If you’re concerned about your relationship with food or exercise, you’ve come to the right place.

Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV) is currently working with the Gippsland community to support people who may be affected by eating disorders to get the help they need. Anyone – no matter age, gender, sexuality or background – can experience an eating disorder.  Whilst getting a diagnosis for an eating disorder is something that can only be done by a medical or mental health professional, there are some tools to available online to help you figure out if you should be seeking professional help.

Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV) is working with the Butterfly Foundation and Gippsland Primary Health Network (PHN) to help ensure that people experiencing eating disorders, their families/support people and local health professionals are supported in the management and treatment of eating disorders.

EDV Services for people in the Gippsland region

• The EDV Hub – a free, confidential phone and email support service that is a great first port of call for most enquiries. The Hub provides information, support, clinician referrals, or just someone to talk to. Open Mon – Fri, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM. Contact the Hub here.
• EDV Telehealth Nurse – suitable for people who are currently on the eating disorder treatment journey and are looking for additional support to link in with services. The nurse acts as a central point of contact to help people access services, locate specialized eating disorder health professionals, provide information and help people work towards recovery. Make an appointment with the Telehealth Nurse here.
• Wellbeing Check Ins – as part of our response to COVID-19, we are offering phone call support sessions. Access up to 5 sessions with a trained counsellor. Make an appointment for a Wellbeing Check In here.
• Peer Mentoring Program – this free program provides one-on-one mentoring with an EDV employee who has recovered from an eating disorder. Mentoring relationships last for a period of six months. Learn more about the Peer Mentoring Program here.
• Workshops, training and professional development – we run a range of online and in-person educational programs throughout the year. Learn more about what’s coming up to get involved in.

Join online support groups that have been tailored for the Gippsland community.

Eating Disorders Victoria is offering two types of online support groups:

• Gippy Recovery Support Group –  for anyone in the Gippsland region living with an eating disorder. If you are looking for recovery support from any eating disorder (restriction, binging and compensatory behaviours) this group is for you. Anyone aged 18+ can join.
• Gippy Carer Support Group – for anyone who supports someone with an eating disorder (parent, partner, sibling, friend, family). A safe space to listen and share with others. Anyone aged 18+ can join.

What do the groups involve?

These groups give people the opportunity to draw upon the support, experience and skills of others facing similar issues. It is an open space to discuss what you are struggling with and to reflect on the current challenges. Participation in groups is optional – you can just listen if you prefer.

How are the groups run?

Groups will be held online via Zoom and participants are required to register beforehand. Groups are free to attend, thanks to the support of Gippsland PHN.

In September the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and National Eating Disorder Collaboration (NEDC) released a position statement on disordered eating in high performance sport. It acknowledged the identification, evaluation and management of disordered eating is complex. There is a higher prevalence of disordered eating and eating disorders in athletes compared to non-athletes. The position statement contains guidelines for athletes, coaches, support staff, clinicians and sporting organisations. The guidelines support the prevention and early identification of disordered eating, and promote timely intervention to optimise nutrition for performance in a safe, supported, purposeful and individualised manner. This position statement is a call to action to all involved in sport to be aware of poor self-image and poor body image among athletes.  

Following on from the release of this position statement, EDV, in partnership with headspace, is undergoing community engagement work to raise awareness for disordered eating and eating disorders in sport. We are looking to engage with sporting clubs and organisations, coaches, welfare staff, players, and their families in the Gippsland region. 

For more information, please contact Olivia at oliviadonati.beech@eatingdisorders.org.au

EDV has created a video series to provide information and resources for GPs in Gippsland who work with people affected by eating disorders.

These videos feature discussions with Rebecca Lister, EDV’s Director of Strategic programs, Dr. Jenny Conway, specialist in managing eating disorders, and Dr. Sarah Smith, Gippsland GP.

Topics covered in the video series include:

• Identifying Eating Disorders and Screening Tools for GPs

How GPs can identify eating disorder presentations in clients and information on a variety of available screening tools.

• Eating Disorder Treatment Plans and the EDE-Q

Information about the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and how GPs can appropriately refer clients using the Eating Disorder Treatment Plan under Medicare.

• Setting Up Follow Up Appointments for Clients with Eating Disorders

Information on how to set up follow up appointments for clients with eating disorders and where to next.

• GP Responsibility for the Care Team

A discussion of the GP’s role in the care team when working with someone experiencing an eating disorder.

• Eating Disorder Q+A with Dr Jenny Conway

A question and answer session with Dr. Jenny Conway, covering the most frequently asked questions by GPs about eating disorders.

Are you a professional in Gippsland?

Sign up to our Gippsland Professionals Newsletter to stay-up-to date on the latest news, events and training opportunities in the Gippsland region.

EDV is delighted to be partnering with The Butterfly Foundation and Gippsland PHN to support the Gippsland Community.