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Eating Disorders Treatment.

Our practice was founded on a Vision and a Mission to support everybody to live freely and well in their bodies. All our clinicians are passionate and experienced in providing high-quality and supportive psychological treatment to anyone experiencing an eating disorder or body image concerns, with the majority of our team being ANZEAD Credentialed Clinicians.

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What is an Eating Disorder?

We define an eating disorder as changes in someone’s behaviour, thoughts, feelings and attitudes to food, eating, weight or body shape, which then interferes with and impacts negatively on their life and functioning (such as performance at school or work, or in their relationships with friends and family), and/or causes them significant distress (for example high levels of anxiety and feelings of guilt).

Treatment for Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are estimated to affect approximately 5% of the Australian population, and are one of the trickiest and most complex of mental disorders for someone to experience and to treat, therefore, they require clinicians with a high level of competency in addressing all the various facets of an eating disorder, and are usually best supported by using a multidisciplinary care team approach which may also involve the support of the family.

What is a Multidisciplinary Team approach to treating Eating Disorders?

The multidisciplinary team approach to supporting someone with an eating disorder is widely recognised as best practice. All parties should ideally be experienced in the care of individuals with eating disorders - and as of recently, may also be a Credentialed Eating Disorder practitioners. Each member of the multidisciplinary treatment team has unique skills and responsibilities with respect to client care.

What role does each team member play when it comes to treating Eating Disorders?

  • How can a General Practitioner (GP) help with Eating Disorders treatment?

    Your GP may be your first port of call, and can be someone to discuss your concerns/symptoms, and assess your physical wellness. Your GP may also refer you to see a Psychologist under a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) referral, or also under an Eating Disorder Treatment Plan (EDP) which you may use to see a Psychologist and/or a Dietitian.

  • How can a Dietitian help with Eating Disorders treatment?

    A dietitian who has received specific training in eating disorder nutritional management is often an essential part of the treatment team so as to guide and support your nutritional goals. Your dietitian may work with you to determine an adequate meal plan, or help you re-connect with intuitive eating, or also ensure that your eating plan is considerate of any other health conditions that you may be experiencing. They also work in conjunction with your GP & treatment team to ensure that your biomedical markers (blood tests etc) are being adequately addressed.

  • How can a Clinical Psychologist / Psychologist / Mental Health Social Worker help with Eating Disorders treatment?

    Your mental health clinician will be trained in the assessment and diagnosis of your eating disorder, and will have also be trained and skilled in the delivery of evidence-based treatment interventions which are best suited to your symptoms and behaviours. They may also work with you to address any co-occurring difficulties, which could be inter-related with your eating disorder. You may be able to see your clinician under a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) referral, or an Eating Disorder Treatment Plan (EDP), or of course, sessions can also be funded privately.

  • How can a Psychiatrist help with Eating Disorders treatment?

    It is not unusual to also have a Psychiatrist as part of your treatment team, as they can complement the medical management of your symptoms, can assist with the prescription of any medications which could assist your treatment, can complement psychological therapies with therapeutic interventions themselves, and can also assist in the admission to an inpatient facility should the need arise. If you are seeing a dietitian and mental health clinician under an Eating Disorder Treatment Plan (EDP), a Psychiatrist EDP Review following 20 sessions will also be necessary to determine whether a further 20 sessions may be referred.

What are 4 common Eating Disorder Symptoms & Warning Signs?

It may not always be easy to pick up that someone you know or love may be experiencing an eating disorder, as the disordered eating behaviours are often kept secret and hidden from people they know. It may also be hard to see the changes in someone’s thoughts, feelings and attitudes to food, eating, or their bodies, so being knowledgeable about sone of the warning signs can be helpful.

Some of the common signs and symptoms that may suggest that someone could be struggling with their relationship with food, body, and weight, and therefore are worth having a conversation about:

  1. If you notice someone starting to cut out certain foods from what they routinely eat (behaviours) - such as carbs, or not eating fats and oils, and then becoming quite anxious/upset or feeling guilty if they have eaten it, and no longer being free to enjoy food socially or at special occasions. These changes when they build and start to cause distress may be an indication that someone is struggling with their relationship with food and they body.

  2. Hearing someone start to comment a lot about being fat or needing to lose weight, or commenting on certain foods being bad or not healthy to eat. This could be showing a change in thoughts and attitudes related to eating and body shape, that may be indicating the presence of an eating disorder.

  3. Starting to notice or suspecting that someone is eating in secret. You may see wrappers or food containers hidden in unexpected places, or even in the bin more than you would expect, or you may notice more food missing than you would expect to be eaten in that one day or time period from your fridge/pantry. This may be a sign that someone could be binge eating and struggling with their emotions and thoughts and behaviours related to eating and their body.

  4. If you notice someone starting to exercise a lot - despite bad weather, being tired, sick or when there are other events on, or in secret (in their rooms for a long time) - which may start to seem as being compulsive, and no longer for fun, or as something that is enjoyable. This could be a sign that someone is struggling with their thoughts and attitudes related to their body, and may be indicating an eating disorder.

These are only a few signs which may be worthing noting and starting a conversation with someone about to see if they may need some support with how they are feeling, thinking, and behaving with regards to what they eat and their bodies.

Common Eating Disorder Myths

Do teenagers eventually ‘grow out’ of their Eating Disorder?

Can you tell just by looking at someone they have an eating disorder?

Best Tip to help someone with an Eating Disorder?

The journey through an eating disorder can be very long and difficult, however, we know that with early intervention, and good support, recovery is possible! There is a multitude of factors which contribute to someone developing an eating disorder - so it’s important to ensure that family members do not blame themselves.

Our number one tip is to ensure that support people remember that their loved one is not their Eating Disorder, but rather that they are experiencing and Eating Disorder which is affecting their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours - We call this externalising.

It is often quite hard for family members & loved ones to know how they can best support someone with an eating disorder. Please find below some resources which we hope can be a helpful starting point.

Surviving the Holiday Season with an Eating Disorder

This FREE course includes over 70 minutes of on-demand videos and 6 comprehensive downloadable eWorkbooks where you will learn strategies and techniques to help survive social eating events. Course designed & created by Anna Bednarek, Clinical Psychologist

Suitable for anybody struggling with Body Image, or an Eating Disorder (or caring for somebody with an Eating Disorder).

Course Introduction | Guide to Surviving Christmas & Thanksgiving

Module 1 | Toxic Diet Culture

Module 2 | Preparation for the Event

Module 3 | Mindset & Cognitive Strategies

Module 4 | Using Mindfulness

Module 5 | Your Values

Course Conclusion | Final Tips & Tricks

+ Additional Eating Disorder Resources.

our best Recommended Videos for Eating Disorders ↓

our best Recommended Downloadable PDFs for Eating Disorders ↓

Eating Disorders: your guide to what they are and how they are treated Eating Disorders Family Australia
Caring for Someone with an Eating Disorder National Eating Disorders Collaboration
How to approach someone you are concerned about Eating Disorders Victoria
Externalisation from the Eating Disorder The Victorian Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED)
Parents Survive to Thrive Guide. A resource guide for parents of a child with an eating disorder. Written by parents with lived experience Kelty Eating Disorders
Eating Disorders in adults: What families & carers can do The Victorian Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED)