Rally for Recovery with the National Alliance for Eating Disorders

A bathroom scale can become a judge, a ritual, and a cage and most people suffering from disordered eating learn to hide it well. We sit down with McCall Dempsey, founder of Southern Smash and a National Alliance for Eating Disorders advocate, and Johanna Scoglio, author of *When the Water Still Holds Me* and founder of A Dragonfly’s Dream, to talk about what happens when recovery stops being private and starts becoming community.

We get into Rally For Recovery and why it’s built differently: a morning focused on hope, connection, and real support, with creative grounding activities, trauma-informed yoga, mindful movement, local treatment and clinician resources, and the catharsis of scale smashing. McCall shares how Southern Smash grew out of a 15-year eating disorder battle and how a simple sequence of reflections can help people loosen the grip of diet culture, perfectionism, and body image shame.

We also talk about eating disorders in athletes, the pressure of weigh-ins, and why coaches and leadership can either fuel harm or create safer environments through small, practical language shifts. Johanna brings a harm reduction and mind-body-spirit lens that makes space for complexity, long-term healing, and the truth that recovery isn’t linear. Along the way, we highlight the Alliance’s free clinician-answered referrals to care, therapist-led support groups, and the expansion to support options seven days a week.

Listen, share this with someone who needs a little more hope today, and then subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what part of recovery you want to feel less alone in.

Show notes:

Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised.

Event link: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/2026raleighrally/ 

Resource links:

Alliance for Eating Disorders: https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/ 

For questions about The Alliance’s free referral services, or more information about The Alliance’s other specialized services, please reach out to The Alliance at 866.662.1235 or info@allianceforeatingdisorders.com.

https://www.findedhelp.com/ is the country's largest database of ED providers and treatment centers.

How to find a provider: 

https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us

https://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_Brand

Suicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7)

Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET)

If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Transcript

Redefining Health And The Mission

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Join us as we redefine, reclaim, and restore the true meaning of health.

Sponsor Message And Resources

SPEAKER_05 0:04

Let's dive into the tough conversations about mental health, nutrition, eating disorders, diet culture, and body image. This is Nourish and Empower. This episode is brought to you by Hilltop Behavioral Health, specializing in eating disorder treatment. Hilltop offers integrated therapy and nutrition care in one compassionate setting.

SPEAKER_00 0:32

Their expert team works with you to achieve recovery and avoid the need for higher levels of care. Visit www.hilltopbehavioralhealth.org because healing happens here.

SPEAKER_05 0:46

Hello everyone, and welcome to this week's episode on the Nurse and Empowered Podcast. Today we have McCall Dempsey and Johanna Scoglio. McCall is the founder of Southern Smash, a program of the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, and she is an eating disorder survivor and passionate recovery advocate. After a 15-year battle, McCall sought treatment in December 2010. Since then, she has made eating disorder awareness and prevention her life's work and passion. McCall travels the country sharing her story of hope and dealing with audiences everywhere. McCall also writes the popular blog, Loving Imperfection, and her writing has been featured on various national television, print, and online publications, including The Today Show, Women's Health, Southern Living and Huffington Post, a Louisiana native. She now resides in Hontavidra Beach, Florida, with her husband, Jordan and her two children, Manning and Marjorie.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

And Johanna Scolio is an educator, writer, peer supporter, and mental health advocate. She is the author of When the Water Still Holds Me: Letters Through the Tides of a Long-Term Eating Disorder, which, by the way, mine arrived on Friday. So we'll have to see you in person so I can get an autograph. This is a memoir rooted in harm reduction and a compassionate mind-body-spirit approach to healing. Drawing from her own long-term journey, her work invites a more values-aligned human approach to healing, one that makes space for complexity, imperfection, and hope. She is also the founder of A Dragonfly's Dream, a nonprofit dedicated to community-based, peer-led and compassionate support for long-term healing. She serves as a board secretary for her local NAMI affiliate, is a certified yoga teacher, an intentional peer support certified provider, a conference speaker, and volunteers with national eating disorder nonprofits. Trigger warning: we are identifying the following triggers that will be discussed but are not limited to eating disorders and mental health. Listener discretion is advised. This show is not medical nutrition or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a dietitian, mental health provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider as well as crisis resources in the show notes. We did it.

SPEAKER_05 3:14

Another duo.

SPEAKER_00 3:15

Yeah. Thank you both so much for being here. Thanks for having us.

