This week on the Full of Beans podcast, Han is joined by Shannon Travers-Spencer, who has lived experience of anorexia, autism, ADHD, ARFID and chronic illness, and shares their journey online. Shannon is a passionate advocate for inclusive care for neurodivergent individuals within eating disorder services, and spoke at this year's Dump The Scales march about navigating the UK's eating disorder system, and the barriers and accommodations they faced along the way.
In This Episode:
Shannon's experience of ARFID from childhood, and anorexia developing later as a teenager
Untangling autism, ARFID and anorexia when they overlap so closely
Why an autism diagnosis partway through inpatient treatment changed everything about Shannon's care
The nuance clinicians face in adapting treatment without it being exploited by the eating disorder
How Shannon and a dietitian mapped out "autism-safe" versus "anorexia-safe" foods to understand what was really driving their eating
How undiagnosed autism may have contributed to the development of Shannon's eating disorder
Practical, simple adjustments that can make a significant difference in autistic-affirming care
Why listening to the patient, and being willing to adapt language and approach, matters more than any grand overhaul
The importance of joined-up care between eating disorder services and mental health teams
⚠️ Content note: this episode discusses eating disorders, ARFID, autism, suicidality, and inpatient psychiatric treatment. Please take care while listening.
Podden och tillhörande omslagsbild på den här sidan tillhör
Hannah Hickinbotham. Innehållet i podden är skapat av Hannah Hickinbotham och inte av,
eller tillsammans med, Poddtoppen.
