Eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image

Eating disorders and disordered eating are more common than many people realise, and something I treat every week in my practice as a psychologist. They can affect people of all ages, genders, appearances and backgrounds, and they often develop quietly, long before anyone else notices that something is wrong.

For some people, eating concerns fit clearly within a recognised eating disorder diagnosis. For many others, their experiences sit just outside these definitions. Regardless of labels, the impact can be significant, distressing, and exhausting, and everyone deserves professional support for eating and body image concerns.

Eating disorders and disordered eating: signs and symptoms

Eating disorders and disordered eating can include patterns such as:

• Restricting food intake or avoiding certain foods or entire food groups

• Binge eating or feeling out of control around food

• Purging behaviours (such as vomiting or misuse of laxatives)

• Compulsive or driven exercise

• Intense fear of weight gain or changes in body shape or weight

• Persistent body dissatisfaction or preoccupation with appearance

Eating disorders are not your fault

Research and input from lived experience tell us that eating disorders and disordered eating develop through a complex interaction of factors, including:

• Genetic vulnerability

• Early life experiences

• Trauma or chronic stress

• Personality traits (such as perfectionism or high self-criticism)

• Social and cultural pressures

• Changes in health, hormones, or life circumstances

If you’d like more detailed information about eating disorders, you may find these Australian eating disorder resources helpful:

• Eating Disorders Victoria

• National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC)

Who I work with

I support adults aged 18+, in my practice based in Camberwell, Melbourne and online via Telehealth across Australia. Eating and body image concerns often show up differently depending on life stage, stressors and environment.

Young adults (18–25)

This period often involves major transitions. Finishing school, starting university or work, changes in living situations, evolving relationships, and exploration of identity, sexuality, and independence. Eating disorders and disordered eating in young adults can emerge or intensify during times of pressure, uncertainty, or comparison with others.

Adults under 40

For many people in their late 20s and 30s, life can feel relentlessly full. Careers are developing, relationships may be shifting, fertility and family planning questions can arise, and there is often pressure to “have it all together.” Eating and body concerns can become a way of coping, managing emotions, or regaining a sense of control during demanding periods.

Mothers

Pregnancy, post-partum changes, and parenting can bring renewed focus to body image, food, and self-judgement. Many mothers experience a return of old eating disorder patterns, or new struggles shaped by fatigue, loss of autonomy, shifting identity, and cultural expectations about bodies and caregiving.

Perimenopause and menopause

Hormonal changes, body composition shifts, changes in appetite or energy, and increased attention to ageing can make this a particularly vulnerable time for eating and body image concerns. For some, eating difficulties re-emerge after many years; for others, they appear for the first time.

People taking GLP-1 medications (e.g., Ozempic/Wegovy/Mounjaro)

If you’re taking a GLP-1 agonist medication as part of your health plan, you are welcome here. People often seek support because the medication sits alongside body image concerns, long-standing dieting history, or disordered eating patterns that feel stressful or hard to manage. My approach is collaborative and non-judgemental, with a focus on helping you feel more at ease in your body and supporting nourishing eating and movement for health, not shame, rules, or extremes.

Dancers and high performance athletes

For dancers and high-performance athletes, food and the body are often closely linked to identity, success, and a sense of control. Eating difficulties can develop in these contexts and may be normalised or even praised. My work with dancers and athletes focuses on creating space to reflect, recalibrate, and build healthier, more compassionate ways of relating to food and the body, while respecting the demands of high-level training. This work is conducted in collaboration with an experienced dietitian.

In my experience, people often tell me things like:

“I’m functioning well in life, but eating feels stressful and rigid, and is negatively impacting my relationships and social life”

"I have always had a difficult relationship with my body and eating, but I just wasn't ready to talk about it until now"

“My relationship with my body has changed and I don’t recognise myself anymore”

"Whenever things get really difficult I always try to manage my emotions through food and exercise and it helps, but doesn't last"

These experiences reflect that difficulties around food, eating and body image can present in a range of ways, but have a big impact on wellbeing, relationships, health, and quality of life.

How I can help

Working with me begins with a careful, collaborative eating disorder assessment. This is a space for you to talk about what is important to you often for the first time, at a pace that feels manageable. There is no pressure to disclose everything at once.

For people who have lived with an eating disorder for a longer time, it is especially important to understand what you have tried before, what helped, and what didn’t. This allows therapy to be individualised and responsive rather than repeating approaches that were unhelpful or harmful.

Throughout treatment, we work together to:

• Build a safer, more compassionate relationship with food and your body

• Understand what drives your eating patterns (emotionally, psychologically, and physiologically)

• Develop skills to regulate emotions, manage stress, and reduce shame

• Support recovery in a way that fits your life, values, and goals

My approach is collaborative. That doesn’t mean it won’t be challenging at times but it does mean we check in regularly to ensure the work feels respectful, supportive, and aligned with what you need.

Because there is no single cause, there is no single “right” way to recover. Effective eating disorder treatment needs to be flexible, individualised, and responsive over time.

What you can expect when working with me

Many people tell me that what feels different about working with me is that I genuinely believe in recovery, while also respecting that recovery looks different for every person.

I am not afraid to “go there” with you, and I will believe in you when that feels really hard to do yourself.

My PhD research focused on eating disorders and trauma, using compassion-focused therapy, and I have been supporting people experiencing eating disorders and their families, since 2013. I have regular supervision with an expert in the field of eating disorders, and engage in ongoing training and development in this area of clinical practice.

Working alongside your healthcare team

I work in close consultation with I work in close consultation with GPs, psychiatrists, and dietitians, and am happy to liaise with your existing care team. For some people, this includes accessing the Medicare Eating Disorder Treatment Plan, which allows for additional subsidised sessions when clinically appropriate.

Where to from here

Starting treatment for eating difficulties is hard work, but no matter your age or stage of life, it is worth it. Support can make space for relief, flexibility, and a life that feels bigger than food and body worries. You deserve it.