children before the world told us how to be." In today's episode we talk about... ...What happens when you stop bulimic behaviors but are just left with binge eating. ...Why it doesn't help to count days "binge free" or keep starting to try startinv over. ...Why just HALTING the binge eating isn't the primary goal. ...Why we don't have a death wish out on our inner critics and what approach we take instead. ...How to balance analyzing and journaling on the healing journey with learning to just sit and feel feelings. ...Why intuitive eating is, as Melissa says, an "adult's game". ...And very practically, how to begin addressing overeating, compulsive eating, or binge eating. I hope you enjoy this episode with Melissa Riccardi. Links: Melissa's Instagram. Melissa's Private Facebook Group Beyond the Binge. Melissa's Facebook Page. Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

THE NEW SELF-LOVE WITH SPEAKER AND SELF-EMPOWERMENT COACH, KYLA SOKOLL-WARD. Hello everyone, this officially marks the start of season 2 of the Free Spirit Academy podcast! Today I'm talking to my friend Kyla who also made an appearance in episode 14 and when I originally recorded that interview for YouTube at least a couple of years ago now - Kyla was also coaching in the world of eating psychology and intuitive eating and we spent our conversation talking about her own journey with food and the most important things to look at when addressing binge eating and emotional eating. Early on this year though I began noticing her message shifting and it wasn't just the words coming out of her mouth, it was like this power and energy behind her voice that seemed to have come out of no where! Suddenly she was doing all this cool public speaking stuff and was just lit up in a way that I'd never seen her before so I knew I'd have to have her back to talk about that transformation. Another fun fact is that Kyla used to be a client of mine (and she mentions that in this conversation) and today was such an incredible example of the fact that we all have something to teach each other. I was basically asked her to coach me (a world-class introvert) on how to be less socially awkward and her response completely shifted my perspective. I hope you enjoy this conversation with the inspiring Kyla Sokoll-Ward. LINKS: Kyla's Website. Kyla's Instagram. Kyla's Facebook. Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

COMING HOME TO YOUR BODY WITH REGISTERED DIETICIAN AND SOMATIC NUTRITION THERAPIST TRACY BROWN. Some people just seem to be born for what they're doing and I feel that way about Tracy. She's been guiding people in healing from disordered eating and dieting for the last 12 years and it wasn't because she had a lifelong dream of doing this - it was because she couldn't find solutions for her own disordered eating struggles until she was at enough of a rock bottom that she sort of discovered them herself. We'll talk about that story right up front and of course she's had an incredible amount of training and skill-building since her initial discoveries but I found her journey so interesting because of that. She and I both agreed that talking to a therapist did us little if any good and it wasn't until we really got into an embodied EXPERIENCE that we really started to see shifts. What I find even more remarkable about Tracy's journey is that she embraced a non-diet, body positive approach before the phrases "intuitive eating" or "body positive" were really a thing. You'll also hear us talk about... ...Ideas about "normal eating" and why becoming an intuitive eater might make you anything but normal. ...The idea that intuitive eating will lead to "perfect" eating and why that isn't true. ...How to decode thoughts like "I feel fat" and what they might REALLY mean. ...How to listen to the language of the body. ...and the differences between INTUITIVE eating and ATTUNED eating. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Tracy Brown. LINKS: Tracy Brown Website. Free clarity call with Tracy. Free Attuned Eating guide. Stop Bashing Your Body Free Gift and Audio. Non-Diet Counseling Skills. Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

THE EAT TO FEEL GOOD "DIET" WITH KUNDALINI YOGA TEACHER, KATIE SEDGWICK. Katie and I became friends during my recent kundalini yoga teacher training and it was such a lovely connection and beyond that, on the final day of training she began to tell me a story that caught me so off guard that I made her stop and hold it for the podcast. So I'm gonna make you wait too and I trust that if you're a returning listener, you'll love this conversation. Before diving I'll mention, you'll hear a book mentioned and that's a short e-book I wrote a couple of years ago called The Eat to Feel Good "Diet". I put it together as my version of intuitive eating as I was seeing a lot of pitfalls and had my own perspective I wanted to share. If you want to get this little book for FREE, you can sign up for newsletter updates right here. Now let's dive in, I hope you enjoy this conversation with Katie Sedgewick. LINKS: Global Masterpeace: Women Co-Creating An Alternative FutureGlobal Masterpeace Facebook Event PageGlobal Masterpeace TicketsFree Spirit Academy website.Free Spirit Academy courses.Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