SPEAKER_01 3:20

Yeah, really looking forward to being here today. So thank you. Yeah.

How Their Connection Came Full Circle

SPEAKER_00 3:23

Yeah. I am curious how you both have met, if you met through the alliance or or some other way.

SPEAKER_01 3:31

Well, I'll chime in. I'm not sure if McCall remembers this, but I was working with really passionate, dedicated provider in this area over a decade ago. And in just one session with her, she mentioned McCall's name as you know, somebody in this, you know, community that's really, you know, inspirational in her story. And so she encouraged me to reach out to McCall through Facebook, kind of the one way to contact. And so, well over a decade ago, I sent McCall a Facebook message and she wrote back a beautiful response that was just really infused with hope and her own healing. McCall may not remember that because it's been many, many years since we connected to really plan this rally event, but that's always stuck with me.

SPEAKER_02 4:13

Oh my gosh, I had no idea. You've never told me that. Now I've got a good. No, I'm gonna have to go back and look.

SPEAKER_04 4:20

That is wild, and I'm deeply touched. You know, I I do believe, like, you know, folks, it just we're so interconnected, and I love that because, you know, being in this field, working in it for the last, I don't know, however many years I've been in it, many, many years. It's really cool to reconnect with folks. And um, and so when Joanna reached out and said, I want to do something in Raleigh, I was like, well, we're kicking off our our rallies for the recoveries across the country. And I've always been deeply connected to the Raleigh community. And so I was like, let's do it. And so yeah, she was kind of the the charge that started it. So it's been really fun to work together and and just bring more awareness and support to Raleigh, but beyond that, beyond the triangle community.

SPEAKER_05 5:06

I always love when stuff like that happens, when you know one person had an experience and they're like, oh my gosh, that was so touching. And the one that was providing the experience is like, oh, I don't remember that. Cause it just really shows how one action that you think is just like, oh, let me just respond to this message. And it doesn't seem like a lot, but it was still like imprinting on the receiver. And I always just love that like wholesome, like full circle moment. I always feel like it's so special.

SPEAKER_04 5:31

I feel the same way, and I just think it's it's I feel so blessed to be able to be in this field to have these full circle movements with people that have either reached out to me or that I met along the way in my journey early on. So, Joanna, thank you for sharing that. I'm gonna go look definitely again.

SPEAKER_01 5:47

I follow I have followed you over all the years. I've kind of seen your progression from Southern Smash and then when you kind of came under the Alliance, and it's just been really neat. You know, I've read your articles that you post and watched different speaking events. And so knowing that I wanted to bring something to this area, being a local here, and we have not had a community kind of awareness-building, hope-inspiring event in many, many years. You know, I kind of knock-knocked on the call of like, hey, this would be an incredible community. And she knows that, you know, she's very connected to this community as well. And so it was more of just initiating it, and it's been you know a blessing to see just all the involvement from so many volunteers.

SPEAKER_05 6:28

That's so beautiful. I love this community, I tell you.

What Rally For Recovery Looks Like

SPEAKER_00 6:34

Yeah. So for people who are listening who don't know anything about the Rally for Recovery events, could could both of you maybe give a little overview of what that'll look like?

SPEAKER_04 6:45

Yeah. So National Alliance for Eating Disorders, we're the nation's leading nonprofit organization for eating disorders, and we provide support education referrals. And so what that really looks like is we have our free referrals to care. So, unlike other hotlines, our phones are answered by licensed clinicians that specialize in eating disorders that help folks connect to care, whether it's outpatient or intense medical stabilization. They also can give, you know, support or help help someone in that space as well. And we have our free therapist-led support groups, which we feel in in our in our world of eating disorders, that clinical oversight super important. And our our virtual groups are kind of give the ability for for folks that are all over not just the country, but the world to have access to some kind of support. And I'm very proud to say that last year alone, I believe we had, I know we had well over 30,000 folks from over 80 countries log into our groups. And so we're really reaching folks that have never had access to any type of eating disorder support. And then, of course, we have our educational component that we focused on as well. Really, really focusing on, you know, frontline responders, doctors, dentists, nurses, you know, so how to recognize and refer eating disorders. All that to say, we love community-building events. Many years ago, pre-COVID, we pivoted from our walks to a rally to be more inclusive and mindful of the eating disorder community. Obviously, COVID happened. And so we, I've kind of taken it on with our team that we're really getting our rallies back going, but we're very mindful and intentional. We're not just gonna scatter a bunch of events across the country and just be like, go. We're very mindful, we're very hands-on, we're very intentional. We find people like Joanna that are boots on the ground, that are go-getters, that are passionate advocates and warriors in this space that can help us bring that to life. And so, what our day of rally is gonna be, Joanna found the most amazing place in Morrisville. So it's this great intersection between, you know, the triangle area. And in a nutshell, the rally is a morning of recovery and hope and community. And so funds raised will go to support our free therapist-led support groups. But moreover, we're gonna have inspirational speakers. We're gonna have lots of tables with different area clinicians and treatment programs, and we're gonna have like Eva Miller from Triangle Art Therapy is gonna come do a cool like art project. So every table is gonna have a really cool activity to help folks really get grounded in their recovery, do something fun, do something creative, and of course the Southern Smash Scale Smash, which is my baby. So we'll end the day with that. But in the middle, we have current wellness, we have their team coming in with a really mind, fun, mindful movement. With the Emily program, has an amazing trauma-informed yoga trainer who Stacey is gonna come in with some mindfulness and grounding. We'll have some speakers and top fundraising prizes and alliance swag and all that fun stuff. So it's really just gonna be a day of community and celebration and for folks to come together and to feel seen and heard and valued. And of course, smash some scales.

