The Full Plate Podcast with Abbie Attwood, MS

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com

Abbie is joined by Shannon Kopp, founder of SoulPaws Recovery Project, to explore the role of the human-animal connection in recovery from eating disorders, substance use, trauma, and mental health challenges.
Shannon shares her personal experience with bulimia, depression, and loss—and how her relationships with animals became a turning point in her healing. They also talk about the science behind why animals can help regulate the nervous system and support emotional healing in ways that traditional approaches sometimes can’t.
This conversation is a deeper look at connection, safety, and what it actually takes to access healing.
Tune in for more on:
- Shannon’s recovery from bulimia and depression—and how animals became a turning point- Why shame keeps people stuck (even when they’re in therapy)- The frustrating gap between knowing what to do and being able to do it- How animals help regulate the nervous system and create a sense of safety- Why healing requires connection—not just behavior change or control- Powerful moments with Buster and Bella, and what they reveal about healing- How animals interrupt panic, dissociation, and harmful coping patterns- The neuroscience behind calm → connect → heal and why it matters- What SoulPaws Healing Circles are and how they support recovery- How the human-animal bond can build trust, connection, and access to healing- Simple ways to incorporate your own animal into grounding and recovery
About Shannon: Shannon Kopp (she/her) is the founder and Executive Director of SoulPaws® Recovery Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that unleashes the healing power of the human-animal connection to support individuals recovering from eating disorders, substance use disorders, and other regulatory challenges.
She is also the best-selling author of Pound for Pound: A Story of One Woman’s Recovery and the Shelter Dogs Who Loved Her Back to Life and a national speaker on mental health, eating disorders, and animal-assisted healing. Her work has been featured in PEOPLE, NPR, CNN, Women’s Health, and Psychology Today.
Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:
Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group
Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast
Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness
This podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.

Abbie is joined by adolescent medicine specialist Dr. Lauren Hartman to talk about what it really means to care for kids in a culture obsessed with shrinking them.
They explore the rise in eating disorders among younger children, the sneaky evolution of diet culture into “wellness,” and the complicated, high-stakes reality of GLP-1 medications in adolescence. At its heart, this conversation is about protecting kids from shame — and helping parents trust their instincts.
In this episode, we discuss:
* What adolescent medicine actually is — and why ages 10–25 (and even younger) require specialized, developmentally informed care
* The moment that shifted Lauren away from weight-centric medicine
* Why disordered eating is on the rise in young kids
* How diet culture has become more insidious under the branding of “health,” “wellness,” and “longevity”
* Early red flags parents can look for
* The impact of social media on both girls and boys — from protein obsession to muscle dysmorphia
* What happens when doctors dismiss parental concerns because a child’s BMI is “normal”
* A nuanced conversation about GLP-1 medications in adolescents
* How to repair harm — whether you’re a parent, provider, or educator
This is a conversation about growth — literal and emotional. About letting kids develop in bodies that are allowed to change. And about building systems of care that prioritize safety over stigma.
Dr. Hartman's book: https://www.aspengroveayam.com/copy-of-presentations-publications
Dr. Hartman is double board certified in Adolescent Medicine and Pediatrics. She is known for her patient-centered approach, and has dedicated her career to supporting teens, young adults, and their loved ones as they navigate adolescence.  She aims to focus on the strengths in every patient and nurture a sense of hope to help support them to live their most fulfilling and healthy lives.  
She has held numerous leadership positions, including the chair of adolescent medicine at Kaiser Permanente for Northern California, the director of the pediatric eating disorder program in the East Bay, and served as the West Coast Medical Director at Equip.  She also helped create programs and held leadership positions in multidisciplinary programs for gender expansive youth and pediatric autonomic disorders.
With more than a decade of dedicated practice, she has honed her skills in the specialized field of adolescent medicine, particularly in the realm of eating disorders in the hospital, outpatient and virtual settings. 
Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:
Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group
 Social media:
Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast
Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness
Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy
Podcast Editing by Brian Walters
This podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com

