Eating Disorder Basics for Complementary Health Practitioners

According to The Butterfly Foundation, around 4% of Australians will experience a diagnosable eating disorder in any given year. 

Whilst some research suggests that 9% of Australians in their lifetime will experience an eating disorder, other research estimates this number as being much higher, at 16% at a minimum. 

What's important to remember is.....

This is only what is diagnosed

(Also worth mentioning is that these figures were released prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, during which we know figures rose exponentially) 

So, you're a complementary or alternative health practitioner, working with the general public.

Depending on your profession, workload, session lengths....

How many clients do you see each week?

How many of your clients are statistically likely to have a a diagnosable eating disorder? 1 or 2? Maybe closer to 4 or 5? 

Moreover....

How many more of your clients are experiencing disordered eating at sub-clinical levels, or displaying risk factors, early warning, or relapse signs?

How would you know? What would you do?

Knowledge is power.

When we know more, we do better. 

In the "Eating Disorder Basics for Complementary Health Practitioners" course we cover: 

✓   The basics of 13 different eating disorders and how they present

✓   The risk factors and warning signs of eating disorders, and how you

      specifically in your line of work might spot them in your clients

✓   The psychology of eating disorders and some of the potential causes

✓   Some of the myths about eating disorders and what prevents, delays, or

      harms the treatment process

✓   The roll that ALL healthcare providers take in either the maintenance or

      discontinuation of a culture that breeds disordered eating and body

      dissatisfaction

✓   How to use your understanding of eating disorders to better serve your

      clients who struggle with disordered eating or body image issues, within

      the scope of your work

✓   How to ask questions using language which promotes trust, encourages

      sharing, and facilitates reaching out

✓   The best ways to uphold your duty of care and ensure that your clients

      access the appropriate support they need

✓   The science and research on weight and weight loss, and how to

      approach working with clients who are coming to see you for weight-

      related goals. 

✓   How to set appropriate goals in treatment which do not collude with an

      eating disorder mindset, or trigger the onset of disordered eating

In addition, you will be introduced to:

✓   The principles and goals of the inclusive healthcare framework, Health

      at Every Size® (HAES®)

✓   The principles and goals of intuitive eating (IE)

✓   How HAES® and IE can inform your practice as a healthcare provider

      (even if you don't work specifically with these frameworks) and

      how to create a safe, inclusive space of non-judgement, which

      encourages all of your clients or patients to develop a healthy

      relationship with food and their body

This course is appropriate for complementary / alternative, and other health practitioners including: 

✓   Psychotherapists, counsellors, and hypnotherapists

✓   Naturopaths and other nutrition professionals

✓   Chineses medicine practitioners and accupuncturists

✓   Personal trainers, yoga instructors, gym owners, and other exercise 

      professionals

✓   Chiropractors and osteopaths

✓   Life coaches, and other health or wellbeing coaches

✓   Mindfulness or meditation coaches or practitioners

✓   Massage therapists and myotherapists

✓   Reiki and other somatic therapy practitioners

What's involved?

This course consists of 6 modules, each requiring roughly 90-120 minutes to complete (9-12 hours in total), depending on how long you want to spend on self-reflection tasks as well as optional extra videos.

Each module contains a mixture of:

✓   Videos

✓   Self-reflection tasks

✓   PDF downloads

Upon purchase, you will be emailed login details and have the flexibility to complete the modules at your own pace. The content and any updates will always remain available to you if you ever want to return to refresh your memory. 

Also included is: 

✓   A complementary 60-minute coaching session

This session can be used to help you clarify the course material and any questions that you might have, and must be used within 12 months of purchasing the course.

When booking this session, please do so via the booking system. Choose the "60-minute counselling appointment" (either in person or via Telehealth), and leave a note in the booking that this is for the course coaching call. 

Purchasing the Course 

The full price of this course is listed in Australian dollars, AUD$199

You can purchase this course via the link at the top of this page which will direct you to a PayPal payment. Login details will then be sent to your email address. If you prefer to pay by bank transfer or credit card, please get in touch directly to organise a private payment. 

This course is currently listed with the following membership organisations as approved professional development: 

    Aust. Assoc. of Clin. Hypnotherapy & Psychotherapy - 10 CPD points 

    Australian Hypnotherapists' Association - 10 CPD points 

    Australian Natural Therapists Association - 10 CPD points

    Australian Traditional-Medicine Society - 10 CPD points

    Naturopaths & Herbalists Association of Australia - 8 CPD points

**If you would like your membership association to consider listing this course, please contact me so I can get in touch with them directly. 

** Please note that this course does not specifically teach you how to treat eating disorders, though it is a great first step to learning more....

This course is designed to increase your understanding of how eating disorders present and how you might be able to spot them in your clients or patients.

It has been estimated that up to 16% of the Australian population will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime. This number may be higher when we consider the scope of sub-clinical presentations, or those who never seek treatment. Therefore, you will learn more about the contributing factors to the development of eating disorders, how to work in a safe way with your clients or patients who might have disordered eating, and how to not trigger the worsening of symptoms. You will also learn how to work in a weight-inclusive way which will ultimately help us all to address underlying societal factors that contribute to disordered eating, and will open up your practice to working with more people who really need your help. 

The work of eating disorder treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach in order to address psychological, psychiatric, and biological considerations. If you are interested in learning more specifically about how to treat eating disorders, it is recommended that you access accredited training through your local state or national government funded eating disorder organisation. 

Any questions? Please get in contact HERE if you have any questions about the course content and if this is right for you.

More About Your Trainer

Bianca Skilbeck, Clinical Hypnotherapist & Counsellor

In 2014, Bianca completed her training as a clinical hypnotherapist and counsellor. From here, she started her private practice whilst simultaneously beginning a psychology degree though Monash University, which she completed in 2021.

Having a special interest in the treatment of eating disorders after having her own lived experience, Bianca has continued to upskill in this field; undertaking numerous courses and workshops. She is now listed as provider through Australia’s national peak eating disorder organisation, The Butterfly Foundation. She is also a member of the Australia & New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZAED), as well as The Association for Size Diversity & Health (ASDAH).

In recent years, Bianca has become interested in intuitive eating and the Health at Every Size paradigm, and how these frameworks can help guide eating disorder recovery. Rebranding her practice to Freedom from Food, she has refocused to specifically cater for those with disordered eating, chronic dieting, body image dissatisfaction and gut health.

Bianca uses a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques including but not limited to cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, hypnosis, resource therapy and gestalt therapy. She has a special interest in working with and understanding the mind-body connection, and how the individual can work to integrate all parts of themselves to live a more value-congruent life, and create more peace, self-compassion, and acceptance in their inner worlds.