#188: The Concept of "Full Recovery" + Living in the Middle Place with Mallary Tenore Tarpley, Author of "SLIP"

When we talk about eating disorder recovery, we tend to imagine two extremes: acutely ill or completely healed. You’re either in crisis or you’re “all better.”

But what about the space in between?

The messy, unglamorous, everyday middle place.

That’s where journalist and author Mallary Tenore Tarpley found herself — and it’s what her new book is about. She writes about living in that liminal space: no longer in “danger” the way she once was, but not walking around with a tidy “fully recovered” bow tied on top either.

We talk about:

- Why the “middle place” matters, and why so many people feel shame about being there.

- How grief and trauma can play into disordered eating.

- The role of perfectionism and control in shaping recovery.

- Navigating the challenges of motherhood while protecting her kids from body shame and diet culture.

- Why self-compassion and vulnerability are essential on this journey (and what the hell that actually means).

This episode challenges the binary of sick vs. recovered and makes space for a more honest, human version of recovery — one that allows for complexity, setbacks, and resilience.

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