Eating Disorders, Addiction & Hope: Living Between Sick and Well (Ep. 178)

Recovery isn’t always a straight line—and sometimes, real healing happens in the gray space between sickness and full recovery. In this episode of Genuine Life Recovery, we jump in with journalist, professor, and author Mallary Tenore Tarpley, whose powerful memoir Slip explores her journey through anorexia, binge eating, and the lifelong process of reclaiming health and identity.

Mallary opens up about losing her mother at a young age, how grief and control fueled her eating disorder, and why she now embraces what she calls the “middle place” in recovery—where slips and setbacks are not failures, but part of the healing process. Together, we discuss the overlap between eating disorders and addiction, the importance of vulnerability, and the daily practices that can help move us toward more recovery—even when it’s messy. 

Learn more about Mallary’s work, her book Slip, and her ongoing advocacy for those in recovery at mallarytenoretarpley.com