SPEAKER_03 10:06

I mean, let's be honest. That's the highlight.

The Story Behind Southern Smash

SPEAKER_05 10:09

Yeah, I love that. How did you take like a jump just because you brought up Southern Smash? And I'm just like so curious about that because I will always suggest to clients, like, just smash your scale. Like you need a coping skill, take that baby out back. You know what I mean? But like people think of, you know, sometimes clients are like, what are you talking about? So the fact that this is a legitimate thing that you do just makes everything about my heart very happy. So, like, how did you come up with that? And how, like, what was the thought behind it? How did all of that really take off for you?

SPEAKER_04 10:42

Yeah, so I, you know, I experienced an eating disorder for 15 years, and I experienced it in shame and in silence. And I was your functioning eating disorder, you know, chairman of my sorority, like planning parties, hitting out t-shirts, and making straight A's, getting the job, and literally dying behind closed doors, but I quote unquote looked fine. And so, you know, and never feeling like I could ask for help, but moreover, everything was was defined by that number on the scale. And so as I finally, the wheels fell off and I ended up in treatment at 29 at a higher level of care. And it came to me that obviously I had to get rid of the scale. And I remember in a community meeting in residential, somebody said something about a scale smashing. And I'm like, what the hell is that? And then I found out what it was, and I was like, well, I want to do that, but I never got to do it in treatment. And then fast forward, I'd started a blog and I'd started it anonymously. And this is back in 2011. And I just started writing as like a therapeutic outlet, but I didn't share it because I still had so much shame attached to my story. And so when about a year later, I told my friend a blog interview that I wrote about our friendship, she's like, You have a blog. I'm like, I know it's stupid. She's like, You have to let me put this on Facebook. And I was like, You are off your rocker. And then she was like, You don't know who you might help. And when I left treatment, I had made a promise to one day pay it forward. And so that kind of promise came back. And so she put it on Facebook and blew up the world. And the next morning I woke up with like all these messages of like, Thank you for sharing. I struggle with dynxia, I struggle with this, I struggle with uh, you know, alcoholism, I struggle to be the perfect mom. And just something told me to keep going. And then a group at LXU, I was in Baton Rouge at the time living, and they were like, Will you come speak and share your story? And I had never spoken publicly, and I was like, uh, okay. And then I called back and I was like, okay, I have a really crazy idea. And they were like, What? And I was like, I'll come and talk, but I also want to do a scale smash. And they're like, That they were like, What is that? And I said, taking sledgehammers and smashing bathroom scales, and like they're gonna think I'm nuts. They were like, We're in. So being the former marketing, you know, design sash sorority girl, you know, I was like, Well, we're gonna make it a party. And so, because I knew that when I was in college, if I went by a table that was like, come talk to me about mental health, about eating disorders, I would have been like, bye. I am not coming near you. Yeah, but if we're playing music, it's called Southern Smash, they've got koozies and t-shirts and fun swag. I might come hang out. And so, and plus we're smashing scales, we're making a lot of noise. And so I decided to that night when they said yes, I went home, I came up with the name Southern Smash, designed the logo, and then with a few friends, we created this event that is a sequence of activities designed to help the person like challenge like what is my relationship with food and body and help them let go of many things. So we have the let it go balloons. We don't let go of the balloons, we are friends of the earth. But they say, What is, you know, what's weighing you down? And the the person, and we're gonna have this at our rally event. The person looks at the card and says, What's weighing me down? It might be the eating disorder, it might be a number on the scale, it might be self-harm, depression, anxiety, it might be that biology exam, it might be care and expectations, whatever's weighing you down, you tie it to the balloon to symbolize letting go of what's weighing you down. We have the dare to love yourself cards. Again, we'll be at the rally. And so that's taking something. If we just let go of what's weighing us down, let's replace it with something that's positive and like that we can look at every day and be like, exhale something positive in our in our world that's constantly tearing us down. So yeah, the scale smashing, southern smash really came as a direct result of my own experience of wanting to reach out for help but not really knowing how. And so when, you know, I've been doing this since 2012 and traveling across the country, doing our events everywhere from UCLA to New York to everywhere in between, just really getting folks to say, oh, I didn't know that I could ask for help if all I do is obsess about X, Y, or Z or what I eat or what I don't eat, or whatever it might be. And the really cool thing is is that I can say, yeah, here's your on-campus resources, but also like, here's all of our resources at the Alliance, right? Here you can log into a free therapist-led support group and be like a proverbial, you know, a fly on the proverbial zoo wall. So that's kind of how Southern Smash came to be. Sorry, long answer, but but yeah, that's that's and we've been going on it for like, oh my gosh, what is it, 14 years?

SPEAKER_03 15:26

Math is hard. Math is hard. I get that. Math is hard.

SPEAKER_05 15:30

Math is hard, but I also love a long answer. I mean, you can ask Johanna, because I know I definitely like and Maggie, I am long-winded with everything. And one question turns into seven. So always here for the long answer.

SPEAKER_04 15:40

I'm like, well, when people are like, how'd it start? I'm like, buffalo, it's a long answer.

SPEAKER_05 15:46

Oh, that's so awesome. And I love that it's a multiple part too. Because I feel like when like when you have like the balloon piece and then you have the cards and then you have the smashing, I feel like just like recovery, there are so many steps to it. And like I can imagine someone coming and being like, oh, all I gotta do is like take a sledgehammer and like go put it to a scale. Like you can come and you can go. But I feel like when you have things that you have to be intentional and you have to think about it and be present, and then you go to that, I feel like there's just so much more meaning behind that.

SPEAKER_04 16:15

Yeah. And I mean, one of the ways I got so rooted into the triangle area is because I've been coming to UNC since 2013. I've come to Duke many times, I've come to NC State many times. And it's been really cool to see, you know, one thing is that if you want to come to the event, obviously we're in the middle of campus on like a Tuesday or Wednesday, and folks are just walking by, and that's how we catch a lot of attention. And a lot of them are, hey, I just want to go smelter scale. And I'm like, Cool, but you're gonna start over here and you're gonna do all the activities. Yeah. And, you know, and it's it's really rewarding to see. I've I've seen partners with, you know, I've seen a you know, stereotypical college guy with his girlfriend, and he did it with her, and he's like, I kind of never thought about all this stuff the way that she does.

SPEAKER_03 17:01

Yeah.

Athletes Coaches And Weight Culture

SPEAKER_04 17:02

And then I've had a group of the male wrestling team come by, and that was like, oh yeah, you really need to smash a scale. So I mean, you just forget that a lot of times, especially when we work in this eating disorder community, how much it affects all humans, whether it's disordered eating, body image, or just having that anxiety tied to the scale. And that that was ever the goal of when I created this, that I wanted to welcome everyone because we all know what it feels like to not feel good enough.

SPEAKER_05 17:32

Yeah. Yeah. I also love that wrestlers came up because I feel like that's a population that people don't realize also have a certain type of relationship with food, weight, and body. Like I remember my one of my brothers was a big wrestler in high school, and he and I have such a close relationship, Maggie, my brother, Michael. And he the only time he and I ever didn't get along in high school was during wrestling season because he was a man, because he was malnourished, because he had to make weight. And you know, and even like you step on that scale and you might be so ready for your match. But then if you're overweight, like there's so many things that go into wrestling. So I just from a wrestling family, I love that like you're even reaching populations that people might not even think of.

