099: Why discomfort is a valid place to be with Lindsay Harle

099: Why discomfort is a valid place to be with Lindsay Harle

Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This candid chat on "You're Sober! Now What?" brings together host Tamar Medford and her friend, mental health advocate and brand strategist Lindsay Harle-Kadatz, for a wide-ranging conversation about recovery that goes far beyond alcohol. You’ll hear Lindsay share how a loving, supportive childhood still led to years of feeling "too quirky" and desperate to fit in.

That pressure eventually turned into a decade-long purging-based eating disorder, fuelled by shame, critical partners and a deep belief that her true self was wrong. The turning point came when a singing teacher simply listened and then asked, "All I hear is self-hate. Why do you hate yourself so much?" That moment, followed by a public breakdown at work and a boss who insisted she get help, opened the door to treatment and a new way of living.

Lindsay talks honestly about working with an eating disorder clinic, using antidepressants, and learning that "emotions are data, not directives." Instead of purging, those old urges now signal that something in her values or life is out of alignment. She digs into how discomfort can be a valid, even useful place to be, especially in recovery and entrepreneurship, where growth rarely feels cosy.

There’s also plenty of humour: from her self-described "quirky" nature to the analogy behind her book, *Depression Constipation: How Pooping Saved My Sanity and Other Stories*, which compares brain fog and emotional stuckness to being physically constipated. Throughout, the episode circles back to listening as a life-saving skill, the difference between fitting in and belonging, and how past struggles can become a genuine superpower in long-term recovery.

If you’re wondering whether your own quirks, discomfort and tough emotions might have value, this conversation could be a refreshing place to start asking questions.