EMBRACING SHAMELESS JOY.Welcome to Episode 23 of The Free Spirit Academy Podcast with writer, filmmaker, and choreographer Jocelyn Edelstein.In this conversation with writer, filmmaker, and choreographer Jocelyn Edelstein, we talk about......how to listen to the body and relax into the trial-and-error process of understanding intuition and alignment. ...how embodiment manifests differently in different cultures and the different wounds cultures carry and are healing....and about the creation of Jocelyn's documentary Believe the Beat that follows a group of young dancers in Brazil and how she grew throughout the many year journey of traveling between countries to create it.And hold out for the end where I ask her to read a poem that brought me to tears the first SEVERAL times I read it.I hope you enjoy this conversation with Jocelyn.Links Mentioned:Jocelyn's Blog.The Urban Body Project. Free Spirit Academy website.Free Spirit Academy courses.Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

CHOOSING FOOD VALUES OVER FOOD RULES WITH ADINA PEARSON RD. What I love about Adina's work is that she presents intuitive eating with such a beautiful perspective. There's food freedom but there's ALSO supportive structure and there's a huge honoring of our individuality and the various areas that might need extra care as we're embarking on letting go of strict rules and really learning to trust ourselves. In this episode we talk about orthorexia, why ideas about moderation might not serve us, thin privilege, food addiction, emotional eating, binge eating, self-care, and cultivating a safe structure at home for children to explore freedom, fluctuations and preferences. We talk about veganism gone wrong and veganism when it's a natural intuitive lifestyle. We talk about intuitive eating as freedom and intuitive eating when it gets turned into another set of diet rules to rebel from. Ultimately we're talking about self-connection and self-trust. I hope you enjoy this conversation. Links mentioned: Adina's website Adina's Instagram Adina's Facebook Marika Tomkins Episode 2 Ellyn Satter Institute 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

MY 90-DAY JUICE FAST: WHY EXTREMES AREN'T THE ANSWER. Welcome to this short, solo episode where I'm talking about my experience with long juice fasting, diet extremes, and finding peace with food and body. Here's the truth: Even if we feel extremely far from where we want to be, an extreme measure may not be the answer. In fact, it can end up keeping us running in circles. In this episode I talk about a gentler way, but don't let that deter you. In the same way that "self-acceptance doesn't equal stagnancy" (a quote from the episode), gentle does not equal lazy. Gentle equals consistency, listening, and honoring where you're at on your journey. Links for more: Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

FOOD, FEMININITY, AND FREEDOM FROM LABELS WITH RENAE TEEL. Welcome to episode 16 of the Free Spirit Academy podcast with Fertility, Pregnancy, and Postpartum Nutritionist, Renae Teel. I first met Renae 7 or 8 years ago when I was a Flight Attendant and I was temporarily working in Arizona where she lived. We had become connected through our little detox community and, as you'll hear me tell her, I was such a nut case but hiding it well. I was trying desperately to eat one meal a day and do a ton of juice fasting and not eat any sugar and I'd have at least weekly breakdowns in my hotel room after a binge on the airplane. and I'd journal, and go on and on about my emotional eating problem, and plan a fresh new start for the next day. And in and amongst this, Renae and I met up near a Whole Foods for tea and I remember being so impacted by how SANE she was. She had this glowy, natural ease and, as you'll hear in our conversation today - that ease was well earned by years of learning to trust herself. I've watched her evolve from a detox counselor and foodie to this incredibly heartfelt nutritionist for women surrounding pregnancy. We talk about: ...Renae losing her mom to cancer as a teenager and how it left her with a fear of becoming a mom, ...How she had to ease up on her diet rigidity when she got pregnant and realized how much nourishing she needed, ...How not listening to her body left her feeling incredibly depleted, ...The different parts of her identity she discovered with the births of each of her 3 children, ...How we can find community and identity within a certain diet and how that can keep us stuck, ...What it actually means to be lead by our heart, ...and my favorite- the natural cycles we go through as women and why we don't need to be ON all the time. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Renae Teel. Links Mentioned: Renae's Facebook Renae's Instagram Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