How do our attachment styles shape our relationship with food, body image, and disordered eating?
In this episode, I’m joined by therapists Vanessa and Kate to explore the powerful connection between attachment theory and eating behaviors—why food can feel like safety, control, or comfort, and how early relationships influence the way we cope today.
If you’ve ever wondered why your patterns with food feel so hard to change, this conversation will help you understand them with more clarity and compassion.
In this episode, we cover:
*What attachment theory is and the four main patterns: secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized
*How attachment patterns are linked to disordered eating and body image struggles
*Looking as food behaviors through the lens of seeking safety and regulation
*The difference between comfort-seeking and numbing (and why both can show up in any eating pattern)
*How relationships and family dynamics can trigger changes in eating behaviors
*The impact of diet culture, GLP-1 medications, and social media on body image and food choices
*Why “rupture and repair” is essential for healing your relationship with food and your body
*Practical ways to build a more secure, compassionate relationship with eating
Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:
Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group
Social media:
Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast
Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness 
Find Kate & Vanessa on Instagram: instagram.com/calmcounselingatx/
Vanessa Scaringi is a licensed psychologist based in Austin, Texas, working with adolescents, young adults, and adults. Through individual, group, and family therapy, she helps clients build self-awareness and recognize patterns that may be getting in the way of the life they want. Her work centers on creating a safe, collaborative space to explore difficult experiences, while integrating insight-oriented and evidence-based approaches to support meaningful, lasting change.
Kathryn Garland is a licensed clinical social worker, supervisor, and certified eating disorder specialist. Her approach is collaborative and grounded in curiosity and trust, integrating psychoanalytic, relational, and mindfulness-based frameworks. She works with adolescents, adults, and couples navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, identity, disordered eating, body image concerns, and chronic illness. Her experience spans foster care, community mental health, college counseling, and eating disorder treatment, including leading an adolescent intensive outpatient program.Her work focuses on helping clients move through barriers, navigate transitions, and create meaningful, lasting change.
Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy
Podcast Editing by Brian Walters
This podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.

Perfectionism shows up in how we see our bodies, measure our health, and define our worth. This week, I’m bringing back a listener favorite—my conversation with Dr. Lisa Folden, who is a physical therapist, anti-diet coach, and weight-inclusive movement practitioner.
At its core, this episode is about how breaking free from perfectionism allows us to reclaim joy in our bodies, relationships, work, and yes—our lives.
We get into so much, including:
* Growing up as a “role model” and shedding that identity
* What research really says about weight, joint pain, diabetes, and intentional weight-loss
* Navigating disordered eating as a Black woman and why underdiagnosis is common
* Rebuilding a joyful, intuitive relationship with movement
* Letting go of the perfectionism trap and showing up authentically
* How health providers can approach shifting from weight-centric to weight-inclusive care
If you’ve ever felt your worth is tied to your body or achievements, this conversation is full of science, compassion, and practical tools to help you move with freedom and joy.
Find Lisa on IG: https://www.instagram.com/healthyphit/
Find the show on IG: @fullplate.podcast
Find Abbie on IG: @abbieattwoodwellness
Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:
Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group
Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy
Podcast Editing by Brian Walters
This podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com

In this bonus episode, Abbie is joined by her husband Jeb (nearly a decade sober) to respond to a listener question: Is healing actually worth how hard it feels?
It's a listener favorite, vulnerable conversation about the messy middle of recovery — from dieting, disordered eating, addiction, and the coping mechanisms that once kept us afloat.
Some of the topics discussed:
Why recovery often feels harder before it feels better
The short-term relief vs. long-term cost of coping mechanisms
How dieting and addiction share similar roots (shame, fear, inadequacy, belonging)
Personal examples from Abbie and Jeb and pieces of their stories
Physical vs. emotional discomfort in recovery — and how to tell the difference
The power of community (and why healing in isolation is so much harder)
Small, quiet “wins” that signal real healing
Why “dabbling” in restriction tends to snowball
Privilege, barriers to recovery, and the realities of healing in this world

Here is the question that inspired this episode:
Hi Abbie,
I’ve been recovering from decades of dieting and disordered eating. I’m completely on board with doing this work for myself, for my kids. I recognize now - many thanks to you - how much of my life has been wasted on trying to control my body.
But I’m struggling, and many days I have these thoughts of: is this harder than just continuing to diet and restrict? I’m uncomfortable, I feel stressed and anxious, and it’s hard to cope with the body changes. I just feel defeated in many ways.
I know I don’t want to go back, but at the same time, healing is feeling so hard. I am hoping you’ll have some advice for where to go from here. Your podcast has meant so much to me and my daughter. Thank you.
Alex

Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe
 
Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:
Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group
 
Social media:
Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast
Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness
 
Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy
Podcast Editing by Brian Walters
This podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.