Season 1 · Episode 11
In this episode of Becoming Recovered: Body and Soul, Carolyn Costin sits down with retired Navy Senior Chief Leah Stiles for a powerful conversation about eating disorders in the military, the culture that can allow them to remain hidden, and what it takes to choose recovery after years of shame and secrecy.
Leah shares how an eating disorder that began before her military service followed her into the Navy, where strict weight standards, mandatory weigh-ins, discipline, and pressure to perform often blurred the line between behaviors that looked “fit” and those that were deeply harmful. She opens up about the trauma and struggles that shaped her relationship with food and her body, as well as the turning point that led her to begin feeding herself and pursuing recovery even when healing felt impossible.
Together, Carolyn and Leah explore the role of perfectionism, control, black-and-white thinking, and shame in keeping eating disorders alive, and how those same qualities can be redirected toward recovery. Leah also shares the practical tools and values that helped her interrupt long-standing behaviors and ultimately inspired her to create SeaWaves, an organization supporting service members, veterans, and military families affected by eating disorders.
Their conversation also highlights the urgent need for greater awareness, screening, and access to care within military communities, particularly where eating disorders and suicide prevention intersect. At its core, this episode is about learning to move through recovery one step at a time and discovering that healing is not about returning to who you were before, but becoming someone new on the other side.
Leah Stiles is a retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist and the Founder and Executive Director of SEA WAVES. After two decades of military service, she transformed her lived experience with an eating disorder into a powerful platform for education, prevention, advocacy, and support within the military community.
A recognized leader in military mental health reform, Leah develops programs that challenge stigma, promote early intervention, and connect service members, veterans, and families with life-saving resources. Her work centers on the critical intersection between eating disorders, suicide prevention, and readiness, issues too often overlooked in military culture.
Leah is the author of the best-selling book Battle Scars & Body Wars: A Personal and Professional Journey Shining a Light on Eating Disorders in the Military and a sought-after keynote speaker who brings her story to life on national stages. Leah's mission is clear: to shine a light on what's been hidden for too long and ensure that every service member, veteran, and family has access to the care and understanding they deserve. Through SEA WAVES and her advocacy, she carries forward one message above all: Need a light? Be a light.
Purchase Battle Scars & Body Wars →
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
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The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) →
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