Food Junkies Podcast - Martha Peirce - 2022

Join us today as we discuss food addiction and trauma and codependency - a common triad seen in food addiction work. Martha Peirce has it all - the training in food addiction and many years of working with people struggling with the trauma and codependency issues that are underlying their food addiction. Martha believes these food addicts need special therapeutic attention. Martha Peirce’s credentials are MSEd., RP#. Educator, Trainer, Consultant and International Trauma Specialist. She spent the first fifteen years of her career teaching foods, nutrition, and quantity food service courses at the high school and college levels in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Ontario, Canada. But then she began her own recovery from an eating disorder, food addiction, and alcoholism. For over 35 years she has worked as a counselor and psychotherapist in private practice specializing in the treatment of addictions (especially food addiction), eating disorders, trauma, and codependency. Long before there was science to back up the concept of food addiction, Martha noticed in her own healing journey that many of her clients have a sensitivity to sugary, but even healthy foods, that seemed comparable to the alcoholic’s craving for alcohol. She recognized the “phenomenon of craving” and “food addiction.” Her work was validated by that of Kay Sheppard’s initial writing: Food Addiction: The Body Knows (). Martha had the opportunity to co-facilitate Recovery from Food Addiction workshops with Kay Sheppard early in her career. She now receives ongoing supervision and training from Dr. Kate Hudgins, an internationally acclaimed expert in the area of treating trauma, addiction, and eating disorders. In recent years she has also had the opportunity to co-facilitate workshops with Dr. Kate Hudgins (). From 2015 to 2019, Martha was honored to be a Senior Clinician and part of the Team that developed the 28-day in-patient and 5-day out-patient programs for the treatment of Food Addiction at Renascent (). It was discovered that the client was best served via the Team approach which included the Head Cook, and the Dietician along with collaborating with Food Addiction Counsellors, because of the complex nature of food addiction pathology and the recovery process. During her affiliation as Senior Counsellor with Renascent, she has been made aware of research that is now validating her grassroots personal and professional experience with food addiction treatment and recovery. Martha maintains her passion for her vocation and continues to maintain a full and rich private practice! #Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario In this episode, we discuss: Martha’s personal story and AHA moment Her thoughts on specific food plans 12 Step programs The important issue of Codependency Residential Treatment The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede the professional relationship and direction of your healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.