Today I'm joined by Dr Courtney Raspin, a Chartered Counselling Psychologist and Clinical Director of Altum Health, a specialist eating disorders and mental health clinic in London. Courtney has over 25 years of clinical experience, including a decade in one of the NHS's largest eating disorder services.

She's just co-authored a book called The Weight Loss Prescription with psychiatrist Dr Max Pemberton (available 26th Feb!) - a book about the psychology of GLP-1 weight loss medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro. Given her background in eating disorders, Courtney has a nuanced perspective on weight loss medications, which I think is really important to hear.

If you’re in eating disorder recovery and feeling unsettled by the rise of GLP-1 medications… if you’ve noticed feelings of jealousy, confusion or fear around them… or if you’re trying to understand where health support ends and diet culture begins, this conversation is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• How Courtney’s work in eating disorders shaped her approach to weight management
• The warning signs of high drive for thinness
• Why weight loss doesn’t automatically improve body image
• The difference between body neutrality and body positivity
• Why GLP-1 medications aren’t inherently harmful
• The risks of unregulated access, online prescribing, and counterfeit medication
• The various causes of “food noise” and why GLP-1 medications may help
• What psychological support in weight management actually involves
• Courtney’s guidance on GLP-1s and eating disorder recovery

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Courtney’s journey into weight management
• 05:00 Body neutrality and realistic body image work
• 08:30 Understanding GLP-1s: benefits, risks and misconceptions
• 12:00 Food noise and why context matters
• 16:00 The psychological work behind lasting change
• 21:00 Health vs the thin ideal
• 27:00 Tensions within the ED field and professional responses
• 31:30 What to consider before starting GLP-1s
• 34:30 Courtney’s book and final advice

Resources & Links

• Follow @drcourtneyraspin on Instagram

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram
• Check out our website
• Listen on YouTube

⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating), restriction, weight loss, GLP-1 medications, and body image. Please take care when listening.

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Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