Season 1 · Episode 12 · 53 min
This episode draws from Key 8 of Carolyn Costin’s book, 8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder, and explores one of the most foundational ideas in her approach to healing: care of the soul.
Recovery is about more than changing eating disorder behaviors. In this episode, Carolyn explores what it means to care for the soul and why lasting healing requires more than meal plans, symptom management, or body image work alone.
Carolyn describes the soul as the deepest essence of who we are—the part of ourselves that cannot be reduced to weight, shape, appearance, achievements, or roles. When recovery becomes overly focused on the body, she explains, it can be easy to lose sight of the larger purpose: building a life that feels meaningful, connected, and worth recovering for.
Drawing on mindfulness, nature, ritual, truth-telling, and meaningful connection, Carolyn shares how shifting attention toward presence and purpose can naturally loosen the grip of body obsession. She also introduces her Four Principles of Living: show up, pay attention, tell the truth without judgment, and don’t be attached to the results.
Carolyn also explores how rituals can become grounding rather than rigid, movement can become joyful rather than compulsive, and body neutrality may sometimes be a more realistic and compassionate starting point than forced body positivity.
Ultimately, this episode asks us to think beyond simply stopping eating disorder behaviors and consider a deeper question: What are you recovering to? Healing can become more sustainable when it reconnects us with meaning, relationships, values, awe, and the parts of life that make us feel fully alive.
Theft of the Spirit: A Journey to Spiritual Healing by Carl Hammerschlag — Purchase the book →
Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life by Thomas Moore — Purchase the book →
Dark Nights of the Soul: A Guide to Finding Your Way Through Life’s Ordeals by Thomas Moore — Purchase the book →
The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life by Thomas Moore — Purchase the book →
Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion by Sam Harris — Purchase the book directly from Waking Up →
The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav — Purchase the book →
Carolyn Costin is a world-renowned eating disorder clinician, author, and speaker. Recovered from anorexia, she pioneered the belief that full recovery is possible. Founder of Monte Nido, she transformed treatment with a holistic, home-based model. She later founded the Carolyn Costin Institute, training coaches and clinicians worldwide. She has authored six books, including 8 Keys to Recovery From an Eating Disorder.
Receive 20% off the 8 Keys to Recovering from an Eating Disorder book: wwnorton.com/promo/costin
Become a Carolyn Costin Certified Recovery Coach →
Follow the Carolyn Costin Institute on Instagram →
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) →
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