In this episode of Food Shrinks, Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab unpack the obsession with “Day One” in recovery. Why do so many of us cling to Mondays, fresh starts, and counting days—only to feel devastated when we “slip”? The shrinks share their personal stories, professional perspectives, and hard-won insights on why chasing Day One can become its own addictive cycle.

They explore:
• Why we get stuck in “starting over” mode
• The hidden comfort (and dopamine hit) of planning a restart
• How perfectionism and diet culture feed the Day One trap
• Finding motivation beyond counting days
• Shifting from dogma to data: measuring recovery in more meaningful ways

Through humor, honesty, and real talk, this conversation reframes relapse, accountability, and motivation in a way that frees you from shame and helps you keep moving forward.

Key Takeaways
• Counting days isn’t the only measure of recovery. Progress can also be found in mood, clarity, relationships, and consistency.
• Day One can become addictive. Starting over offers a false sense of safety and dopamine, but it doesn’t build lasting self-esteem.
• Recovery is messy. Perfection isn’t the goal—showing up and continuing forward is.
• Dogma vs. data. Instead of rigid rules, ask: What’s working for me? What does my lived experience show?

Call to Action
Do you have a question you’d like the Shrinks to tackle? Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com.

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The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode of Food Shrinks, Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab tackle two heartfelt listener emails about food, weight, and grandchildren. The questions: How do I navigate my fear that my grandkids will inherit my struggles with food addiction? And how do I talk to my grandkids about food without shaming or harming them?

💬 Topics we cover:
• Why “hands off the body” is one of the most powerful family rules
• The difference between offering food with love versus testing or shaming kids
• How weight stigma—not weight itself—can harm children’s confidence and eating patterns
• Bliss point, ultra-processed foods, and what early exposure really means
• Why codependency, fear, and our own unresolved wounds often shape how we parent and grandparent
• Practical tools: keeping the focus on yourself, checking your nervous system, and modeling healthy boundaries

✨ Takeaways:
• Love is complicated, and fear often shows up as overprotection or control.
• Children need to be loved and accepted—not monitored or managed around every bite.
• Your relationship with your own body and food is the most powerful influence you bring to the table.
• Noticing when your concern is really about your own history can help you heal and protect the next generation.
If you’ve ever worried about your children or grandchildren’s relationship with food—or struggled to know when to step in and when to let go—this episode offers compassionate, honest insight from three therapists who have been there.

📩 Got a question for us? Email asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com.

⭐ Love the show? Subscribe, leave us a five-star rating, and share this episode with a friend who cares about breaking cycles in their family.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode of Food Shrinks, Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab open up about the everyday struggles of saying no, setting boundaries, and navigating the fawn response. With humor, honesty, and lived experience, the trio explores how people-pleasing, guilt, and self-abandonment show up in both personal and professional spaces—and how these patterns often connect to food, stress, and recovery.

💬 Topics we cover:
• Why setting boundaries feels so uncomfortable (and why “no” rarely feels like enough)
• The fawn response and how it fuels overwhelm, resentment, and food use
• Codependency, trauma responses, and the Karpman drama triangle (rescuer, persecutor, victim)
• The link between guilt, self-abandonment, and eating as regulation
• Real stories of how boundaries get tested between friends, family, and colleagues
• Why practicing boundaries is messy but essential for recovery and well-being

✨ Takeaways:
• Boundaries are a daily practice, not a one-time skill.
• Guilt doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong—it often means you’re breaking old patterns of self-abandonment.
• Observing your reactions and slowing down can create space for wise mind choices.
• Progress matters more than perfection—each “no” is a step toward self-respect and self-care.
If you’ve ever found yourself saying yes when you meant no, or using food to soothe the stress of people-pleasing, this conversation is for you.

📩 Got a question you’d like us to answer on the podcast? Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com.

⭐ Love the show? Subscribe, give us a five-star rating, and share this episode with a friend who needs it!

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this raw and courageous conversation, Molly C, Molly P, and Clarissa shine a light on one of the most hidden and stigmatized struggles in eating disorder recovery: laxative abuse. What begins as a listener request turns into a deeply personal and honest discussion about secrecy, shame, and the painful realities of this often-overlooked behavior. Clarissa shares her lived experience of recovery—what it took to stop, how her body responded, and the emotional toll of trying to heal without compassionate support. Together, the Food Shrinks explore the intersections of addiction, distress tolerance, body image, and the grace-filled moments that can spark change. This episode dismantles stigma, validates lived experience, and reminds listeners that they are not alone. Recovery is possible, even when it feels messy, uncomfortable, or overwhelming. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Key Themes:
• Why laxative abuse is rarely discussed—and why it must be.
• How secrecy, shame, and medical misunderstanding keep people trapped.
• The brutal reality of recovery: water retention, discomfort, and the patience it requires.
• Grace as a catalyst for change—and how to act on those fleeting moments.
• The power of telling the “uncomfortable” stories and finding compassion in the shadows.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Takeaways:
• You’re not alone: Many people struggle in silence with behaviors that feel too shameful to name. • Recovery is worth it: While challenging, the body and spirit can heal with time, support, and persistence.
• Grace is real: Sometimes the smallest, quietest voice inside us says “enough”—and that moment can be life-saving.
• Hard conversations matter: Talking about the dark, messy realities creates space for healing and connection.
👉 Have a question or a topic you’d like the Food Shrinks to discuss? Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

What happens when getting sick stirs up shame, fear, and old recovery patterns? In this vulnerable and heartfelt episode, Molly, Molly, and Clarissa open up about how illness collides with productivity, worthiness, and the deep-seated belief that saying “no” makes us unlovable. From midnight panic at a friend’s house to pushing through vacations with fevers, the Food Shrinks get honest about how hard it is to prioritize rest—and how powerful it is when we finally give ourselves permission.

