#198: Eating Disorders Amongst Male Professional Athletes with Danny O'Connor

Danny O'Connor is a U.S. Olympian, WBC International Champion, and two time National Amateur Champion with an elite professional boxing record of 31-3. A former top-ranked contender, Danny has competed on the world stage for nearly two decades, fighting on major networks like Showtime, ESPN, CBS Sports, and Fox Sports 1. He represented Team USA on the 2008 Olympic Boxing Team and has been a dominant force in the ring as both a U.S. Nationals Champion and multi-time international competitor. Beyond the ropes, Danny's commitment to trauma-informed care and youth advocacy is reflected in his certifications in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), his training in Chris Germer's Mindful Self-Compassion, and completion of the University of Massachusetts Medical School's Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program. As a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), he has directly supported youth navigating the foster care and judicial systems. Drawing from his lived experience, Danny and his wife Diane co-founded DO Boxing Academy, a groundbreaking mobile, non-contact fitness boxing program rooted in a whole-child approach to development. The program fosters social, emotional, mental, and physical growth through a proprietary blend of boxing fundamentals, mindfulness practices, yoga, and trauma-informed curriculum developed in collaboration with licensed mental health clinicians. DO Boxing Academy partners with organizations to deliver on-site enrichment programming, with a focus on serving at-risk and underserved youth. The academy has been successfully implemented in a wide range of settings, including nonprofits, youth residential detention centers, adolescent substance abuse treatment facilities, and is currently operating within the public school system. By combining movement, mentorship, and mental health education, DO Boxing Academy is designed to break cycles of trauma and empower youth with tools for resilience and long-term success.   We discuss topics including: What led to Danny hitting his bottom Realizing that his habits and coping habits/skills were no longer effective The sport of boxing and the weight class he was in Being a very private person Leaving the sport of professional boxing and focusing on treatment of his eating disorder How to support and help other males   SHOW NOTES: www.doboxingacademy.com www.instagram.com/therealdannyoconnor ____________________________________________ If you have any questions regarding the topics discussed on this podcast, please reach out to Robyn directly via email: [email protected] You can also connect with Robyn on social media by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes and subscribe. Visit Robyn's private practice website where you can subscribe to her free monthly insight newsletter, and receive your FREE GUIDE "Maximizing Your Time with Those Struggling with an Eating Disorder". Your Recovery Resource, Robyn's new online course for navigating your loved one's eating disorder, is available now! For more information on Robyn's book "The Eating Disorder Trap", please visit the Official "The Eating Disorder Trap" Website. "The Eating Disorder Trap" is also available for purchase on Amazon.

Lila Galustian is a Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in the treatment of emotional dysregulation and personality disorders. She is the owner and primary therapist at Re-Discovering you, a skills application outpatient. Lila loves helping each client develop a life worth living while increasing their self confidence, she leverages an engaging style that is radically genuine with a dash of irreverence.   We discuss topics including: What is the difference between Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Bipolar Disorder? The screening process of BPD (emotional dysregulation disorder) Understanding Manic and Hypomanic episodes Impulsivity of BPD, Bipolar disorder and the impulsivity around food Pro/Con lists when being impulsive   SHOW NOTES: www.re-discoveringyou.com www.instagram.com/rediscoveringyour10 OTC Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/75UzxplSdG3RYn2q5KqdEi?si=0cbc52de77214cd1 DBT skills Handouts and worksheets: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dbt-skills-training-handouts-and-worksheets-marsha-m-linehan-phd-abpp/1142802001 CBT Skills: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-skills-workbook-barry-gregory/1107763785   ____________________________________________ If you have any questions regarding the topics discussed on this podcast, please reach out to Robyn directly via email: [email protected] You can also connect with Robyn on social media by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes and subscribe. Visit Robyn's private practice website where you can subscribe to her free monthly insight newsletter, and receive your FREE GUIDE "Maximizing Your Time with Those Struggling with an Eating Disorder". Your Recovery Resource, Robyn's new online course for navigating your loved one's eating disorder, is available now! For more information on Robyn's book "The Eating Disorder Trap", please visit the Official "The Eating Disorder Trap" Website. "The Eating Disorder Trap" is also available for purchase on Amazon.

