How AJ Williams Broke the Cycle of Trauma to become a Wellness Entrepreneur
In this deeply personal and empowering episode of Stories of HOPE, Kerrie Atherton sits down with Jen Hamer—a writer, speaker, and academic whose journey through the depths of an eating disorder has not only shaped her life but now serves as a guiding light for others navigating similar paths.
Jen’s struggle began early. By the age of 12, she had already fallen into the grips of a life-threatening eating disorder—an illness that stole her energy, identity, and nearly her life. For years, Jen battled in silence, buried beneath the weight of impossible expectations, perfectionism, and the belief that her worth was tied to how little space she could take up in the world. Her story is one of pain, but also of awakening.
Now, Jen is completing a PhD focused on eating disorders in athletes—a group often overlooked, yet uniquely vulnerable to body image pressures and performance-based identity. Her research is personal, rigorous, and driven by a desire to create tangible change in how we understand and treat disordered eating in high-pressure environments.
In this episode, Jen speaks about the moment she chose recovery—a crossroads where she had to choose between surviving and truly living. She discusses the core beliefs that fueled her illness, the myths that kept her trapped, and the moment she realized her body was not the enemy but a partner in healing.
With vulnerability and strength, Jen also opens up about her upcoming book, Goodbye Anna—a powerful memoir in which she personifies her eating disorder as “Anna,” and writes a final farewell to the part of her life that tried to consume her. The book is not just a goodbye to pain—it’s a hello to purpose, compassion, and renewed self-trust.
Through her words, Jen sends a message to anyone who is struggling: that healing is messy, nonlinear, and never instant—but it is possible. That your value does not come from your appearance or achievements, but from your humanity. And that your body, no matter how long it has been at war with your mind, can become your home again.
Whether you’re living with an eating disorder, supporting someone who is, or simply trying to rebuild your relationship with your body, Jen’s story offers insight, empathy, and hope. It’s a reminder that recovery isn’t about returning to who you were—it’s about becoming who you were meant to be.