Welcome to EDFA
We support, educate and empower families affected by an eating disorder.
About Eating Disorders Families Australia
EDFA is an organisation founded by a group of Australian parents who have cared for and treated a young person with an eating disorder.
This passionate group of parents and carers is dedicated to providing lived experience, support, information, validation and education to empower other parents in their journey with their own loved one.
Through nationwide support group strive, education seminars, peer to peer support and events, EDFA empowers parents and carers to advocate for their loved ones’ needs and personal role in the recovery journey.
Why EDFA?
When we talk to parents and carers about their journey with their loved one’s eating disorder, there is always a common thread.
"I feel confused, alone and terrified."
"What are our treatment options? How do I find a supportive clinician?"
"I have no idea what to do... or where to go to get help."
We recognise that many parents and carers struggle to access critical information, support and resources, and are confused about how to navigate a complex system.
Here at EDFA, many of our volunteers have cared for someone with an eating disorder. We call it ‘lived experience’. We can offer you the support, confidence, advice, connections and community you will need.
“Eating disorders deeply impact families, often causing emotional and psychological distress for many years without respite. Our volunteers have lived experience, and our organisation supports and up-skills families…helping them through the most challenging journey of their lives.”
David Garvey, Chairman, EDFA
strive Carer Support Groups
strive Carer Support groups are run by trained volunteer carers, for carers. They are run in each state across the country, via Zoom.
strive Carer Support Groups exist to:
- provide a safe, supportive place for carers to meet each month in an environment which allows for both knowledge sharing and peer support.
- provide information and resources to assist parents and carers to understand eating disorders and their integral role in recovery.
- encourage empowerment of carers in their role in the recovery of the person with the eating disorder.
Find the strive Carer Support Group in your state.
Education and Information
EDFA runs national education and information seminars bi-monthly, with each seminar hosted by different lived experience or clinical experts in the Eating Disorder field.
We recognise that by educating parents, we are encouraging and empowering them to advocate for their loved one, and for themselves.
Parent and Carer Stories
Caring for a loved one with an eating disorder can be isolating, confusing and heartbreaking. Everybody’s individual story is unique.
Meet the brave parents and carers who have shared their stories of caring for someone with an eating disorder, to help other carers at various stages of their caring journey
We recognise that by educating parents, we are encouraging and empowering them to advocate for their loved one, and for themselves.
Education Webinar Presenters and Services
Learning from others with expertise in many areas of eating disorder research, evidence based treatments, adjunctive therapies and approaches all help to provide information for families.
Become a member of EDFA for $25 per year (Australian Carers Only)
EDFA is a proud not for profit, predominantly volunteer-run organisation.
We invite you to be part of a revolutionary peer support group making positive changes in the Eating Disorder space. Strength in numbers means we are able to affect change and have the collective voice of the carers recognised.
We provide opportunities to connect with other parents and carers who share your experiences…helping you to feel less alone and isolated.
Yearly membership is just $25.
Membership gives access to:
– Access to a range of resources in our Member Only section of the website including Educational Recordings, Member Recommended Clinicians and Services, and more.
– Over 70 support groups and education sessions per year. including;
– monthly state-based strive Carer Support Groups
– twice monthly education sessions
– monthly sibling support group
– monthly national strive ARFID Carer Support Group
– quarterly strive support groups for carers of people with Bulimia, Binge Eating Disorder, as well as a group for male carers
– discounts to eating disorder events and conferences.
– daily online support through our private strive Australia Facebook Group and the opportunity to connect, share, learn and ask questions is another benefit of being part of our EDFA community.
Your membership helps EDFA with ongoing costs of running a not-for-profit organisation, and importantly, shows Government that families value, need and believe in this type of lived-experience support. Strength in numbers helps EDFA lobby as the collective voice of carers for better services, treatments, access to expert clinicians and specialised ED units, to help our loved ones in their recovery journey and to acknowledge the impact of an eating disorder diagnosis on the entire family unit.
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What families say about EDFA
