Eating Disorders as Metaphor and the Feminine Path to Healing with Dr Anita Johnston

In This Body

Join Ailey Jolie and Dr. Anita Johnston, clinical psychologist, storyteller, and author of Eating in the Light of the Moon, on this episode of In This Body. Together, they explore the symbolic language of food and body image, revealing how struggles with eating are often expressions of deeper, unspoken hungers. Through myth, metaphor, and archetype, Dr. Johnston shares how reconnecting with the inner feminine voice—and listening to the body as a source of wisdom—can support healing and liberation. They discuss the cultural narratives that silence women’s intuition, the role of storytelling in making meaning, and why the journey home to ourselves begins not with control, but with curiosity. This episode invites listeners into a tender, soulful dialogue on embodiment, empowerment, and the truths our hunger is trying to tell us. We hope you enjoy the episode.
In this episode:

• 03:11 The Evolution of Eating Disorder Treatment
• 06:04 Understanding Disordered Eating as a Metaphor
• 09:05 The Role of Storytelling in Recovery
• 12:04 Archetypes and the Feminine Principle
• 15:04 Connecting Emotions and Eating Behaviors
• 18:12 Bringing Consciousness to Unconscious Patterns
• 23:59 Understanding Emotional Eating
• 29:22 The Language of Food and Emotions
• 32:54 Reconnecting with Mother Nature
• 36:49 Grounding and Body Awareness
• 40:01 Cultural Pressures and Body Image
• 41:24 The Journey to Self-Acceptance

You can read the show transcript here.

To find out more about Anita:

• Find: Website
• Follow: Instagram
• Experience: Eating in the Light of the Moon
• Explore: Free and Paid Resources

Learn more about Ailey Jolie:

• Find: Website
• Follow: Instagram
• Explore: Substack
• Experience: Insight Timer
• Email: [email protected]

To follow along with the In This Body podcast:

• Follow: Instagram
• Find: Website
• Email: i[email protected]