Many people with eating disorders, disordered eating and body image issues wonder if they are sick enough to need help. Thoughts and behaviours around eating and weight should not interfere with your life, recovery is possible and a peaceful relationship with your body and food is something everybody deserves to feel.
If you are experiencing negative or difficult feelings around food or your body then please consider seeking help.
The best place to start is with Australia’s largest eating disorder organization, Butterfly Foundation, which provides support for eating disorders and body image issues.
Butterfly Foundation National Eating Disorder Helpline 1800 33 4673
For anyone in Australia concerned about eating disorders or body image issues, whether you need support for yourself or someone you care about. All our counsellors are qualified mental health professionals with a background in psychology, social work or counselling. They also have specialist training in eating disorders and body image.
Support and resources for parents, schools and carers
Butterfly Body Bright Program (kindy to year 6)
Butterfly Body Bright is a strength-based, evidence-informed program developed by Butterfly Foundation. Designed to be integrated into Australian primary schools, it provides resources and support to teachers and their broader school community. The program aims to promote healthy attitudes and behaviours towards the body, eating and physical activity in children, so they can thrive at school and in life.
Follow the link to find tip sheets based on the six pillars of the Body Bright Program Brave, Resilient, Inclusive, Grateful, Happy, Thoughtful. We’d love for you to become a Body Bright advocate and share information about the program with your child’s primary school via their class teacher, the decision makers or your school’s parent association.
Invite a School to join the Butterfly Body Bright Program
Body Kind in Schools (age 11-18 years)
Body Kind Schools is Australia’s largest annual positive body image movement for young people (aged 11-18 years) providing free and engaging activities to help young Australians find ways to be kind to their own body and to others. Body Kind Schools is just one part of Butterfly’s Body Kind initiative to create environments which support body confidence for all
Body Kind Families is a FREE initiative designed to boost parents’/carers’ confidence in promoting positive body image and responding to body image concerns in their teenage children. It supports families to be kind to their own body and to others.
Feed Your Instinct – an interactive tool designed to support parents of children and young people experiencing different types of eating and/or body image problems
Podcasts #
Embrace your Body with Taryn and Dr Z on SPOTIFY – In this podcast series, global change maker Taryn Brumfitt and leading body image expert, Dr Zali Yager come together to talk through the practical strategies that parents need to know to help their kids feel better about their bodies – what to say, what to do, and how to feel better about doing it.
The Oyster Sisters on SPOTIFY – Listen to Taryn Brumfit get raw and real with Dr Gemma Munro and Mia Handshin on their podcast that’s all about loving our wobbly bits, growing through life’s grit and learning from the pearls that are worth treasuring. Sisters from other mothers, Taryn, Gemma and Mia unleash some radical authenticity on the path to uncovering the hidden treasures inside us all.
Films #
Embrace (2016)- EMBRACE is a social impact documentary that inspires us to change the way we feel about ourselves and think about our bodies. Released in 2016, this film continues to be relevant, relatable – and life-changing.
Nominated for the Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Best Documentary, EMBRACE has been seen by millions of people across the world and has created a ripple of positive change.
Embrace Kids (2022)- Filled with fun and joy, EMBRACE KIDS is an energetic mix of animation, live action, interviews, music and more. The film explores the relationship children have with their bodies and covers topics including social media, disability, gender identity, representation and diversity.
Articles #
Division of Responsibility – Ellyn Satter, Dietitian, therapist and child feeding expert
Intuitive Eating – Dietitians Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch
