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Eating Disorders in Adolescence

Medicare & PRIVATE HEALTH REBATES | FLEXIBLE hours & weekend appointments

ACCREDITED SOCIAL WORKERS & CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS

SPECIALISING IN CHILDREn, ADOLESCENT AND ADULT HEALTH

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About Eating Disorders

An eating disorder is generally characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits.

Eating disorders can be caused by many things, including:

  • Stress
  • Body dissatisfaction
  • Low self image
  • Low self esteem
  • Dieting
  • Conforming to unrealistic socio-cultural ideas

Eating disorders are common among teens but affect all age groups, genders, backgrounds and social classes.

The recovery from an eating disorder can be slow and requires adequate emotional and nutritional support from family, friends and partners.

Types of Eating Disorders

There are four eating disorders identified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), including:

  • Anorexia Nervosa
  • Bulimia Nervosa
  • Binge Eating Disorder
  • Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED).

Each disorder is very different and requires a medical diagnosis. The recovery time, strategies, needs and effects are very different for each disorder and should be treated as seriously as any other disorder or mental illness.

Eating disorders among teens

Eating disorders often present in adolescence. The great physical, emotional and psychological changes which occur in adolescence, coupled with the socio-cultural pressures to conform to beauty, strength and body image ideals, provides a fertile environment for the development of an eating disorder.

It is important that parents who suspect or discover their teen has an eating disorder seek professional help and provide support. Thinking Families is here to provide evidence based treatment to assist your child’s recovery.

How do I know if I have an eating disorder?

Individuals who suffer from eating disorders suffer from symptoms including:

  • dehydration
  • fatigue
  • dizziness
  • anxiety
  • guilt
  • social isolation
  • slow growth
  • loss of menstrual cycle
  • hair loss
  • irregular periods
  • vomiting
  • extreme desire to lose weight
  • headaches and sensitivity
  • poor circulation
  • feeling of being out of control
  • negative attitude towards food that affects their lifestyle

Why Choose Us?

Thinking Families provides treatments for a variety of disorders, including treatment for adolescent Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, along with depression and self harm in adolescents.

Providing gentle and accepting support, we identify the triggers of eating disorders and help guide you or your loved one to a state of confident wellbeing.

How we can help you

Family based therapy (also known as the Maudsley Model) is most effective with adolescents who are up to 18 years old and are living with their family.

This treatment may involve the whole family and relies greatly on parental involvement, focusing on the resources of the family.

Family Based therapy is an outpatient treatment which is mainly used in the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Studies have shown that family based therapy treatment works for around 70% of eating disorder cases.

Families do not cause eating disorders, but family based therapy harnesses the power of family to overcome the disorder. At Thinking Families we have many years of experience using Family Based Therapy and have seen excellent outcomes with families we have worked with.

New to counselling?
What to expect

Our counsellors work with you to form a supportive environment to allow you to learn more about yourself and to use that understanding to develop strategies, tailor- made for you.

Often in your first session of counselling, we’ll encourage you to share your story and get to know the causes of your eating disorder challenges. While it is common to feel nervous about opening up it is important you try your best and talk to your counsellor about these feelings so they can be managed safely.

Location

We are located at 87 Baroona Rd, Paddington QLD, 4064

Testimonials

Glenn was easy to talk to and confident he could help us to improve our relationship. The exercises we practiced in sessions were really helpful and focused on teaching us other, more productive ways to resolve our issues. The homework tasks he gave us were fun but relevant. Our relationship has never been better or closer. We highly recommend Glenn and Thinking Families for couple and relationship counselling.

Kate Scarce

Excellent and attentive psychologists. I went to get an educational assessment for one of my children. The detail they came back with was really useful and allowed us to really focus on both areas for improvement and areas that could be leveraged for even better results. It was also a very personal approach which helped alleviate any concerns my child had with doing the assessment.

Matthew Venamore

My family and I have been seeing Glenn Munt over a period of 4 years for both individual counselling/therapy and family based counselling. During this time we have found his experience and wisdom in family based counselling extremely beneficial and useful to my family in navigating the challenges of life. Glenn assisted us in reassessing our values as a family and provided us with valuable tools in dealing with everyday issues.

Glenn has always made himself available to us when we needed him and has always shown compassion, gentle guidance and a listening ear regardless of the issue at hand. He is non-judgemental and is able to tackle the hard conversation that families need to have from to time to time. Glenn has been a valued asset to my family and we continue to see him on a regular bases.

Cindy Grigolo

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. However if you do get a referral you can claim rebate through Medicare

  • Yes, but a 24 hour business notice or charges may apply.

  • The standard rate is $190 per session

  • Yes. Any gebder cab be susceptible to an eating disorder and can benefit from this treatment.

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