Author, podcast host, and coach
Kathryn Hansen
I recovered from bulimia in 2005, and I’ve spent the years since helping others break free from binge eating and reclaim their lives.
During my worst days of bulimia, I made myself a promise: if I ever found a way to recover, I would write about it, even if it helped only one person. That promise became my first book, Brain over Binge(2011; second edition, 2022).
The response was beyond anything I expected. Many readers found complete recovery using the same brain-based concepts that helped me. In 2016, I published The Brain over Binge Recovery Guide to help people apply the ideas in their own lives. I also host the Brain over Binge Podcast, where I continue to share practical insights, guidance, and encouragement.
Today, my bulimia is a distant memory. My life isn't free of challenges, I don't always cope perfectly, and I don't eat perfectly. But none of those things were requirements for my recovery, and they don't have to be requirements for yours. No matter how long you've struggled, lasting freedom from binge eating is possible for you.
A Simple, Brain-Based Approach to Ending Binge Eating.
265,000+copies sold
5 million+podcast downloads
4.5 starson Apple Podcasts, from 695+ ratings
How Brain over Binge works
My approach
I see binge eating as both a response to restrictive dieting and a learned habit. A primitive part of the brain becomes conditioned to believe binge eating is necessary, generating powerful urges to continue the behavior. But what your brain has learned, it can unlearn.
Recovery comes down to two goals
Dismiss the urges to binge
See urges as automatic, faulty messages from the primitive brain, not commands you have to follow. Each urge you let pass weakens the habit.
Eat adequately
Nourish your body consistently, without dieting or unnecessary food rules. Adequate eating provides the foundation you need to successfully dismiss urges to binge.
What this means for you
You don’t have to fix everything first
You can stop binge eating without solving every other problem, coping perfectly with every feeling, or overhauling your life.
Your feelings still matter
Stress, sadness, and boredom are real, and they deserve care. Letting an urge pass, even on a hard day, gives you room to cope in ways that actually help.
It fits alongside other support
Brain over Binge is education and coaching, not a substitute for medical care or therapy. If a doctor, therapist, or dietitian is helping you, these ideas can work right alongside that care.
Simple doesn’t mean easy
There are just two goals, but putting them into practice takes time, and the path looks a little different for everyone. That’s what my books, podcast, course, and coaching are for.
My work aims to help you see that you are not diseased, broken, or flawed, and that recovery is attainable for anyone who wants to live free of binge eating.
Questions? Please review our FAQ page.
Get your Free Starter Kit
Join our mailing list and we’ll email you two free resources: the Brain over Binge Inspiration Booklet and the 10-minute Manage Your Mindset After a Binge audio.
