Kate Sweeney, MS, RDN (German Ernährungswissenschaftlerin) and Zoe Spranger, MSW, LCSW (German Psychologische Beraterin), join TheNPRD Podcast to discuss their new initiative, The Four Roots Collective.
Their team also includes Alexandra Coates, MS, Dipl. Psychologist (German Heilpraktiker für Psychotherapie) and Kristen Kiesow, MS, RDN (German Ernährungswissenschaftlerin).
In this episode we discuss:
• Eating disorder care landscape in Germany and Europe
• How dietitians and therapists can serve clients internationally
• Starting a business as female entrepreneurs abroad
Resources: If you need eating disorder, disordered eating, or body image support in Germany or Europe, contact the Four Roots Collective for English-speaking care: FourRootsCollective.com & eatingdisordergermany.com.

In this culminating episode of our three-part series with Stella Mental Health, we bring together Dr. Eugene Lipov and Dr. Brian Boyle for an in-depth exploration of interventional psychiatry. Both practitioners share a fundamental understanding that mental health treatment requires individualized approaches—there is no one-size-fits-all solution for addressing depression, post-traumatic stress injury, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety.
This episode takes a comprehensive look at specialized care and what a trajectory may look like for individuals navigating the intersection of perimenopause, menopause, eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image challenges. Dr. Boyle and Dr. Lipov demonstrate how targeted interventions can move beyond traditional treatment boundaries to deliver exceptional outcomes for their patients.

In part 2 of our 3-part series with Stella Mental Health, we sit down with Dr. Eugene Lipov, Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of the Stella Centers, to discuss his pioneering work on the Dual Sympathetic Reset (DSR) procedure. Dr. Lipov explains how this minimally invasive treatment, involving small anesthetic injections near the stellate ganglion, has evolved from a pain management technique to a revolutionary non-hormonal option for treating vasomotor symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, as well as PTSI (Post Traumatic Stress Injury) and other psychiatric conditions. Join us as we explore the exciting potential of DSR technology and its expanding applications in mental health treatment, including promising developments in pediatric care.

Part 1 of 3-Part Series with Stella Mental Health
Dr. Brian Boyle, Chief Psychiatric Officer at Stella Mental Health, discusses moving the needle in patient care through integrated TMS treatment. Rather than replacing existing treatment foundations, TMS builds on them with additional tools for patients when current approaches aren’t quite enough.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation is one of the few neuroanatomically focused treatments targeting treatment-resistant depression and OCD, with evolving data for addictive disorders and anxiety disorders.

Join Heather Hirsch, MD, and me for one of the most fun and intimate podcast episodes to date! For both clinicians and consumers, we learn from Heather about how easy it is for women to feel better with – you guessed it – FDA approved hormone therapy. Heather shares her business acumen and the career advice she didn’t take – we’re thankful she didn’t because what she has created is truly amazing. This episode is full of personal stories mixed with professional expertise while including the most refreshing look at women’s health.

Johanna Kandel, founder and CEO of The National Alliance for Eating Disorders, joins us for the third time ahead of Not One More Weekend, February 28th, March 1st and March 2nd, 2025. She updates listeners on all of the Alliance growth over the past year including the community and support for those suffering with eating disorders, disordered eating and body image struggles as well as their loved ones. Have a listen for all of this weekend’s events accessible worldwide as well as parts of Johanna’s own story which are incredibly inspiring.

Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani, founder of the Gaudiani Clinic, providing expert medical care for eating disorders, joins TheNPRD podcast speaking incredibly eloquently on ‘Getting To Yes’. Getting to yes means being hyper-patient centric makes the difference in returning agency to our patients. Her advice and care focus suggesting ‘helping patients feel autonomy around what’s going on’ recognizes how these integral pieces can help heal medical trauma.

Leigh Van Dusen, MS, LDN, owner and director of clinical operations for Van Dusen Nutrition, has a group practice and started the STEP program in 2020. STEP is an acronym for Supplemental Treatment Based in Experiential and Exposure Programming bridging the gap between intensive outpatient and outpatient care. This additional level of care in recovery in an in person intimate setting can be the game changer for long term eating disorder recovery.

