Find the help you need
When someone you love has an eating disorder, chances are you feel confused, alone and terrified. The good news is that there are many eating disorder organisations around the country to help you into, and beyond, the recovery journey.
Read our Eating Disorder FAQs here.
Eating Disorder Organisations in Australia
Australia and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZAED)
ANZAED is the peak professional association that supports and represents professionals who work in the field of Eating Disorders in Australia, and is very committed to incorporating the lived experience of carers and consumers in their programs and resources through the recent establishment of the ANZAED Carer and Consumer Advisory Committee.
ANZAED has a search tool for finding a clinician local to you.
Beyond Blue
Beyond Blue provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health.
Butterfly Foundation
The Butterfly Foundation represents all people affected by eating disorders and negative body image issues.
Carer Gateway
https://www.carergateway.gov.au
Carer Gateway provides practical advice and support to get you the help you need: counselling, peer support and respite care.
Headspace
Headspace connects those in need with resources and expert support on mental health issues.
Head to Health
https://headtohealth.gov.au/mental-health-difficulties/mental-health-conditions/eating-disorders
Head to Health assists individuals with to find the right digital mental health and wellbeing resources, for yourself or someone you care about.
InsideOut Institute
https://insideoutinstitute.org.au/
InsideOut Institute is Australia’s national institute for research and clinical expertise in eating disorders.
InsideOut’s Treatment Services Database can help you find a private practitioner, community clinic or program, day program, in hospital treatment, support group or clinical supervisor near you.
Find a service or clinician here
Mental Health Families and Friends Australia
https://mhfamiliesfriendstas.org.au/
Mental Health Families and Friends Australia assists carers of people affected by mental ill health.
Mental Health Carers Australia
https://www.mentalhealthcarersaustralia.org.au/
Mental Health Carers Australia supports individuals looking after someone with a mental health illness.
Mental Health Foundation Australia
Mental Health Foundation Australia connects support services for individuals with eating disorders.
MIND Australia
https://www.mindaustralia.org.au/
Mind Australia provides support to individuals with mental illness, and their carers.
National Eating Disorders Collaboration
National Eating Disorders Collaboration is the national resource centre on the prevention and management of eating disorders.
Reach Out
https://au.reachout.com/articles/what-is-binge-eating-disorder
Reach out assists individuals under 25 with everyday questions and tools to get through tough times.
SANE Australia
SANE Australia helps people affected by complex mental issues with support, research and advocacy.
Wellways
https://www.wellways.org/our-services/support-families-friends-and-carers
Wellways offers services to support people affected by mental health issues, and their families, friends and carers.
Eating Disorder Organisations in NSW
BEING: Mental Health and Wellbeing Consumer Advisory Group
Mental Health and Wellbeing Consumer Advisory Group is the statewide organisation for people with a lived experience of mental illness. Represents consumers to all levels of NSW government.
Benevolent Society
Benevolent Society supports people with disabilities, children, families, older Australians and carers.
Butterfly Foundation
The Butterfly Foundation represents all people affected by eating disorders and negative body image issues.
Carers NSW
Carers NSW supports carers of individuals with mental illness.
Butterfly Foundation
The Butterfly Foundation represents all people affected by eating disorders and negative body image issues.
Carers Queensland
Carers Queensland provides specialised carer, aged and disability support services.
Eating Disorders Queensland
https://eatingdisordersqueensland.org.au/
Eating Disorders Queensland promotes positive body image and prevention of eating issues.
Support Groups Queensland
Support Groups Queensland delivers peer-run self help and support groups, supporting people with wellbeing issues.
Eating Disorders Victoria
https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/
Eating disorders Victoria connects those in Victoria who are affected by eating disorders with the services, people and hope they need for recovery.
Victoria Centre for Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED)
Victoria Centre for Excellence in Eating Disorders provides Case Consultation and support service to public mental health services.
Carers Victoria
https://www.carersvictoria.org.au
Carers Victoria works to improve the health, wellbeing, resilience and financial security of carers and to ensure that caring is a shared responsibility of family, community and government.
Tandem Inc. Victoria
https://www.tandemcarers.org.au/
Tandem Inc Victoria is the Victorian peak body representing families and friends supporting people living with mental health issues.
CAMHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
CAMHS provides support services for children and adolescents experiencing mental health problems.
Carers SA
Carers SA is the premier provider of carer services.
SEDS (Statewide Eating Disorder Services)
SEDS assists individuals in finding a private practitioner, community clinic or treatment programs for those with eating disorders.
Centacare PACE Support
http://www.centacare.org.au/service/pace-program/
Centacare PACE Support provides a range of recovery services for people living with panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder and eating disorders.
Clare House (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
https://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/mentalhealth/mhs_tas/service_files/dhhs_services/clare_house
Clare House assesses and treats children and adolescents with mental illness.
Women’s Health Tasmania
http://womenshealthtas.org.au/
Women’s Health Tasmania is run by women for women, promoting positive health outcomes by undertaking a diverse range of activities and providing services.
TasCOSS (community social services)
TasCOSS is the Directory of Tasmanian social services.
Mental Health Council of Tasmania
Mental Health Council of Tasmania is the peak body representing the interests of non-government mental health consumer organisations.
Carers Tasmania
Carers Tasmania supports carers of individuals with mental illness.
RUAH
RUAH provides innovative programs and wraparound support to help people overcome the challenges of chronic mental illness and create meaningful change in their lives.
Carers WA
Carers WA improvies the lives of family carers living in Western Australia with access to services, support and resources.
Consumer of Mental Health WA
http://www.comhwa.org.au/programs/peer-support/
Consumer of Mental Health WA is the voice of mental heath consumers in Western Australia.
Western Australia Association for Mental Health
Western Australia Eating Disorder Outreach and Consultation Service
https://www.nmhs.health.wa.gov.au/Hospitals-and-Services/Mental-Health/Specialties/Eating
Western Australia Eating Disorder Outreach and Consultation Service represents the community managed mental health sector.
Helping Minds
Helping Minds offers mental health support to the family and friends of people living with mental health challenges across Western Australia and Darwin.
ACT Eating Disorders Program here
https://www.health.act.gov.au/services-and-programs/mental-health/eating-disorders-program
The ACT Eating Disorders Program is a community-based therapy service that provides assessment and treatment for people with an eating disorder.
Carers ACT
Carers ACT provides specialised carer, aged and disability support service.
EDFA (Eating Disorders Families Australia) will help to empower you to be the very best advocate you can be for your child, your role in the treatment process, and to provide access to support services, peer to peer mentoring, education and information seminars and more.
Because we are experts by experience. We call it ‘lived experience’.
Are you experiencing a crisis?
Crisis services with professional counsellors can be contacted 24/7 via the following services:
Lifeline – 13 11 14
Suicide Helpline – 1300 651 251
1800 Respect – 1800 737 732 (family violence or sexual assault)
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:
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:
Twice monthly education sessions
strive Carer Support Groups for carers of loved ones with any type of eating disorder (run three times each month)
strive ARFID Carer Support Group (run monthly)
strive bulimia nervosa Carer Support Group (run quarterly)
strive binge eating disorder Carer Support Group (run quarterly)
strive4Men Carer Support Group (run quarterly) – a group for male carers
siblings Support Group (run monthly) – a group for siblings of those with an eating disorder
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.
discounts to eating disorder events and conferences
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 eating disorder 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.