THE SECRET TO ENDING ALL BINGES. Welcome to the 14th episode with Self-Empowerment Coach, Kyla Sokoll-Ward. I'm releasing this couple-of-years-old interview from my YouTube channel as my wife and I are in France for the next couple of weeks (yay!) It's funny listening back to this 'cause I can really hear how much more embodied and relaxed I am even a year and a half later. I have to try not to cringe 'cause my voice sounds so pinched and shallow to me - like I was hardly taking a deep breath but alas - I think these early conversations are valuable so here we are. Today we're talking to my friend Kyla Sokoll Ward, who I've also watched blossom so beautifully in the last couple of years from brand new intuitive eating coach to fierce self-love teacher who's Instagram stories have become so captivating because you can just SEE how lit up she is. In this conversation, we dove into the world of orthorexia. What happens when a beautiful intention becomes obsessive. What happens when we find our identity in a diet label rather than following intuition, body wisdom, and our own evolution. We talk about how the phrase "I'm not doing this to be skinny, I'm doing this to be healthy" can allow us to continue pushing something that isn't working. We talk about how we can create a sense of purpose around creating the so-called perfect body but Why the hunt for the perfect body isn't actually what we're looking for. And we break down her blog post called "The Secret to Ending All Binges" and she offers some incredibly practical, useful advice for anyone struggling with food obsession and binge eating. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Kyla Links mentioned: Kyla's Website Kyla on Instagram The Secret to End All Binges Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

SWAPPING PERFECTIONISM FOR DIRTY ALCHEMY. Welcome to episode 13 of the Free Spirit Academy with Soul Reintegration Guide and Co-founder of Living Earth Systems Sam Schiebold. Today we're talking to an incredible sustainable living expert which might not sound on topic but wait 'til you hear this conversation. Sam's business, Dirty Alchemy, is a guide to not only living more lightly on the earth but living more lightly in your heart. Now I KNOW that sounds cheesy but Sam;s writing isn't. There is to fluff, no vision boards, no positive affirmations, and no perfectionism. Her guidance on self love is SO far beyond bubble baths and overindulging in things that don't ultimately even FEEL good - it's the real deal kind of self-love that loves our awkwardness and our anger, and our overeating, and whatever else is showing up in our experience. We talk about extremes. While I often share experiences of extreme dieting in hopes of one day finding the perfect body and living happily ever after - Sam shares her experience falling in love with sustainability and the zero-waste movement and permaculture, only to burn herself out in striving for perfectionism. We talk about identity. While I once found a safe sort of identity as "the healthy one" and treated whatever diet I was a part of like I once treated religion - Sam talks about the identity she clung to as an environmentally-friendly vegan and how it was only in embracing ALL parts of herself - not just the parts that she liked or that fell into a certain category, that she really felt free and was able to create a sustainable LIFESTYLE and begin teaching others to do the same. So if you, like us, have any tendency towards perfectionism. If you see yourself as "all or nothing" or you're either "on the wagon or off the wagon" - never really seeming to get anywhere, you'll really appreciate today's episode. Links mentioned: Dirty Alchemy Website Sam on Instagram Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

THE #1 KEY TO HEALING BINGE EATING. Welcome to episode 12! Today is special and a little different in that you're gonna hear me yammer on by myself today without a guest. If you're listening to this as it's put out, I'm launching my 40-day program Binge Freedom in Free Spirit Academy. This is a program for anyone struggling with overeating, compulsive eating, and of course, binge eating. What you'll hear today is essentially the first section of that program - AND it stands alone. As in, if you've been fighting with food and you're able to implement what you hear today, you'll see a huge shift in your relationship with food and your body. And if you're curious and want to hear more? Head over to the Free Spirit Academy course page and become a member while Binge Freedom is live!Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

