Dietitian + nutritionist | Credentialed Eating Disorder Dietitian | Online appointments
Eating disorders and disordered eating
Eating disorders and disordered eating is not a lifestyle choice. They are a serious problem that can affect your health and life. But it’s not your fault. And it’s not something you have to deal with alone. Kim can help you break free from the cycle of disordered eating and find peace with food and your body.
Eating disorder support
Why work with a dietitian?
Understanding how to nourish your body can feel overwhelming when you are experiencing disordered eating. Unhelpful thoughts around food, nutrition and body make it difficult to know when to eat and what to eat.
Kim provides an empathetic and supportive space to help recognise and overcome these unhelpful thoughts. Through a gentle process we will work towards healing your relationship with food so you can confidently nourish your body.
Kim is a Credentialed Eating Disorder Dietitian and works with people experiencing anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, orthorexia, and disordered eating.
What does eating disorder treatment involve?
Our first appointment will be an opportunity to understand your health, lifestyle and unique relationship with food. Our initial aim will be to establish regular eating patterns to adequately support your body’s function.
Review sessions will focus on challenging disordered thoughts and behaviours around food. Together we will find effective strategies to help you feel comfortable and confident with food, eating and your body.
Having a supportive team is vital in recovering from an eating disorder. A GP and psychologist are required for effective treatment. If you are not currently seeing a GP or psychologist, Kim is able to help connect you to the appropriate person.
What is an eating disorder?
Eating disorders are a serious mental illness that can affect any person. The eating disorder can show up through damaging thoughts and behaviours around food, body and weight. This can harm your health, lifestyle and relationships.
There are many factors that increase someone’s risk of developing an eating disorder. Genetic, psychological, and sociocultural influences all impact a person’s likelihood of developing an eating disorder. Dietiting is one of the biggest risk factors for disordered eating and is why I take a non-diet approach with all my clients.
Different eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, ARFID, and other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFED). It is important to remember that any person can experience an eating disorder.
What is disordered eating?
Disordered eating is not a mental health illness but can still have a huge impact on your health and lifestyle. When we have disordered eating we feel disconnected from our body’s messages of hunger and fullness. This can be caused by dieting, restricting food and eating to deal with difficult emotions.
Disordered eating has become normalised through the popularity of diets and wellness trends. We have been told that we can change our body or optimise our health through the food we do and don’t eat. But when we fail to follow these strict rules, we are left with self-blame and shame.
Recovering from disordered eating enables you to have a calm relationship with food and enjoy the experience of eating and nourishing your body.
Frequently asked questions
No, only a GP, psychologist or psychiatrist can diagnose an eating disorder. Dietitians can identify signs of an eating disorder and refer to you speak with your GP or psychologist.
No. You can book in to see a dietitian at any time to help with disordered eating. However, if you want to claim your dietitian appointment with Medicare you will need a formal eating disorder diagnosis from your GP.
Yes. If you have an eating disorder you can claim up to 20 dietitian sessions per year through a Eating Disorder Management Plan. This will cover $56 of your appointment fee.
Discuss this with your GP to see if you are eligible.
This refers to dietitians who have completed additional training to specialise in the area of eating disorders. Kim is a CEDC and completes at least 15 hours of professional development in the area of eating disorders each year. She also has regular supervision to support her ongoing work in this area.
This allows you to receive evidence-based and safe care.