Evelyn Tribole, MS, RDN is the author of 10 books, including co-author of the best-selling Intuitive Eating, a mind-body self-care eating framework, which has given rise to over 200 studies to date. Her newest book is Intuitive Eating for Every Day: 365 Inspirations and Practices. As an international speaker, Evelyn enjoys training health professionals on how to help their clients cultivate a healthy relationship with food, mind, and body through the process of Intuitive Eating. To date there are over 2,600 Certified Intuitive Eating Counselors in 60 countries. The media often seeks Evelyn for her expertise, including New York Times, CNN, NBC's Today Show, MSNBC, Fox News, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Vogue, Ten Percent Happier, and People magazine. Evelyn was the nutrition expert for Good Morning America, and a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for six years.   We discuss topics including: Intuitive eating has been co-opted via diet culture by using the term Intuitive Eating and many other non diet terminology Understanding primal hunger The research of famine The importance of learning about yourself Understanding Interoceptive Awareness Being aware of "red flags" such as "I need volume to fill up" The 5th edition of Intuitive Eating…   SHOW NOTES: www.instagram.com/evelyntribole www.evelyntribole.com www.intuitiveeating.org ____________________________________________ If you have any questions regarding the topics discussed on this podcast, please reach out to Robyn directly via email: [email protected] You can also connect with Robyn on social media by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes and subscribe. Visit Robyn's private practice website where you can subscribe to her free monthly insight newsletter, and receive your FREE GUIDE "Maximizing Your Time with Those Struggling with an Eating Disorder". Your Recovery Resource, Robyn's new online course for navigating your loved one's eating disorder, is available now! For more information on Robyn's book "The Eating Disorder Trap", please visit the Official "The Eating Disorder Trap" Website. "The Eating Disorder Trap" is also available for purchase on Amazon.

Katy is a recovering alcoholic whose personal journey to recovery sparked her deep passion for helping others. Her commitment to the field of recovery began in 2012, when she earned her first position as a counselor. Katy holds a CATC II certification as both a drug and alcohol counselor and supervisor. Currently, Katy is pursuing her Master's in Social Work at Arizona State University with the goal of becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Her academic and professional journey reflects her dedication to serving others and her desire to develop the skills necessary to support individuals facing multiple challenges. Katy's passion for service led her to recognize the critical lack of resources available to women in recovery, inspiring her to co-found Rewrite Recovery. Through this initiative, Katy has created a safe, loving, and supportive environment where women can heal, reclaim their lives, and build a strong foundation in recovery. Her commitment is to empower each client to discover their strengths, pursue their goals, and rewrite their next chapter.   We discuss topics including: The absence of grit We do things scared and that is courage The indulgence in feelings and what we do to move forward Reframing How to build distress tolerance   SHOW NOTES: www.rewriterecovery.com www.instagram.com/rewrite.recovery ____________________________________________ If you have any questions regarding the topics discussed on this podcast, please reach out to Robyn directly via email: [email protected] You can also connect with Robyn on social media by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes and subscribe. Visit Robyn's private practice website where you can subscribe to her free monthly insight newsletter, and receive your FREE GUIDE "Maximizing Your Time with Those Struggling with an Eating Disorder". Your Recovery Resource, Robyn's new online course for navigating your loved one's eating disorder, is available now! For more information on Robyn's book "The Eating Disorder Trap", please visit the Official "The Eating Disorder Trap" Website. "The Eating Disorder Trap" is also available for purchase on Amazon.

Julie Duffy Dillon is a Registered Dietitian and Host of Find Your Food Voice®, a popular long running nutrition podcast. Through speaking and writing, she helps people with a complicated relationship with food strategize how to remove the shame and blame dumped on them from the diet industry. Her work has been featured on TLC and in the New York Times, Outside Magazine, Shape and other outlets. She is the author of the book, Find Your Food Voice. We discuss topics including: Understanding finding your food voice The letters in the book came from narratives, therapy and discussing feelings that developed The food voice builds on Intuitive Eating Asking oneself: "What keeps you stuck" ? and "what keeps you dieting"?   SHOW NOTES: www.julieduffydillon.com https://julieduffydillon.com/podcast http://julieduffydillon.com/book   ____________________________________________ If you have any questions regarding the topics discussed on this podcast, please reach out to Robyn directly via email: [email protected] You can also connect with Robyn on social media by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes and subscribe. Visit Robyn's private practice website where you can subscribe to her free monthly insight newsletter, and receive your FREE GUIDE "Maximizing Your Time with Those Struggling with an Eating Disorder". Your Recovery Resource, Robyn's new online course for navigating your loved one's eating disorder, is available now! For more information on Robyn's book "The Eating Disorder Trap", please visit the Official "The Eating Disorder Trap" Website. "The Eating Disorder Trap" is also available for purchase on Amazon.

