Body Liberation, Lipedema, and Breaking Free from Diet Culture with Paula Atkinson

Cindy welcomes Paula Dee Atkinson, a body liberation psychotherapist and yoga teacher specializing in body image, trauma, and eating disorders, who has worked with many clients diagnosed with lipedema. Paula discusses fatphobia, diet culture, and “thin worship” as systems tied to power and money, describing her George Washington University course “Weight and Society,” which she transformed into a social justice class exploring health definitions and the history of fat liberation.

They talk about the difficulty and validation of diagnosis, the impact of social media and curating feeds, connections between stress, trauma, and chronic illness, rejecting “emotional eating” as a shame-based concept, and focusing on how foods make the body feel.

Paula’s closing advice is to remember your body is on your side and not to abandon it.00:00 Welcome to the Podcast01:42 Meet Paula Atkinson04:12 Fatphobia and Power05:58 Weight and Society Course08:06 Who Took the Class11:24 Lipedema Clients and Diagnosis17:10 What Body Image Means21:17 Diet Culture and Control24:37 Social Media as a Tool28:05 Stress Trauma Connection29:39 Sick Care Reality Check31:46 Better Doctors Today33:31 Surgery And Aesthetics35:09 Body Autonomy Freedom37:38 Diet Culture Scam43:29 Emotional Eating Myth46:44 Food Without Morality50:32 Befriend Your Body53:05 Episode Wrap Up

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This episode is proudly sponsored by Carla Whorton, AGNP-BC, AAHP

Carla treats Lipedema, hormones and weight optimization

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Paul Atkinson

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Episode of Surrounded: https://youtu.be/M7K87rGoGps?si=KPjMLmxc4KPfp0nJ