PERMISSION GRANTED TO BE WHO YOU ARE. Welcome to episode 10 of the Free Spirit Academy podcast with Human Design expert Jenna Zoe. Okay, so what is Human Design? In Jenna's words, it's " the contract your soul makes with the Universe about who you came to be, and what you came to do." - it's contains elements from astrology, the chakras, the I Ching, the Kaballah - And if that sounds fancy, it's actually very practical and useful. It takes the complication OUT of self-care and any idea of personal growth meaning we need to fix or change who we are. It simplifies decision making as we learn how our own bodies speak to us. More than anything it's about letting ourselves BE who we are and letting others be who THEY are. This is definitely not a personality typing situation, and while there are 5 types with many many nuances among them, they are really about how you engage with Life. And as we're engaging with life, of course, we're engaging with food and there are different ways that each of us are going to be most supported in listening to our bodies rather than being slaves to diets. At it's heart, it's about ease and freedom and the way Jenna presents it is unlike any other teacher I've seen. Today we talk about: Jenna's surprise discovery of human design during a visit with a shaman. How before Human Design, spirituality and self-care just felt like a to-do list. What the 5 types in human design ARE and how knowing ours can massively simplify and support our lives. How living as anything BUT yourself actually drains your energy. Why clarity works better than positive affirmations.Why "what I eat in a day" videos don't really serve us. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Jenna Zoe. Links mentioned: Jenna Zoe's Website. Jenna Zoe on Instagram. Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. Welcome to Episode 8 with Eating Psychology Coach Kathleen Donhardt. Kathleens work AND personal experience is around weight issues connected with the trauma of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and suicide. Her mission is to hold space for women to discuss the "elephant in the room" to help them break free of shame and guilt that is not theirs to carry. Her business, The Light Elephant Coach, is a platform for speaking publicly about sexual abouse, and not only that - how we can heal, love who we are and find gratitude for what these experiences can teach those who have had them. She's passionate about going to the topics society says we can't talk about. Kathleen spent years in a life of self-loathing, sabotage, yo yo dieting, continual weight gain, and abusive relationships. As a single mother feeling abandoned by the world, she had a choice. She could remain seeing herself as a victim to life or find a way to heal and create a life she actually wanted to live. That latter choice lead her to where she is today. Today we talk about: The trauma she suffered at the hands of a close family member as a child and the way her body reacted to that trauma. How she used exercise to punish herself. How she came to understand that her body was holding weight as protection. The life changing moment when she realized her body wasn't against her but was actually on her side. How she simultaneously gave herself permission to see that it WASN'T HER FAULT AND...took complete responsibility for her life. How quitting diets AND exercise saved her life. HOW she learned to actually listen to her body. And how self-love truly is a practice. Links mentioned: The Light Elephant Coach Website The Light Elephant Coach on Facebook The Psychology of Eating Podcast - Trauma and Weight Gain: The Hidden Connection. The Psychology of Eating Podcast - Trauma and Weight Gain: The Hidden Connection Part 2. Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

BEING A "FOOD WEIRDO" AND LIVING ON PURPOSE. Welcome to the 7th episode of the Free Spirit Academy Podcast with Holistic Detox Counselor and Colon Hydrotherapist Michael Perrine. If you'll recall a couple of episodes back, I spoke with another colonic guru - Gil Jacobs. And you're probably thinking...what is with this girl and poop? And that would be a valid question ;) All I'll say is that when something changes your life - you share it. That's been true for me with kundalini yoga, intuitive eating, self-love, and cleansing my body in what might seem like an unconventional way. That said, the way I approached healing a lifetime of binge eating was also unconventional. Rather than willpower and control (which mind you, I DID try for years) I found freedom in surrender of rules, slowing down, and self-exploration. Rather continuing to promise myself that I'd never binge eat again, I started sitting down with those binges and really exploring who I was in those moments. And it changed everything - so don't be afraid of unconventional or seemingly unnatural.What's natural is WELL. Wellness is natural. Have you heard that little story about the guy who was banging his head against the wall and went to the doctor for a headache and the doctor told him to stop banging his head against the wall? Well actually, now that I think about it, a lot of doctors would probably have given him a prescription but the SANE response would be to look at the cause. We become more free when we don't have a massive blockage in the way of our expression. That blockage could be beliefs about ourselves that aren't true or traumas we suffered. The body is also more free when it's natural state isn't blocked. And that's the heart of what we'll talk about today. Back to Mike. Today we'll talk about: His first colonic with Gil Jacobs (of podcast #5) in 2002. How we went from drinking and smoking 2 packs of cigarettes every day and being 50 pounds heavier to the incredibly level of wellness he lives with today. The book he read one day when he stayed home to recover from drinking - that ended up changing his life. Why colon cleansing in and of itself isn't that useful and how it can even (like all things) be turned into a tool for disorder. The magic of cryotherapy. Embracing what's unnatural in response to unnatural living. Rebellion that serves you vs. rebellion that hurts you. The concept of "eating clean" and what it actually means. - not a moral thing where we're like "oh I was so good today" or "I was so bad today - gotta get back on track" - this is so far beyond that. And to give you a taste of what you're about to go into, one of my favorite quotes from Mike in this conversation: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away 'cause it makes you shit." I hope you enjoy this conversation with Michael Perrine. Links: Mike's transformation Vitality website Everyday Detox Podcast Everyday Detox YouTubeLinks:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

