Eating disorder therapy
Therapy may include assessment, formulation, recovery planning and work with food fear, eating rules, avoidance, body checking, distress, shame and the systems around recovery.
The Belonging Room
Eating disorder and body image therapy in Perth: where to start.
A practical starting point if eating, body image, identity, culture, connection and recovery feel tangled.
A first step
Support does not need to start with certainty.
You might be looking for eating disorder therapy in Perth, body image support in Nedlands, or online therapy because something about eating, food fear, body checking, shame or recovery has become hard to carry alone.
You may also be trying to find support that makes room for gender, sexuality, culture, neurodivergence, family, kin, safety and social and emotional wellbeing. Body Belonging Clinic was created for people whose story does not fit neatly in one box.
What support can include
Eating and body work can hold more than food.
Body image support
Body image work may involve noticing what keeps distress going, building practical skills, working with shame and making room for identity, safety, culture, connection and belonging.
Identity-affirming care
Support can be identity-affirming, neuroaffirming, LGBTQIA+ affirming and culturally grounded, with attention to the parts of life that shape how people feel, cope and recover.
Family and referrer involvement
Where helpful and consented to, therapy can include family, kin, carers, GPs, dietitians and other referrers so the work around the person is clearer and more connected.
Pathways
Common ways to begin.
There is no single correct pathway into support. The best first step depends on age, risk, referral needs, Medicare eligibility, current supports and what feels sustainable right now.
Book or ask about fit
If you are ready to begin, you can book through Halaxy. If you are unsure, you can email the clinic with a brief note about what you are looking for.
Talk with your GP
A GP can help assess health needs and discuss referral pathways such as a Mental Health Treatment Plan or Eating Disorder Treatment and Management Plan.
Bring current supports together
Eating disorder and body image support may involve a GP, dietitian, family, kin, school, workplace, or other practitioners where helpful and consented to.
Start with the whole picture
Early sessions focus on understanding what is happening around eating, body, identity, safety, culture, connection and social and emotional wellbeing.
Medicare and referrals
Referral pathways may reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Medicare rebates may be available for eligible clients with a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan, psychiatrist or paediatrician referral, or an Eating Disorder Treatment and Management Plan. Out-of-pocket costs may apply.
Bulk billing may be available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients where Medicare item, referral and eligibility requirements are met. If you are unsure which pathway fits, speak with your GP or email the clinic before booking.
Useful external information
Learn more before you start.
For general information about eating disorders, signs and support options, you may find the National Eating Disorders Collaboration and Healthdirect useful. These links are general information, not a substitute for personalised clinical advice.
Begin with what feels possible
Book online or ask about fit.
Body Belonging Clinic offers eating disorder and body image therapy in Nedlands and online, with identity-affirming mental health support woven through the work.