SPEAKER_04 18:18

Yeah, and it's and it's so true. I mean, there's a bunch of sports like wrestling, rowing. It's really tricky. And when I go into, when I do some work at high schools, a lot of them have wrestling and rowing teams. And those are the students that are always like, you know, they want to, they want to ask questions. They're like, wait, but you know, because it's almost like, wait, can I be free from this? But it's so tied to the sport. So it does get tricky. And, you know, part of the work that we do with the alliance is, you know, athletes and eating disorders is something that, you know, we did a huge presentation for Hofstra Athletics and doing a lot of like collegiate athletic presentations because there's such obviously an intersection there, but we have to have the buy-in from the coaches, and you know, it stops it starts with the leadership and steps down. And so, you know, I I think the collegiate space is getting more aware of the the mental health crisis, especially student athletes. So it's nice to be welcomed in that space, but there's still some work to do.

SPEAKER_05 19:15

Do you find a lot of pushback from coaches? Like I remember Maggie and I had a conversation with her husband about uh the Navy track coach, was it Maggie? Yes. Oh, it gave me the biggest ick of like, and you know, some coaching styles are very disordered and they like don't care. So I'm curious, do you see a lot of pushback from coaches?

SPEAKER_04 19:38

We see a lot of pushback. I feel like in the last few years, you know, the epidemic of mental health and the crisis of mental health and student athletes has become like this red alarm fire as it should be. They are oftentimes more willing to speak more of general mental health, but because a lot of those coaches don't want you in the building, you know, we're like your eating disorder, and they're like, go away. But I will say it's really refreshing to see so many that are open to look, we're not trying to take away your sport, we're not trying to like blow it up. What I would love for us to bring into your school or university is let's think about it in a different way. Maybe there's a different way we can word how we talk about food. Like just those simple, like, you know, and that's really what we do. We're giving them cues to say, instead of wording it like this, what if we worded it like this? You know, and so it's not necessarily going in and hey, you're doing everything wrong. It's how can we support what you're doing while also giving you some things to think about? You know, it's kind of similar to how I do a lot of parent presentations on on raising kiddos, you know. I I'm like, look, you're all gonna take what you take into your own house, how it fits. Not everyone is is able to have a totally intuitive eating house, and I'm not gonna come and bust down your door and police it, but like, here's just a few things to think about because society and how you know kids shouldn't have this and that and this and that is like in our ears all the time. Like, here's a different way to think about it. And so, really just kind of inviting like a warmer conversation instead of being like you're doing everything wrong.

unknown 21:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:23

Yeah. So my my husband was a cross country and track runner in college. And so when I I used to run this eating disorder awareness week event, we had like a panel event, and I asked one of his coaches to be like a speaker on the panel. And I remember we had this conversation where he was like, I'm happy to do it, but I don't feel qualified. And I was like, Well, we're really not looking for qualifications. I think it's gonna be more impactful just for people to see you up there being like, Hey, I'm not an expert here, but like I want my student athletes to, you know, be safe and be healthy. And like, I'm just open and like willing to learn more about that. So And I know, Joanna, we had talked a little bit in your book about you wrote about coaches specifically and like how impactful that was. I'm, you know, in a family where I have parents who have been coaches. And I think like people don't realize that too. Like it's that same ripple effect, like how impactful it could be.

SPEAKER_01 22:16

Yeah, it definitely is. And you know, I can relate to a lot of it. I was a high school and college athlete, and again, was the dedicated athlete, the high functioning athlete. And yet, you know, what I was what the behaviors were were really driven by compulsion. And, you know, my college coach poking his head in and calling me a gym rat. Like again, he didn't understand that that was not helpful because of really what I was struggling with, and it went unnoticed. And so I did dedicate a whole chapter to coaches and to teachers because I think, you know, both of those, you know, roles are so important and so integral in how we, you know, raise our youth and the role models that teachers and coaches are, and just being really intentional about, you know, kind of the environment you create as a teacher or coach for your students or your athletes is so important.

unknown 23:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:07

Yeah, definitely. So I'm curious how you both got involved with the alliance, like the backstory there.

