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#6: Deb and Nicole: Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Season #2

Content warning: Dieting, eating disorders, poor body image

 

This week (September 4th – 10th, 2023) is Body Image and Eating Disorder Awareness Week (BIEDAW). The theme this year is The Time is Now to Act on Eating Disorders and Body Image so we invited 2 of the wonderful clinicians we work alongside at the CCC to share their insights.

Deb is an experienced Clinical Psychologist who has 15 years experience in working with adults with eating disorders. She has worked in an eating disorder service and has exceptional clinical skills treating anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, OSFED as well as the multitude of people who have serious eating disorder symptoms but don’t fit neatly into a diagnostic box.

 

Nicole is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with a special interest in eating disorders, disordered eating behaviour, body-image concern and mental health. Nicole is passionate about practicing from a non-diet, body accepting and Health at Every Size (HAES®) philosophy and uses these principles to help counsel her clients towards a positive and peaceful mind-body-food relationship. 

To learn more about Person Centred Psychology, visit their website (https://pcpsychology.com.au/) or their instagram @pcpsychologymelbs (https://www.instagram.com/pcpsychologymelbs/)

Deb, Nicole and Georgia discuss:

  • What it means to be an ANZAED eating disorders credentialed professional (https://www.anzaed.org.au/credentialingproject/)
  • The differences and similarities between poor body image and eating disorders
  • Why eating disorders are so prevalent
  • Some of the early signs a person might be headed to an eating disorder
  • Which professionals to work with and when
  • The HAES approach (https://asdah.org/health-at-every-size-haes-approach/)
  • What to do while waiting to see a clinician
  • Special considerations for martial artists

 

Support links:

 

Some listeners might find parts of this conversation distressing. Please take care, link in your support networks, or refer to one of these organizations if you need:

Eating disorder support: https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/ 

Eating disorder support helpline: https://butterfly.org.au/ 

Support for carers and families impacted by an eating disorder: https://edfa.org.au/ 

Mental health support: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support 

Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support https://www.1800respect.org.au/ 

Sexism in sport https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/

DirectLine (Alcohol & Drug Support) – 1800 888 236 (24/7) 

http://www.directline.org.au/

QLife (Queer-Specific Peer Support) – 1800 184 527 (3pm – midnight) – https://qlife.org.au/

Lifeline (Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention) – 13 11 14 (24/7) 

http://www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp

 

Thank you so much to Nari for the beautiful song "Shape Me" heard at the beginning and end of this episode. Nari wrote this song about Shape Your Life, a boxing program for self-identified female survivors of violence in Canada. She wrote this song using the words and experiences shared by participants with Cathy Van Ingen. You can find out more about Shape Your Life in my interview with Cathy in Episode 8. You can hear more of Nari's work by going to her Instagram: @narithesaga