Episode 013

Title: Voices of Hope: A Mother and Daughter Reflect on Their Eating Disorder Journey (with Alexa Cohen)

This episode is part of our Voices of Hope series. In these conversations, you’ll hear from individuals who have walked through an eating disorder and come out on the other side. Our intention is to highlight that recovery is possible, relationships can survive, and even during the most challenging moments, hope is real.

In this episode, Laura Cohen sits down with her daughter, Alexa Cohen, to talk openly about Alexa's eating disorder diagnosis at 16, the hard road through family-based treatment and higher levels of care, and what their relationship looks like on the other side. Alexa, now 22 and working in inpatient eating disorder care, shares her perspective from both sides of recovery.

00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer

01:02 Guest Introduction: Alexa Cohen

04:06 Life Before the Diagnosis: Ages 13–16

06:49 The Role of Lockdown, Social Media, and the ED Voice

10:02 How Laura First Learned Something Was Wrong

11:44 Starting FBT: Refeeding at Home During COVID

16:17 What FBT Felt Like from Alexa's Perspective

19:11 Why Giving In Was Never an Option

20:44 Finding the Right Treatment Team (and How Long It Took)

25:26 Deciding to Pursue a Higher Level of Care

32:00 College, Contracts, and Choosing Recovery

37:18 Alexa's Work in Eating Disorder Care Today

40:12 Advice for Caregivers Whose Kids Are in Treatment

45:49 What Alexa Would Tell Her 13-Year-Old Self

47:26 Advice to Caregivers: It Won't Ruin the Relationship

SUPPORT & RESOURCES

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FEAST website:

https://feast-ed.org/

FEAST flyer:

https://feast-ed.org/programs-and-services/