SPEAKER_04 23:16

Yeah. So okay, so Joannic found out my work wife and dearest friend started the alliance in 2000. So we are up on our 26th anniversary. Back in 2016, Joanna reached out to me and said, Will you come speak? It was actually for this is back when we did the walks and we come speak at the Alliance walk in Boca. I was like, absolutely. And much like our our Joanna here today, when I was first shoved onto a therapist couch, he said, you know, I just met this person, Joanna Candel, and and you know, blah, blah, blah. And I'm like, yeah, whatever. Bye. You know, because I was just not into anyone that was like gonna be like, I'm in recovery of no. And so fast forward 2016, Joanna calls me and I was like, hey, of course I've heard of you. And she's like, we would love for you to come down and speak and be our keynote. And I was like, okay, like say no more. So I hop on a plane and I get down there and Joe and I meet, and it was like instant kindred spirits. And from then on out, we collaborated on everything. And I was a one-woman show. So I had started Southern Smash as its own 501 in 2012. I was a one woman show raising two kiddos, going all over the country. And I've always, always, always wanted to have some kind of leave behind, whether it was like a group, whatever. But like I just knew I didn't have the bandwidth clinical oversight or anything to be able to like lead these groups all over the country, right? So as Joanne, you know, was telling me that the way that the alliance worked is that when they when we go into a community, the footprint stays there. Now, pre-COVID, we would raise the funds to have a free therapist like the support group in that community. But pivoting back to COVID now, like people weren't really going back to in-person. And so that's how we started in the Zoom. But in uh, so we were always collaborating. She was, you know, raising up my events and vice versa. And so in 2018, we came together to do a fundraiser in New Orleans where I'm from Louisiana. And it was just this moment of, you know, we had raised enough money, and I'll never forget it that night. It was New Orleans, so it was a cocktail party, obviously. And my mom and I went back to our hotel and we were having a glass of champagne because we knew we'd raise enough money to start a sport group in New Orleans. And that was like my dream. And again, it's odd, right? Like Southern Snatches, it's 501. Here's the Alliance, it's 501. But I'm like, no, we're raising money here because this is like this is how it's rocking. Well, that night I get a message that someone that had reached out to me many, many, many times that I'd talked to had passed away from her eating disorder. And it just, you go from the highs to highs just to another like loss in our community that is just so preventable. And I woke up the next day and I was like, do more. That's always kind of been like my thing is like, how do I do more? And so I called Jo and I was like, hi, I have an idea. And she's like, What? It's like, let's get married. She was like, I'm in. And so it just it was a natural progression and fit because I I don't I don't care. I don't need to be CEO leader. I want to do more, right? And so it was like, let's fold Southern Smash beautifully into the alliance to where when I travel now, when we go places, we can say, hey, we're gonna do this fun Southern Smash event. And here's our free therapist-led support groups, here's our free referrals to care. Do you want to look online at finddhelp.com, the largest database of clinicians in the country. Like I now am part of the most extraordinary team of folks, from our therapists that answer the phones to all of our facilitators across the country that help run our groups. It's just now it's like doing more together and collaborating has kind of been always our thing. And now with the rallies, you know, and and our Joanna here has been such an integral part in helping push our rally forward. This is kind of like the next phase of what we're doing, right? And Southern Smash again just folds beautifully into it to amplify that community event.

SPEAKER_01 27:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 27:28

And how about for you, Joanna?

SPEAKER_01 27:30

So, you know, similar to McCall, have my own very long and extensive lived experience. And I said the same. You know, I had higher levels of levels of care and really seasons where I was really struggling. And I always knew that if I found myself in a strong place, I wanted to give back. I wanted to be part of this community. I had so many incredible, you know, advocates and providers and you know, gifted individuals over all the years that poured into me and believed in me and held hope for me when I was hopeless that I wanted to be able to be, you know, that light for others. And so, you know, I've been able to volunteer with a lot of national eating disorder nonprofits. And, you know, there's not many, but they're scattered and each kind of has their own, you know, kind of mission and goals, but always really just drawn to the alliance, as McCall has, you know, alluded to, like the clinical support groups that they offer, therapist-led, the education that they provide. There's just something about them and about the leadership team that I've just always, again, really been drawn to and what their mission is and what they stand for. And so, you know, again, kind of what I said at the beginning, like connecting with McCall and saying, like, hey, how can I support y'all in this area with a rally? I mean, it's just been really exciting to see the community here coming together, the providers, you know, the people that are sponsoring, that are having exhibition tables, the people that have already registered to participate. And I know it's just going to be a fantastic day. And I really, you know, kind of have in the back of my mind, I hope it's something that becomes a yearly thing in this area because it's so needed. You know, people live day in and day out, struggling and feel so alone. And just to have one day where they feel like they're part of a community can really carry them. And so that's my hope. And just being, you know, part of the alliance to support their goal in that really has been been a blessing.

SPEAKER_04 29:19

And let me say, we are the lucky ones to have Joanna helping us and and take lead of this event. It's been awesome and she's so good to work with. So we're the lucky ones. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 29:29

I can say the same back to you, McCall, and kind of what you said. Like you all have been really intentional about how you kind of unfold this in, you know, the nation and having events in different cities. And I've have felt supported the whole way. I think sometimes as a volunteer, when you take something on, you're not really sure what you're getting into. And, you know, when you reach out and you're like, hey, I need help with this permit or this contract or you know, this vendor, McCall's always right there to respond. And to we were on a call yesterday with maybe five or six people from the town parks department getting, you know, our questions answered, their questions answered. And it's just nice to have it feel like a partnership when you're volunteering.

unknown 30:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:11

Yeah, that's wonderful. And I know we're talking more specifically about the rally area, uh, the Raleigh area rally. Wow, that's like a tongue twister.

SPEAKER_04 30:19

The Raleigh area tell us about it. We get twisted every day.

SPEAKER_00 30:23

The Raleigh area rally. But but we we are fortunate we do have listeners, you know, all over the country. And so if people want to get involved, what are some of the ways that they can get involved?

SPEAKER_04 30:36

Yeah, you can reach out, you can go to the website, alliance for eating disorders.com, reach out that way. You know, they can reach me directly, whether via Instagram or my email. We have a lot of interest. I bring these all over the country. And and like Joanna said, we do it with a lot of intentionality to make sure that it can be the most effective for that community. But moreover, if they're looking for support, definitely log on. We now, as of this week, I am very excited to announce have support groups seven days a week.

SPEAKER_06 31:08

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_04 31:09

So that has always been the ultimate goal in North Star is that for folks with leading disorders, you know, folks with addiction have support all the time. And so we really wanted to create where, you know, every day there was at least one hour of a support group. And so we now are launching our Sunday group this Sunday. And then we also have our other groups as well, which is uh Midlife and Beyond, BIPOT group led by BIPOC clinicians, LGBTQ plus group led by clinicians in the queer community. We have our mom to mom, our friends and family, uh folks in larger bodies. So lots, lots of groups on the lineup, but folks can find help as of this week seven days a week, which is very exciting.

From Hiding To Holding Hope

SPEAKER_05 31:54

That's incredible. And I'm curious for you both, right? Because uh you're coming from to the like you're working within the alliance, you're coming to this rally from the space of I've lived it and I'm here, right? Like I've I've been through the recovery process, I've recovered and I'm here. And uh it's just such a beautiful, like full circle moment. And I'm really just curious for both of you. Getting emotional. I just love seeing like people uh get to places where you guys are at. But like what is it like going from uh struggling and hiding to being seen to recovering to recovered and now being the one that people are reaching out to? Like, what is that like for you guys?

SPEAKER_03 32:41

Go for it, Jordan.

SPEAKER_01 32:42

Uh-huh. You like it for sure. Um yeah, oh a wonderful question. Thank you. You know, I know for myself, you know, when I was really struggling, whether I was isolating or hiding, I didn't know that there were, you know, events like this or ways to really come together and to feel seen and less alone. And I know, oh, it's been probably, I mean, it was pre-COVID, so you know, five or six years since there really has been an event in this area. And I used to go to some of the events that were held here. And, you know, again, depending on the season I was in, I would show up, wouldn't really talk to anybody, would just kind of be there and then leave. And then, you know, as I really progressed on my own journey, it was a really, really inspiring day. And so, again, having this event here and being kind of in a place where where I feel strong and I feel like I can, you know, again, interact with individuals wherever they are in their journey. And I'm a firm believer that, you know, we're all a work in progress. And, you know, it's a continuous, you know, waking up every day, choosing to do the hard things over and over again. But again, my hope is that people coming to the rally feel feel that support, feel that community, feel that hope from the day, that they leave, you know, with something, whether it's you know, some art craft that they did that really was meaningful to them, and it's gonna sit on, you know, their dresser and it's gonna be a reminder every day when they get up, why to keep choosing recovery, to keep choosing connection and joy and gratitude and the values that they can really, you know, connect with on their own path. That's really my hope. And sometimes it's the smallest things, and again, it's just a couple hours that morning, but I really think it can be something that people can carry with them, hopefully throughout the year until it happens again.

