Mind, Body, and Spirit in Binge Eating Recovery with UK’s Olga Rhodes, MSc.
Addressing eating disorders holistically is so important. Whether you’re in California, New York City, or in the United Kingdom (UK), it’s vital to heal the mind, body, and spirit when you’re struggling with binge eating. Enter Olga Rhodes, MSc. Olga has recovered from an eating disorder. She also has a medical background and has trained twice over as a coach to launch herself into the binge eating recovery field. What drew me to Olga is her indefatigable drive to help people, along with her spunky spirit and her unparalleled authenticity. I’m so happy you’ll get to know her! :)
Let’s begin by having you introduce yourself!
I run Olga's Wellness, my coaching practice. I hold Masters in Biomedical Science from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland (UK). I graduated from the Kresser Institute's ADAPT functional health coach training program; and I completed Level II training with Dr Dorie in EDIT (Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy). In addition to coaching people who struggle with binge eating, I have a podcast called Heal From Within.
Why did you choose to become an eating disorder specialist in the United Kingdom (UK)?
I decided to help others overcome eating disorders following my life-long struggles with food. My relationship with food has never been great: in childhood I used it to hide and express emotions and the stresses of university coupled with the lack of coping tools resulted in the development of binge eating disorder. It took me over a decade to recover from it and the concept of holistic health was instrumental in my recovery. The interconnectedness between body, mind, emotions, and spirit helped me come back to myself and develop trust and confidence that I never felt before. This experience inspired me to help others overcome their struggles.
What kind of treatment do you provide?
I work with clients 1:1 and there are three parts to my approach: making peace with yourself, making peace with food, and making it all last. Making peace with yourself is about honoring the various layers of you (body, mind, emotions, & spirit), learning what you are about, what your needs are and how you can best express them without resolving to food. Then we move onto your relationship with food and dismantle diet culture programming, limiting beliefs and misconceptions so many of us hold about food. Finally, we work on developing routines and healthy habits that would maintain the recovery and nourish you from within.
Do you work with only eating disorders?
I only work with clients overcoming binge eating, emotional eating, food addiction, and overeating, so if you're going through e.g. anorexia I'd refer you out to another practitioner.
Where are you located?
I'm based in the UK, but thanks to Zoom I've worked with clients all over the world. :)
How long have you been working with eating disorders overall?
A little over a year.
What are your favorite types of clients to work with?
I love working with clients who approach their recovery as a game of Cluedo (Clue in the US); and that's because they demonstrate the experimental mindset which is so crucial to successful recovery! In Cluedo everything you do leaves a clue; and it's just the same when we're on a healing journey: every situation tells you what's already healed and what still required work; nothing is good nor bad, it's all a lesson! The clients who are are to maintain this approach get the most out of coaching and are most successful in staying binge-free.
What happens during a first appointment with you?
Nothing scary! ;) We have a conversation over Zoom to find out where you're at and what you're after. I'll give you an overview of my program, my philosophy and share logistics of how the sessions will run; and you'll be able to ask any questions you'd like with no pressure to commit. It's really important to make sure that both the client and the coach feel "chemistry" for one another. If you're happy to enroll, we'd book the first session, and I'd send across the paperwork. There's a 14 day money-back warranty, so don't worry, you're not signing your soul away!
What are the first steps you take when treating binge eating and/or bulimia?
The very first step would be to identify what the triggers are; as this informs the later steps in which we address them. The triggers vary from person to person and these may be certain foods, emotions, thoughts, situations or people! But whatever guise they take, they hold clues to why you're struggling with food in the first place.
What do you wish people knew about getting treatment for eating disorders?
That eating disorders aren't chicken pox; and they may return! I place a lot of emphasis on prevention and developing habits that stave off binge eating, such as sleep, self-care, etc. For these defenses to last, however, they need to be maintained. When life gets in the way, it's easy for them to lapse. So I'd encourage anyone to be vigilant for the first signs that their relationship with food may be falling into the old, unhealthy grooves. It is said that when we feel too busy to spend time on self-care, that's when we need it most and I completely agree with this: this may be a difference between maintained recovery and relapse.
How can people learn more about and contact you?
Instagram: @olgas_wellness
Email: olgas.wellness@gmail.com
Podcast: "Heal from Within" anchor.fm/heal-from-within
Facebook: @olga.wellness.coaching
Linktree: https://sleekbio.com/olgaswellness
Share one fun fact about you that most people don't know.
Acting holds a dear spot in my heart - back at University I was part of the Improv group and we performed all over Aberdeen! I love the humor and light-heartedness that come with improvised theatre, as you can probably tell from my reels!
Begin Working with A Binge Eating Therapist Through A FREE, 5-Day, Live Interactive Workshop and Masterclass for Binge Eating!
🎃 Save your spot in my FREE Masterclass: ULTIMATE BINGE BUSTERS. It’s a live, virtual, 5-day seminar from 9a-10a PDT (12-1p EDT) from November 7th to 11th. It’s an interactive workshop for binge eating online, and it will address both binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia.
🎃 Watch my Instagram LIVES on Thursdays from 12-1p PST (3-4p EST) . I have conversations with professionals such as eating disorder dietitians and therapists on many topics, such as binge eating, BED, bulimia, body image, etc. Subscribe to my Instagram @drmariannemiller, and you’ll get bulimia and BED info sent to your phone with my reels, posts, etc.
🎃 Check out my LinkedIn LIVES, “Eating Disorder Tuesday Talks with Dr. Marianne Miller,” from 12p-12:15p PST (3-3:15p EST). In these short videos, I’ll share one Takeaway Tip and answer questions from readers like you! Connect with me on LinkedIn, and you’ll receive up-to-date eating disorder information, especially on bulimia and binge eating.