Fear, texture, and shame don’t stand a chance when the stakes are low and the support is real. We’re joined by creator Andrew Luber also known as, ARFID Andrew, whose wildly honest food exposures have helped thousands put words to what ARFID actually feels like: a body that misfires at the sight, smell, and feel of certain foods, and a brain that plans the entire day around avoiding them. Andrew opens up about why rigid rituals backfire, how spontaneity reduces anticipatory anxiety, and the unexpected role of humor in building tolerance without making the struggle a joke.We dig into the difference between picky eating and ARFID’s “day-shaping” reality, then reframe recovery through the lens of process addiction. Instead of fighting a substance, you’re reversing an avoidance pattern, approaching what you’d usually escape. Andrew shares how filming with friends, treating exposures like low-pressure moments, and expecting the occasional gag reflex can take the edge off. We trade practical strategies: scaling exposures, changing textures and formats, pairing new foods with safe ones, and avoiding the “just one more bite” trap that turns mealtime into a test. From rapid-fire food takes (bananas as the ultimate nemesis, “complimentary” rice, cottage cheese as baby formula energy) to navigating restaurants, dating, and family meals, this conversation is both candid and compassionate. Andrew also previews his upcoming film “An ARFID Date” and a new peer support offering built in partnership with therapists and dietitians. If you’re a parent, partner, or professional, you’ll leave with language, tools, and perspective to keep mealtimes lighter and progress sustainable.Subscribe for more honest conversations on mental health, nutrition, and recovery. If this helped, share it with someone who needs a lower-stakes next step, and leave a review so others can find the show.

Show notes:

Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised.

Resource links:

ANAD: https://anad.org/

NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

NAMI: https://nami.org/home

Action Alliance: https://theactionalliance.org/

NIH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/

How to find a provider:

https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us

https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_Brand

Suicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7)

Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET)

If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

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You can’t heal what you can’t name. We sit down with recovery coach and advocate Eric Pothen to name what often goes unseen: how eating disorders affect men, why stereotypes keep them silent, and what real support looks like when shame and masculinity collide. Eric’s story fuels a wider movement for representation—from launching EmbraceWare, an apparel brand that donates to treatment and sparks conversation, to building spaces where men can show up as they are and feel understood.

We dig into the signs most people miss in men: the normalization of bulking and cutting, obsessive macro tracking, and how gym culture masks distress as discipline. Eric explains why anger often becomes the only “safe” emotion, what’s under that iceberg of irritability, and how to create a neutral space around diagnosis so men can approach recovery without losing their identity. He shares practical steps to move through fear—drafting before posting, confiding in one trusted person, treating discomfort as information not danger—and the mindset shifts that make courage a daily practice.

You’ll hear where men can find community through meal support groups and advocacy networks, plus how loved ones can help without centering the illness: ask better questions about how gender shapes the struggle, accept partial answers, and keep seeing the whole person—musician, friend, dog dad—instead of only the diagnosis. The message is clear and hopeful: your story is valid even if others don’t understand it yet. Embrace is more than a word on a hoodie; it’s a way to soften around reality and move forward together. If this conversation opened something for you, follow, rate, and share the show—then tell us what stereotype you want to dismantle next.

Show notes:

Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised.

Resource links:

ANAD: https://anad.org/

NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

NAMI: https://nami.org/home

Action Alliance: https://theactionalliance.org/

NIH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/

How to find a provider:

https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us

https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_Brand

Suicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7)

Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET)

If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Support the show

Ever wonder what makes good therapy consistently good? We open the door to the real work that happens off-mic and off-session: supervision, collaboration, and the ethical guardrails that keep clients safe and supported. With licensed professional counselor and supervisor Erin Scheidle, we unpack how individual and group supervision sharpen clinical judgment, reduce imposter syndrome, and translate directly into clearer treatment plans and stronger outcomes—especially in eating disorder care where dietitians and therapists must align.

We explore the difference between supervision and a clinician’s own therapy, and why that boundary matters for you. You’ll hear a clear, relatable breakdown of transference and countertransference, how those dynamics show up in the room, and practical ways providers name and manage them to protect the therapeutic relationship. We also get tactical about finding a clinician who fits: what to ask on a consult, how to assess safety and nonjudgment, what “collaborative care” really looks like, and how to use past not-so-great experiences as data rather than deterrents.

If the fit isn’t right, we guide you through transparent, empowered next steps—how to speak up, request adjustments, or end care with closure and referrals. The throughline is simple and powerful: good care is built on teamwork, ongoing learning, and your voice. Whether you’re navigating eating disorder recovery or seeking a better mental health match, this conversation offers practical tools and a reassuring view of the professional systems designed to support you.

If this episode helped you feel seen or informed, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review. Your feedback helps others find thoughtful, ethical mental health content and keeps these conversations going.

Show notes:

Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised.

Resource links:

ANAD: https://anad.org/

NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

NAMI: https://nami.org/home

Action Alliance: https://theactionalliance.org/

NIH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/

How to find a provider:

https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us

https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_Brand

Suicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7)

Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET)

If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Support the show