Janice Dada, MPH, RDN, is a weight-inclusive registered dietitian with a private practice in Newport Beach, CA. She is a certified Intuitive Eating counselor, certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES), and certified eating disorders specialist (CEDS). She is passionate about simplifying and destigmatizing the nutrition- and weight-based discourse around diabetes. She is the author of the book Intuitive Eating for Diabetes We discuss topics including: How Janice came up writing her book about Intuitive Eating and Diabetes Mellitus Understanding the Four Pillars in her book The value list in Pillar two Diabetes Mellitus and weight loss medications   SHOW NOTES: www.socalnw.com www.instagram.com/socalrd  ____________________________________________ If you have any questions regarding the topics discussed on this podcast, please reach out to Robyn directly via email: [email protected] You can also connect with Robyn on social media by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes and subscribe. Visit Robyn's private practice website where you can subscribe to her free monthly insight newsletter, and receive your FREE GUIDE "Maximizing Your Time with Those Struggling with an Eating Disorder". Your Recovery Resource, Robyn's new online course for navigating your loved one's eating disorder, is available now! For more information on Robyn's book "The Eating Disorder Trap", please visit the Official "The Eating Disorder Trap" Website.

Professor April N. Hackert, M.S., R.D.N. is a Global Psychiatric Culinary Medicine Research Dietitian, Scientist, Chef, eating disorder specialist, and the FOUNDER of Choose to Change Nutrition Services. As a scientific author birthing the use of Nutritional Neuropsychology and Psychiatric Culinary Medicine in conjunction with Medical Nutrition Therapy, this visionary orator is an international public policy advocate for the healing power of food on mental health. As a passionately articulate teacher, scientific researcher, and culinary wizard, April brings over two decades of experience to her food chemistry-inspired, culinary creations. She strives to communicate scientific principles in an entertaining and meaningful way. Her clinical work and research encompass a deep curiosity about the dietary and interconnected psychological belief patterns among humans with symptoms of anxiety.   We discuss topics including: Understanding Neurofeedback Understanding Biofeedback The importance of repairing one's relationship with food and their body and how it impacts their psychological status The future of a nutrient profile What eating disorders in correctional facilities looks like   SHOW NOTES: https://www.instagram.com/healingkitchen (TEDx talk  "Turn in at the fork")    https://youtu.be/idDlgiCxpL8 ____________________________________________ If you have any questions regarding the topics discussed on this podcast, please reach out to Robyn directly via email: [email protected] You can also connect with Robyn on social media by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes and subscribe. Visit Robyn's private practice website where you can subscribe to her free monthly insight newsletter, and receive your FREE GUIDE "Maximizing Your Time with Those Struggling with an Eating Disorder". Your Recovery Resource, Robyn's new online course for navigating your loved one's eating disorder, is available now! For more information on Robyn's book "The Eating Disorder Trap", please visit the Official "The Eating Disorder Trap" Website. "The Eating Disorder Trap" is also available for purchase on Amazon.

Michelle Hirschman, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is the founder and CEO of Hirschman Clinical Services. HCS provides coaching, case management and support services to empower, resource and inspire clients with a specialty in addiction and recovery, eating disorders and mental health. Michelle's dedication to empowering people facing challenge has spanned across many fields and populations, including hospice, homeless, nonprofit sectors, chronic mental illness, eating disorders, alcoholism and drug addiction, relapse prevention campaigns and programs, nutritional health, suicide prevention, education, athletics, professionals, business owners, young people, individuals and their families. Her passion for working with people of all backgrounds and lifestyles remains after nearly 20 years in the field and as a business owner. Hirschman Clinical Services is designed to bridge the gap between treatment and independent living, with the focus being on continued life skills development for every client. The coach's role is to empower, inspire and resource each client and help them find passion and purpose in their lives. The HCS team has served and supported thousands of clients, whether suffering from an eating disorder, addiction, mental health struggle, relationship challenges or the stress of managing daily life.   We discuss topics including: Understanding the concept of "coaching" What is "5 Prong Therapy"? What does coaching eating disorder clients look like? The importance of socially integrate going out into the world The benefits of working with a coach when in treatment   SHOW NOTES: www.hirschmanclinicalservices.com instagram.com/hirschmanclinicalservices ____________________________________________ If you have any questions regarding the topics discussed on this podcast, please reach out to Robyn directly via email: [email protected] You can also connect with Robyn on social media by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes and subscribe. Visit Robyn's private practice website where you can subscribe to her free monthly insight newsletter, and receive your FREE GUIDE "Maximizing Your Time with Those Struggling with an Eating Disorder". Your Recovery Resource, Robyn's new online course for navigating your loved one's eating disorder, is available now! For more information on Robyn's book "The Eating Disorder Trap", please visit the Official "The Eating Disorder Trap" Website. "The Eating Disorder Trap" is also available for purchase on Amazon.

