“My psychologist helped me realise that I’m not the only one suffering through binge eating disorder –  it was a big step towards wellness.” – EDV client

What is the EDV Clinic?

EDV offers a private mental health clinic based out of our office in Abbotsford, Melbourne. Medicare rebates are available and our fees are lower than those recommended by the Australian Psychological Society. Clinicians who sub-contract their services at EDV are experienced and knowledgeable in the treatment of eating disorders.

The clinic operates as a social enterprise. We do not receive any government funding to run this service. Any profit made goes directly back into EDV to fund our community services.

Below we’ve answered some of the frequently asked questions about clinic services.

Who will I see?

You will see a qualified Mental Health Professional that delivers evidence-based treatment as specified under Medicare. Depending on the clinician, this may be a clinical psychologist, a registered psychologist, a mental health social worker or a psychiatrist. Mental Health Clinicians at EDV can change, so please check this page to see which clinicians are currently available.

All of our clinicians are experienced in supporting people with eating disorders, and will match you with someone who best suits your needs. Find out more about the role of mental health clinicians here.

Do I need a diagnosis? 

No. You are welcome to access the EDV clinic without a formal diagnosis. However if you are wanting to claim Medicare subsidies, you will need to discuss this with your GP who can provide either a Mental Health Treatment Plan or an Eating Disorder Plan. Find out more here. 

How do I make an initial appointment?

1. Call the EDV Hub on 1300 550 236 or
2. Complete our online form and we will get in touch with you to discuss an appointment.

Please note prior to seeing a mental health clinician you will be required to complete a screen to determine if we are the most suitable service for you.

How many sessions can I have?

You are welcome to attend our services for as long as you need.

You may be eligible for Medicare rebates on your sessions if you qualify for an Eating Disorder Plan (EDP) or a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP). Read more here. 

If you have private health insurance you may be eligible for additional rebates depending on your provider.

Where do sessions that place?

This depends on which clinician you see. There are options for both telehealth and in-person sessions at our office in Abbotsford. Learn more about accessibility requirements at our office here.

How will it help me?

Our clinicians help you create sustainable changes so you can live a healthy and fulfilling life. We work collaboratively with you to develop skills and coping strategies so you have the tools to sustain positive change for recovery.

We can also support parents, partners, siblings and relatives of someone with an eating disorder by making sense of what is happening and discussing strategies for self-care. Please note, the service does not offer diagnostic services; rather we look at what is going on for you and how we can help you make changes to improve your health and wellbeing.

What are the fees?

We understand that it can be difficult to afford ongoing therapy, and our fees are lower than those recommended by the Australian Psychological Society. Fees vary from $145 to $185 per session, depending on the type of clinician you see. You may be eligible for a Medicare rebate if you have a referral from a GP through an Eating Disorder Plan (EDP) or Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP). For more information on Medicare rebates see here. 

All consultations run for 50-60 minutes, and fees are payable at the time of appointment. We accept cash, Visa and Mastercard. Medicare rebates are available at the time of payment with no need to submit your receipt.

A concession discount of $20 is available to full time students, and Health Care or Pension cardholders with proof of evidence.

Please note if you have a Medicare referral it is important that EDV receives this information prior to your appointment to avoid extra charges and for rebates to be processed on time.

Will my private health fund cover any of the cost?

That depends on your level of cover. Please consult your individual fund for further information.

What if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?

If you have to cancel your appointment at short notice, we are unable to offer your place to someone else. The following cancellation fees will apply:

0-24 hours notice:       Full fee payable

24-48 hours notice:     50% of fee payable

Please call EDV reception on 1300 550 236 option 2 if you need to cancel your appointment.

What will I be asked to agree to?

You can read our Client Rights and Responsibilities here.

All of our mental health clinicians are currently at capacity. We know this may be upsetting for those looking for support and we apologise for any disappointment. We encourage you to reach out to the EDV Hub for names of other suitable eating disorder clinicians in your local area.

If you are an existing client you can make an appointment by calling EDV reception on 1300 550 236 option 2.

