Eating Disorder Recovery Without Financial Barriers: Project HEAL’s Pathways to Free & Low-Cost Care With Leslie Jordan Garcia @liberatiwellness

What if the problem is not your motivation to recover, but a system that makes eating disorder treatment almost impossible to afford? In this conversation, I sit down again with Leslie Jordan Garcia @liberatiwellness. Leslie is a wellness strategist, certified eating disorder recovery coach, and Treatment Access Program Manager at Project HEAL. In this episode, we discuss real, concrete pathways to free and low-cost eating disorder care. We also talk about why you cannot separate eating disorder recovery from social justice, intersectionality, and body hierarchies. Leslie breaks down how Project HEAL removes financial and systemic barriers, how people from marginalized communities can apply, and how providers can join the Healer’s Circle to offer justice-focused, values-aligned care. In this episode, we talk about What Project HEAL is and how it works to remove financial and systemic barriers to eating disorder care in the United States The four major Project HEAL programs and how to apply for: Community Care groups for BIPOC folks Cash assistance that covers tertiary costs like rent, pet boarding, and transportation Outpatient treatment placement with sliding scale and pro bono providers Insurance navigation support and help with single case agreements Who qualifies for Project HEAL services, including people in all U.S. states and territories, and how they prioritize folks from communities that are historically and systemically marginalized How Leslie matches people with “unicorn providers” who are fat positive, HAES aligned, queer affirming, trauma aware, and non Christian based when needed The difference it makes when someone helps you navigate insurance, access care, and complete applications, especially when executive functioning is low or things feel overwhelming How economic precarity, layoffs, food insecurity, and shifting insurance policies are driving an uptick in applications for eating disorder treatment assistance Why intersectional, identity affirming care is not optional in eating disorder recovery, especially for BIPOC, queer, trans, disabled, and fat clients How Leslie’s social justice consulting work with universities, community colleges, and health organizations helps them: Reimagine intake forms and client facing processes Address promotion and salary inequities Create transformational circles where teams talk about harm, stereotypes, and systemic barriers How body hierarchies, food moralization, school fitness testing, and lunch shaming fuel eating disorders for kids and adults Why many people use eating disorders as a survival tool in the context of trauma, capitalism, surveillance, and unsafe systems What true equity and belonging could mean for decreasing the occurrence and severity of eating disorders About our guest: Leslie Jordan Garcia Leslie Jordan Garcia is a wellness strategist, certified eating disorder recovery coach, and social justice consultant dedicated to healing and liberation. She holds dual master’s degrees in business and public health and has more than a decade of experience across military, public health, and nonprofit sectors. Through her practice, Liberati Wellness, Leslie offers HAES aligned eating disorder recovery support, inclusive movement support, and equity and identity affirming care. Leslie also partners with organizations like Austin Health Commons and the Hogg Foundation to embed equity and justice into health systems and helping professions. She currently serves as the Treatment Access Program Manager at Project HEAL, where she manages cash assistance and treatment placement and works to match clients with values aligned, culturally responsive providers. You can find Leslie’s coaching and consulting work at Liberati Wellness and on Instagram at @liberatiwellness. Inside Project HEAL’s pathways to care In this episode, Leslie explains how Project HEAL supports people who are struggling with eating disorders and facing financial and systemic barriers to treatment. She walks us through the main programs: Informed ED (for professionals) A learning program for clinicians and dietitians who are newer to eating disorder treatment. It helps them build skills, reduce harm, and align their work with justice focused values so they can better support clients whose eating disorders are uncovered in general mental health or medical settings. Community Care A free, BIPOC only, 8 week support and process group focused on body liberation, community care, and healing from white supremacist body hierarchies. Cash Assistance Program A program that does not pay individuals directly, but instead covers tertiary costs that often block access to care. This can include rent, transportation, pet boarding, or other essential expenses so that people can actually attend the level of care their team recommends. Treatment Placement Leslie coordinates outpatient treatment placement, connecting people with dietitians, therapists, and ...