Janet Goldstein-Ball is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Consultant (CEDS-C), and EMDR Certified.  Janet has been in private practice since 2012, and in her current location in Burbank since 2014.  Her special interests are eating disorders, trauma, and working with creative professionals.  In addition to her private practice, Janet was the Eating Disorder Case Manager at Kaiser Permanente's Department of Psychiatry in Los Angeles from July 2014 to January 2024, where among other duties she co-facilitated the clinic's "Emotional Overeaters Group."  Her past experience and training includes working at eating disorder treatment programs, seeing clients at community clinics, and counseling adolescents at a school for students with severe emotional disorders and learning disabilities.   Janet is the co-author of the book "Straight Expectations," a memoir of her colleague Peggy Cryden's experiences raising two gay sons, one transgender, along with insights and support for involved family members and friends, clinicians, and the gender non-conforming community.   We discuss topics including: Binge eating disorder (BED) and emotional overeating is complex One of the goals of supporting someone who is struggling with binge eating disorder (BED) is to have intuitive eating (IE) as apart of treatment Binge eating is using as coping mechanisms when an individual is struggle with tolerating uncomfortable feelings Those struggling with (BED) need to do deeper psychological work before embarking on intuitive eating (IE)   SHOW NOTES: www.jgbcounseling.com https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/janet-goldstein-ball-burbank-ca/112848 instagram.com/jgbcounseling   ____________________________________________ If you have any questions regarding the topics discussed on this podcast, please reach out to Robyn directly via email: [email protected] You can also connect with Robyn on social media by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes and subscribe. Visit Robyn's private practice website where you can subscribe to her free monthly insight newsletter, and receive your FREE GUIDE "Maximizing Your Time with Those Struggling with an Eating Disorder". Your Recovery Resource, Robyn's new online course for navigating your loved one's eating disorder, is available now! For more information on Robyn's book "The Eating Disorder Trap", please visit the Official "The Eating Disorder Trap" Website. "The Eating Disorder Trap" is also available for purchase on Amazon.

Kirsten is a Hall of Fame NCAA Division I volleyball player, a 14-year NIKE executive, a motivational speaker, peak performance coach and the author of Raising Empowered Athletes: A Youth Sports Parenting Guide for Raising Happy, Brave and Resilient Kids. As a coach, she works with athletes, entrepreneurs and leaders, where she helps them learn how to reach their goals by releasing their limitations.  Kirsten's super power is helping people get out of their heads and into their bodies so they can feel their best and perform beyond what even they dreamed possible.  She is the host of the #RaisingAthletes Podcast, where she interviews coaches, athletes, trainers and industry experts about everything youth sports.   We discuss topics including: How do we show up for our neighbors? With kids who are athletes asking the question "Who's dream is it"? The professionalism of youth sports has changed The importance of feeding, sleep and recovery Recognizing that bodies and minds break down Reflecting on how we can help our kids navigate from our sports experience Learning to make ourselves uncomfortable to help with our own growth   SHOW NOTES: www.kirstenjonesinc.com (podcast) Raising Athletes Podcast (book) Raising Empowered Athletes: A Youth Sports Parenting Guide for Raising Happy, Brave and Resilient Kids https://x.com/kirstenjonesinc   instagram.com/kirstenjonescoach ____________________________________________ If you have any questions regarding the topics discussed on this podcast, please reach out to Robyn directly via email: [email protected] You can also connect with Robyn on social media by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes and subscribe. Visit Robyn's private practice website where you can subscribe to her free monthly insight newsletter, and receive your FREE GUIDE "Maximizing Your Time with Those Struggling with an Eating Disorder". Your Recovery Resource, Robyn's new online course for navigating your loved one's eating disorder, is available now! For more information on Robyn's book "The Eating Disorder Trap", please visit the Official "The Eating Disorder Trap" Website. "The Eating Disorder Trap" is also available for purchase on Amazon.