Break the glass ceiling on our relationship with body image and healing with Deb Schachter, LICSW, and Whitney Otto, MA, PCC discussing their book Body Image Inside Out. Deb and Whitney suggest finding a third way to connect to our bodies and body image referencing and building on years of experience in their workshops – the precipitants to their book. We can practice having different relationships with our body image through play, self compassion, mindful awareness, curiosity and letting go expectations of perfection.

Katie Gustamachio, MEd, RD, and Kate Craigen, PhD, both of Monte Nido Walden speak to the magic of community being privileged to work with humans and their sacred, vulnerable & honest journeys toward recovery from binge eating disorder within Free To Be. Binge eating disorder remains the most common eating disorder and having Free To Be as a virtual program licensed in over 20 states available to humans struggling is the topic of this episode of TheNPRD podcast. Hope for change is necessary and incredibly possible as we hear in this conversation.

How do clinicians learn to hold hands integrating cutting edge and long term research into clinical practice? Dr. James Greenblatt of Psychiatry Redefined joins TheNPRD podcast inclusive of his fellowship program, a rich discussion on ADHD and why women are diagnosed later in life, and what nutritional guidelines can enhance the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder. Definitely listen to this one all the way to the end!

Caryl James, PhD, and Melissa Freizinger, PhD, join TheNPRD podcast delving into the 4th annual conference titled ‘Dying To Be Beautiful’ held on December 6-8 in Kingston, Jamaica. We discuss trends in body image, eating behaviors and health in the Caribbean and those specific to Jamaica and the impetus of this amazing conference.

We’re celebrating our 50th episode today! Please join Jordan Rich, my co host, and I, as we talk about our awesome listeners and guests, milestones & moving forward. Keep tuning in, subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple. We are so fortunate to have all of you who have joined me and Jordan on this podcast journey.

Today’s guest on The NPRD podcast is Brandy Walker, CCI Certified ED Recovery Coach, of RecoverYouLLC.com. Brandy shares a trifecta of advice from her own recovery of complex trauma and an eating disorder to her career and being a woman entrepreneur. She shares how embracing her journey helped embody her whole being, inclusive of a thriving private practice as a remote and live-in eating disorder recovery coach.

A question parents and guardians often ask of children at any age with an eating disorder or disordered eating is ‘Why can’t they just eat?’. Jane Reagan, RDN, CEDS, MEd Counseling, and I discuss her self paced training made for parents and caregivers to aid in the eating disorder recovery of their children. While parents can’t heal their children, finding resources to learn around the journey to recovery are priceless.

Jeanette Alonso, MSEd, LMHC, Clinical Director of Galen Hope, shares her experience and clinical pearls after years of working with families in eating disorder treatment. We discuss how pivotal conversation and vulnerability between parents or caregivers and children of any age is in changing the trajectory towards healing.

Ibbits Newhall joins TheNPRD podcast sharing her own recovery story and that of her daughter both of which shaped her career with various treatment centers and her own consulting practice. We discuss the phrase ‘Go slow to go fast’ suggesting thoughtfulness in helping families and individuals find creative treatment solutions. A must listen for parents and caregivers.

Join Rebecca (Becky) Manley, MEDA Founder, MEDA board member, and owner of Manley Coaching!, and I as we discuss all things MEDA’s 30th birthday. We reflect on the question ‘Would You Take Your Own Advice?’ and delve into what recovery has been for Becky and how her view of this for all humans has shifted over time.

Lisa Pearl, MS, RDN, CED-S, and Fiona Sutherland, Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Yoga Teacher and Clinical Supervisor, join us on TheNPRD sharing their upcoming training for dietitians. Lisa, Fiona and I have a dynamic conversation on the evolution of reflective supervision in the field of dietetics cementing the elevating aspects their training has to offer.

We welcome back Amy Boyers, PhD, clinical psychologist, President and co-founder of Galen Hope, for one of her favorite topics: Getting Better vs. Getting Well. Amy and I discuss how patients move through getting better to getting well – the differences of these – and why we truly want patients to be and live well in their eventual recovery. Galen Hope is a sponsor of today’s podcast.