SPEAKER_04 34:33

Yes. Oh my gosh. So well said. That is so perfect. I echo everything Joanna says. And I do, you know, one thing that we say a lot in our groups is you come as you are. And so if you're showing up in group, not in a great place, not able to see a lot of hope, that's okay. Come as you are. And the same goes for these rallies. Like if you are in the trenches, you know, if you are fully recovered, come. If you don't know where you are in the path, come. Because the path is is not a straight line, as we all know. It's up, down, and all around. And so, you know, we go through places where we need more support and we go through times where we don't have a lot of hope. And one thing that we always say at the Alliance is let us hold the hope for you until you're ready to carry it again. And so walking alongside folks and you know, one thing Southern Smash is fun and you're smashing scales, and the rally is so fun and joyous and hopeful, and it can be super emotional. What I have seen through my years of doing this is when folks smash scales, it's fun. It's like we're gonna take a funny like Instagram, TikTok, whatever. And then you have a moment with folks that are deeply connected to the scale that have this moment after. And so just knowing that these full circle moments that maybe I'm having or Joanna is having as we host these incredible events, that we're getting to pass it on to others to have these full circle moments, whether it's the first time they've ever smashed the scale. Or let's just say, even the first time, like Joanna said, the first time you show up at one of these events, where you know, I mean, that's kind of scary too. If you're coming and you're like, I've never set foot in one of these, because you know, if you were like me, I never talked about my eating disorder. And so again, like we will meet you wherever you are, and you are welcome and we will hold a hope for you. And it's just to Joanna's point, this is the first of many. And we're really excited to get our roots down in Raleigh.

SPEAKER_01 36:27

Can I add one thing? Because Nicole made me think of it. You know, in a lot of ways, obviously these events are for those that are on this journey. But I think, you know, we have forgotten to mention the value of those that support individuals. So bringing to the event, you know, your brother, your sister, your aunt, your uncle, your spouse, your best friend, you know, your kiddos if you're, you know, in that season of life. But just I think it can be so empowering for supports and loved ones to be part of this day and to, you know, I think a lot of times they feel alone. They feel like they're on their own island. And just for them to see what this community is and to hopefully get something out of the day as well as a support and a loved one. I think there's a lot of value in that. So hopefully, you know, everyone that's listening and is planning to come, you know, think about who in your own community can be involved that day. Um and, you know, I think sometimes when we're struggling, we're afraid to ask for help or we're afraid to, you know, feel like we're being a burden to others, but really lean into those in your life that that want to be there. And this might be a great way. If it's something that maybe you don't talk a lot about with some of those in your life, like this could be a great way to just have them, you know, be alongside you.

SPEAKER_03 37:45

Perfectly said.

Rally Links Final Thanks And Wrap

SPEAKER_00 37:46

Love that. So, where can people find more information? Like website, Instagram, anything like that?

SPEAKER_04 37:54

You can go to alliance for eating disorders.com under participate in events. It'll lead you to it. Or I will send the direct link for the rally in Raleigh Twister that we can put in the show notes. Yeah, or they can reach out via email to me as well as on the Alliance page, Instagram, the Southern Smash Instagram. So we're gonna really start lighting up social media here starting today. We also have a rally happening in two weeks in Lexington, Kentucky. Three weeks on the 28th. So if you have any listeners in the Lexington area, there's a rally happening on the 28th, March 28th in Lexington. That's gonna be a great event. But yeah, we are all hands on deck counting down for Rally for Recovery Rally, April 11th.

SPEAKER_05 38:38

I love it.

SPEAKER_00 38:39

Awesome. Thank you. And we will repost and share everything too, so that way people can get connected.

SPEAKER_05 38:45

Yeah, absolutely.

unknown 38:47

Wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 38:48

Thank you both so much. So nice to get a chance to talk to you both, hear your stories, and of course, learn more about the amazing offerings of the Alliance as well as the Rally for Recovery event.

SPEAKER_01 39:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 39:01

Thank you for having us.

SPEAKER_01 39:02

Yeah, thank you. It was really a pleasure to be here and to speak with all of you.

SPEAKER_05 39:06

Absolutely. No, like I mean, I echo everything Maggie said. Thank you guys so much for your vulnerability and your time today. I think this was such a great conversation, and I love that we're getting the word out, you know, in another way for the event that's at the rally in Raleigh. Now I'm trying to figure out like how do I say that. But yeah, thank you guys so much, and we hope everybody enjoyed this episode, and we will catch you on the next one. Bye guys. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Nourish and Empower Podcast.

SPEAKER_00 39:37

We hope this episode helps you redefine, reclaim, and restore what health means to you.

SPEAKER_05 39:44

If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a rating, and comment, and share with anyone else who may feel will benefit.