Through personal stories and raw reflection, they explore:
• Why illness can feel so personal and shameful, even years into recovery.
• The tug-of-war between people-pleasing and self-care.
• How childhood invalidation around sickness echoes into adulthood.
• Practical ways to practice grace, compassion, and trust when your body demands rest.

This episode is equal parts funny, relatable, and deeply validating for anyone who’s ever felt guilty about slowing down. Spoiler: your worth is not tied to productivity, and you are lovable—even in bed with the flu.

Takeaways:
• Small choices (like saying “no” to plans while sick) can be huge wins in recovery.
• Self-compassion often means taking the advice you’d give a friend.
• Old stories about being “too much” or “a burden” may resurface when we’re ill—and that’s where healing work lives.
• Rest isn’t weakness; it’s resistance to burnout and a radical act of self-love.

👉 Have a question or topic you’d like the Food Shrinks to tackle? Email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this raw, unfiltered episode of Food Shrinks, Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab dive deep into the experience of chronic invalidation—how it shapes us in childhood, follows us into adulthood, and can even show up in professional settings where we expect safety and support.

The conversation starts with a reflection on how easy it is to compare our insides to others’ outsides when we’re struggling, then moves into a powerful exploration of what chronic invalidation really is: having your emotions minimized, dismissed, or shut down repeatedly until you learn to hide them for safety. The trio unpacks how this often leads to people-pleasing, disconnection from feelings, and even attracting relationships that repeat those early patterns.

Molly P. shares a deeply personal and recent story of seeking medical treatment for depression and anxiety—only to be met with invalidating, oversimplified advice from a provider. Together, the hosts dissect why such “just love yourself” and “befriend your depression” comments can be not only unhelpful but harmful, especially for people with trauma histories. They discuss the power dynamics at play, the nervous system’s response to speaking up, and the difference between spiritual bypassing and genuine therapeutic support.

Listeners will walk away with:

• A clear understanding of what chronic invalidation is and how to spot it.
• Why “always” and “never” statements are red flags.
• How invalidation can masquerade as help, even from professionals.
• The importance of repair in relationships and why healing doesn’t happen in isolation.
• The reminder that you’re not broken—you just need support to live life on life’s terms.

If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation or appointment feeling unseen, minimized, or “made the problem,” this episode will help you name that experience and begin reclaiming your voice.

📧 Have a question or topic idea? Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this powerful listener-inspired episode, Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab dive deep into one of the most confusing questions in recovery: Is it food addiction, or am I just addicted to dieting? This compassionate and nuanced conversation explores how perfectionism, purity culture, trauma, and diet dogma can cloud our recovery journey—and how to find the middle way that truly supports freedom and healing.

In This Episode:

🧠A heartfelt listener email sparks a raw discussion on chronic relapse, self-doubt,
and quasi-recovery

🧠The difference between being addicted to dieting vs. addicted to ultra-processed
food

🧠How shame, perfectionism, and moral purity culture sneak into recovery

🧠Why self-determined recovery looks different for everyone—and why that’s a
good thing

🧠The danger of idealizing helpers and the importance of working with
professionals who’ve done their own shadow work

🧠Practical tools for navigating all-or-nothing thinking, “doing it right” pressure, and
bouncing between restriction and chaos

🧠The unexpected freedom of letting go of outcomes and being your own scientist

Key Takeaways:
💜Recovery is not one-size-fits-all. What works for someone else may not work for
you—and that’s okay.
💜Both food addiction and diet addiction can be true—and may need to be treated
together.
💜You are not broken. Your body and brain are trying to cope in a chaotic world.
💜Healing doesn’t come from perfection—it comes from curiosity, compassion, and
community.

Submit Your Questions:

💌Have a question, insight, or topic you’d love us to cover? Email us at
asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com — we love hearing from you!

Support the Show:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen. It helps more than you know—and we love you for it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this raw and revealing episode, the Shrinks dive deep into the complexities of family dynamics, emotional regression, and how recovery shows up when you're trapped on a cruise ship with people who know your buttons—and how to press them. From boundary-setting in the Yukon to confronting childhood roles that no longer fit, this conversation touches on grief, growth, and the power of self-care in triggering environments. It’s honest, funny, deeply human, and a reminder that healing isn’t linear—but connection helps.

✨ What We Talk About:

• Navigating old family roles while trying to live your recovery
• The challenge of being around alcohol and food triggers on vacation
• Self-care rituals as acts of rebellion and protection
• Emotional regression and why it still catches us off guard
• Clarissa’s cruise survival toolkit (walks, steam rooms, and solitude)
• Molly’s reflections on feeling “othered” in her blended family
• The tension between belonging and authenticity
• Practicing “mindful lying” and graceful boundary setting
• Grief, compassion, and the desire to build your own chosen family
• How we hold ourselves through the hard days without over-pathologizing

📝 Takeaways:

• Just because you’ve done “all the work” doesn’t mean you won’t feel pain
• Self-compassion is essential when navigating old family systems
• Sometimes the most healing thing we can do is acknowledge: “Today was hard.”
• You’re not alone if you feel like the black sheep—there’s power in embracing it

📬 Have a question, comment, or topic request?
Email us at: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com

❤️ If you love the podcast, help us out by subscribing, rating, reviewing, and sharing with your people. We’re obsessed with you, and your support helps us keep going.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.