In this episode as we sit down with Dr. Anita Federici, a leading expert in eating
disorders, to unpack one of the most complex and controversial topics in the field: Severe and
Enduring Eating Disorders (SEEDs) and Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). Essentially,
what to do with the people who don’t “improve” after standard interventions. This
conversation dives into the dangers of labelling and the importance of cultivating hope as an
antidote to the common symptom of suicidality and chronic systemic gaps in care. We tackle
difficult questions about balancing patients’ rights and autonomy with the duty to provide
effective treatment. Reasons to be optimistic about insights derived from more lived-
experience practitioners in the field are noted, while acknowledging the ongoing need to
counter growing concerns related to our economically based mental health care system.