DIETING AND DEADLIFTS ARE NOT THE MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT YOU. Welcome to the 6th episode of the Free Spirit Academy podcast with Eating Psychology Expert and Body Image Mentor Lu Uhruch.This interview took place a couple of years back on my YouTube channel but it's too good not to bring to the podcast. Before I officially met Lu, I stalked her on Instagram. I could not get enough of her bold, clear, body-loving, shame-softening, words of wisdom.She is one of the most unusual women I've ever met in that she actually grew up without painful body image issues! I think I mentioned a few episodes back that there was a time in my life where I just ASSUMED that all female people wanted to lose weight. I didn't think much about the male people apparently but my shock in hearing a friend say that she wasn't trying to lose weight really shook up my paradigm.So Lu is one of these unicorns. Her story is also fascinating because she developed disordered eating, self abuse, and body dysmorphia as an adult and today you'll hear that story.What I relate with Lu's journey most on is this idea that the body could be doing something other than it SHOULD be doing. Both of us, when we were hypnotized by having the perfect diet and the perfect body were completely baffled when our bodies responded negatively. And instead of looking at the body's response as a MESSAGE, we made ourSELVES and our BODIES wrong. Instead of looking at our dietary approach as needing questioning, we questioned ourselves.In my case, in all of my years of trying to obsessively cleanse and detox and lose weight - I berated my body for being HUNGRY, and not losing weight, and not having energy. I was looking at my BODY as wrong rather than LISTENING and backing off on my agressive approach.I had such romantic ideas about what a free spirit looked like. I thought I should only need to eat bird-like quantities and float through my day feeling like perpetual magic. And while I still hold space for my body to experience all the magic available - I've learned to be with her NOW and to not make her wrong.So back to Lu.Today we'll talk about:What it's like to develop an eating disorder later in life.How she reached for control with FOOD when her LIFE felt out of control.The health issues she developed when she stopped listening to her body and started forcing it.The letter she wrote to her scale before smashing it.The difference between trying to make a relationship with the SCALE work vs. the relationship with YOURself.I hope you enjoy this conversation with Lu Uhrich.LuEats website. LuEats Instagram.Untamed Podcast"Dear Scale" blog postLinda Bacon websiteHarriet Brown websiteVirgie Tovar website Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

BREAKING UP WITH BODY DRAMA FOR SELF-ACCEPTANCE AND EXPRESSION. In this conversation with Marika, we'll be diving into her journey from hiking the pacific crest trail to motherhood to quitting her job for the entreprenurial life as a health coach, Buti yoga teacher and many other adventures along the way. We'll talk about... ...freedom within boundaries and questioning belief systems about family and the way we believe we're "supposed" to live. ...why comparison is a massive waste of time. ...how she expresses body positivity, feminism, a love of wellness, pleasure, and exploring her body's limits. ...how and why she fell in love and began teaching BUTI yoga How she broke up with her body drama Links mentioned: Marika's Instagram Marika Tomkins, Authenticity and BUTI Yoga Facebook page Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram

YOU CAN'T HATE YOUR WAY TO A BODY YOU LOVE. In this second episode of the Free Spirit Academy podcast I'll be talking to Life coach, author, and face of the Perception Trainers channel on YouTube Ali Washington. Before we dive into this conversation, I want to give a heads up that this interview took place over a year ago on my YouTube channel. It was SO fantastic however that I did my best to bring it to the podcast, even though the sound quality won't be as high as some of the more recent interviews. This conversation is special because not only is Ali one of the wisest humans I've ever met and her approach to life and spirituality is absolutely no fluff and no bullshit - her experience with disordered eating landed on the opposite end of my experience: anorexia. We talk about... ...Ali's history of diet-hopping and perfectionism. ...The belief that once she was skinny, she'd finally be happy. ...How she balanced healing an eating disorder while also having health issues. ...And her tendency towards extremes. In her words, she spent a long period of time either "contemplating the meaning of it all or counting her calories" ...We talked about gaining weight after anorexia and dealing with an anorexic mind without the anorexic body - but still persisting. ...What happened when she got her dream life and still wasn't happy. ...And what happened when she began REFUSING to say anything bad about her body. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Ali Washington. Links mentioned: Ali's website. Ali's YouTube channel Ali's Instagram Free Spirit Academy website. Free Spirit Academy courses. Free Spirit Academy Facebook group. Links:Work with RandeFree Spirit Academy on Instagram