#226: The Wisdom in Dissociation: When Leaving Your Body Is a Form of Protection with Monika Ostroff, LICSW, CEDS-S
In this week's episode, Abbie is joined by the incredible Monika Ostroff, executive director of MEDA, clinician, author, and person with lived experience of both anorexia and DID — for one of the most illuminating conversations the show has ever had.
This one will change the way you think about survival, the body, and what healing actually asks of us.
In this episode:
- What dissociative identity disorder (DID) actually is — and how it's almost nothing like what you've seen in media
- Why DID is far more common than most people realize, and why diagnosis takes so long
- The striking overlap between DID and eating disorders, and what that tells us about both
- How eating disorders function as a trauma response — and why that framing matters for recovery
- What it means to approach an eating disorder with compassion rather than shame
- The clinical and personal complexity of treating multiple eating disorder presentations within one system
- Why the "control freak" narrative around eating disorders misses the point entirely
- Monica's own lived experience with anorexia, DID, and what recovery has looked like
- The single piece of wisdom that reoriented Monica's entire relationship with herself
About Monika:
Monika Ostroff, LICSW, CEDS-S is the Executive Director of the Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association, Inc (MEDA). She has over 25 years of experience in the field of eating disorders. Prior to leading MEDA, she directed several residential, partial hospital and intensive outpatient eating disorder programs in addition to having owned a thriving private practice.
Practicing from a trauma informed, social justice and staunchly HAES® aligned lens, Monika is a dedicated ally and strong advocate working to ensure access to equitable, compassionate, and affirming care for all. Find Monika: Healing My Parts on Substack, Instagram, and podcast
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Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy
Podcast Administrative Support by Alexis Glaubach
Podcast Editing by Brian Walters