Dr. Michael J. Devlin

Dr. Michael J. Devlin is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and where he is also a member of the Eating Disorders Research Unit at New York State Psychiatric Institute. He has served as President of the Academy for Eating Disorders and was a pioneer in the development of behavioral treatments for individuals with Binge Eating Disorder. In this episode, Dr. Devlin urges us to focus on the implications of the language we use, recognizing that our language shapes how we think, feel, and even how we behave – sometimes with good effect, but sometimes to very serious negative effect. He shares his personal experience as a gay man and his professional experience as a clinician and researcher with patients as he poignantly articulates the benefits for many people when Binge Eating Disorder was recognized as a real condition, the toxic effects of the term obesity, and the ominous risks associated with the term “terminal anorexia.” He eloquently reminds us to be curious, and to pay attention to how language has the potential to harm and heal.