Counselling for Eating Disorders in Adolescence Brisbane
Medicare & PRIVATE HEALTH REBATES | FLEXIBLE hours & weekend appointments
ACCREDITED SOCIAL WORKERS & CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS
SPECIALISING IN CHILDREn, ADOLESCENT AND ADULT HEALTH
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 eating disorder support from family, friends and partners.
Types of Eating Disorders
There are five eating disorders identified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) which we look after, including:
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Binge Eating Disorder
- Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED).
- Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
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 eating disorder help, 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 treatment 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.
Eating Disorder Psychological and counselling Support
At Thinking Families, we offer a comprehensive range of services to support individuals with eating disorders. Our team of eating disorder psychologists and eating disorder counsellors are trained to provide specialized care for various eating disorders.
We understand that each individual requires a unique approach to overcome their challenges. Our services include individual therapy, group sessions, and family counseling, all aimed at providing the necessary eating disorder support.
We also focus on the psychological aspects of eating disorders. Our eating disorder treatment plans are tailored to address the underlying causes of the disorder, such as trauma, anxiety, or depression.
We believe in a holistic approach to treatment, ensuring that both the mental and physical aspects of the disorder are addressed. Our child psychologist eating disorders team is specifically skilled in dealing with young individuals who face these challenges, providing them with the care and support they need.
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 slow 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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They are widespread, affecting a diverse range of individuals globally.
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They result from a complex interplay of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors.
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Seeking help for an eating disorder is crucial because these conditions can have severe physical, emotional, and psychological consequences if left untreated.
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The type of service required depends on the specific eating disorder and the individual’s circumstances. Generally, treatment may include psychological therapy (like cognitive-behavioral therapy), nutritional counseling, medical monitoring, and sometimes medication.
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The cost of treating an eating disorder varies widely depending on the type and duration of treatment required. It can range from outpatient therapy sessions, which might be covered by insurance or offered on a sliding scale, to more intensive inpatient treatment programs.
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We serve Ashgrove, Bardon, Grange, Red Hill, The Gap, Toowong, Taringa, Ascot, Clayfield, Hamilton, Teneriffe, New Farm, Kenmore, Indooroopilly, Chapel Hill, Hawthorne, and offer remote counseling.
Location
We are located in Brisbane, Australia 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 ScarceExcellent 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 VenamoreMy 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