To support a client with a referral, we encourage you to use the Eating Disorder Care Plan template provided by the InsideOut Institute:
https://insideoutinstitute.org.au/resource-library/eating-disorder-care-plan  

When complete, please send to:
Email: reception@eatingdisorders.org.au
Fax: (03) 9086 7937

Address: EDV Psychology or Eating Disorders Victoria
Level 2, Magpies Nest Community Centre
Corner Lulie & Abbot Sts, Abbotsford VIC 3067

Please note: Clients are required to do a screening with the EDV Hub before a referral is accepted into the system.

If you would like support finding an alternative mental health clinician for your patient, please contact the EDV Hub on 1300 550 236 or email hub@eatingdisorders.org.au

Research is essential in developing new and effective treatment tools for eating disorders. EDV has partnered with La Trobe University to undertake a research project around Guided Self-help Stepped Care Treatment for eating disorders. Participants in the study will receive no-cost treatment for eating disorders by guided self-help or cognitive behavioral therapy. 

The study hopes to learn:

• Whether providing guided self-help in the first instance can increase access to eating disorder treatment 
• How best to design a larger treatment program in a community service such as EDV

What is Guided Self-Help Stepped Care (GSH-SC) for Eating Disorders?

This treatment approach uses self-help book ‘Overcoming Binge Eating’, which is the recommended self-help book for treating eating disorders. It is appropriate for a range of eating disorders including those in which binge eating behaviour is not present. This approach has shown to be as equally effective in the treatment of eating disorders as CBT-E. Particpants will be guided by a clinician through the self-help steps in nine, 30-minute session across 16 weeks. Participants will be asked to: 

• Read the chapters in order and at a pace that matches your treatment schedule  
• Complete all self-help activities provided in each step and bring this work to the guided sessions 

Each guided session will be of 30 minutes duration and will guide you to discuss and reflect on the tasks you have completed, problem solve barriers, and prepare for the following self-help step. 

Symptoms will be assessed at the end of the 5th guided session. This assessment will involve repeating the online questionnaires conducted before treatment. Depending on the results of these assessments, participants will either continue with guided self-help and complete the remaining 4 guided self-help sessions, or treatment will be “stepped up” to a 20-session course of CBT-E. 

What is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E)?

CBT-E is an evidence-based, treatment for eating disorders and consists of a 20-session course of treatment offered over 20 weeks. Sessions 1 – 7 are conducted twice weekly, sessions 8 – 17 are conducted weekly and sessions 18 – 20 are conducted fortnightly. Each session runs for 50 minutes. Participants will be asked to engage in between-session work such as monitoring your eating patterns, thoughts, and emotions, reading provided materials, challenging and changing eating-related thoughts and behaviours and undertaking behaviour experiments. Participants will also be asked to undertake collaborative weighing in sessions. This is where participants and the clinician check your weight together in each session.  

How to get involved

You may qualify for participation in the study if you:

• Are 18 years or over 
• Are experiencing an eating disorder 
• Have a BMI greater than 17.5kg/m2 
• Are willing to have an assessment with your GP prior to and during participation  
• Are medically stable 

If you decide to take part in the research, you would be asked to: 

• Undertake a series of pre-treatment screening interviews and questionnaires 
• Have a medical assessment with your GP that may involve blood tests 
• Be randomized to receive either guided self-help stepped care or cognitive behaviour therapy for eating disorders 
• Attend face-to-face appointments at Eating Disorders Victoria in Abbotsford and via telehealth  
• Complete a series of online questionnaires throughout treatment and at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after treatment ends 

Your decision to participate in research is voluntary. 

You will need to be assessed by your GP for medical stability prior to participation, and during participation if clinically indicated. Appointments with your GP are at your own cost. There are no other costs associated with participation in this research study, nor will you be paid.  

Express your interest in participating

Please read the client advertisement here. Then, if you would like to see if you may be eligible, you can complete the following brief screening questionnaire. At the end of the questionnaire you will have the option of entering your first name and contact details if you would like to be contacted for further information or express interest in the study:  

https://redcap.link/4k55knuq 

Or contact:

Study Coordinator, Annemarie Hindle
a.hindle@latrobe.edu.au 

Have you being attending sessions at the EDV clinic for mental health or dietetics support? We would love to hear about your experience.