Therapy for Eating Disorders

I work with adults experiencing eating disorders, disordered eating, and concerns with body image and self-worth.

Difficulties with eating and body image often involve more than food or appearance alone. For some people, eating disorder behaviours can become connected with safety, identity, control, or ways of managing feelings that are difficult to bear.

Therapy aims to support change in eating disorder behaviours alongside a deeper understanding of the emotional and relational experiences connected with them.

Eating Disorder Treatment

My approach to eating disorder treatment is relational psychodynamic, trauma-informed, and non-weight-focused. While physical wellbeing and safety are important parts of eating disorder care, therapy aims to understand the person as a whole: your history, relationships, strengths, difficulties, and the meaning or function eating disorder symptoms may have in the context of your life.

I am an ANZAED credentialed eating disorder clinician (CEDC-MH) with training in Focal Psychodynamic Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (FPT) and CBT-E.

Areas I Work With

  • Anorexia nervosa

  • Binge eating and loss of control around food

  • Bulimia nervosa

  • Disordered eating, rules around food and exercise

  • Body image difficulties

  • Perfectionism and self-criticism

  • Difficulties with emotional awareness and regulation

  • Difficulties with identity and sense of self

Disordered eating can become a way of coping, protecting yourself, or holding things together. Seeking help can feel complicated, especially when part of you wants things to change and another part feels unsure about letting go of what has helped you manage.

Part of therapy is understanding this tension and what the eating disorder has come to mean for you, while working together towards your particular hopes and goals.

Eating Disorder Therapy in East Melbourne

I offer individual therapy in East Melbourne for adults experiencing eating difficulties, body image concerns, disordered eating, and complicated relationships with food, weight, or their body.

Therapy can offer space to understand not only eating-related symptoms, but also the emotional, relational, and personal experiences that may be connected with them. If you are looking for a more exploratory, relational, and trauma-informed approach to eating and body image concerns, you are welcome to get in touch to discuss whether working together may be a good fit.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. People seek therapy for difficulties with eating, body image, self-worth, perfectionism, control, or distress around food without having a formal diagnosis.

  • While eating disorder symptoms and physical wellbeing are an important part of treatment, I also recognise the importance of understanding the person beyond the symptoms, including your emotional world, relationships, history, strengths, struggles, and ways of coping over time that may be contributing to your disordered eating behaviours.

  • Psychodynamic therapy for eating disorders is interested in both recovery and understanding. In Focal Psychodynamic Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa, treatment supports improved nourishment and reduction of eating disorder symptoms, while also exploring the emotional, relational, and psychological factors that may maintain them. This may include patterns around shame, perfectionism, identity, vulnerability, relationships, self-worth, control, and ways of managing difficult feelings.

  • Yes. Some people seek therapy after many years of living with eating disorder symptoms or after previous treatment experiences that may not have fully addressed the emotional, relational, and identity aspects of their difficulties.

  • Yes. I work with clients under Eating Disorder Treatment and Management Plans and Mental Health Treatment Plans. Please see your GP for eligibility and referral.

  • Eating disorder treatment works best when addressed collaboratively. You will need to be engaged with your GP throughout treatment. In collaboration with myself and your GP, other appropriate supports may be considered such as a dietitian or psychiatrist to support both physical and emotional wellbeing throughout treatment.

    Please note that my practice may not be the most appropriate support if you are currently medically unstable due to an eating disorder. I recommend discussing this with your GP so the right level of care and support can be considered.

  • Eating disorder therapy is most helpful when sessions are regular. I typically recommend weekly sessions, particularly when eating concerns are active.

    Therapy for eating disorders often benefits from a longer-term approach, as eating, body image, shape and weight concerns can become closely connected with emotion, self-worth, control, relationships, shame, and ways of coping.

    We can discuss frequency in more depth during the assessment process.