On this week’s episode I am so happy and excited to be introducing our next special guest one of BodyMatters very own therapists Jennifer Puth. Jen is a provisional psychologist in her final year completing her Master of Clinical Psychology at the Australian College of Applied Psychology. Jen is passionate about working with individuals of all shapes, sizes, genders, ages, sexualities, abilities, and cultural backgrounds as she understands that each individual’s relationship with food or body is influenced by so many different life arenas. Jen is also a current associate member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the Australian Society of Rehabilitation Counsellors (ASORC).

On this week’s episode we will be speaking about the topic of mindful eating as a really valuable tool for certain eating disorders such as Compulsive-Overeating, Binge-Eating Disorder, Bulimia Nervosa as well as a really good tool for the general population. There is also a preface at the end of the podcast for people who experience Anorexia Nervosa as reminder that mindful eating may not be suitable for all individuals during certain eating disorder treatments. However, can be implemented if it becomes favourable to do so. So, please as always enjoy this lovely guest and this soothing episode.

Podcast Summary:

1. Mindfulness

2. Paying attention to your food and the experience of eating

3. The difference between mindless eating and mindful eating

4. Routinely checking in with your body

5. Increasing the enjoyment of the eating experience

6. When mindful eating may not be the best tool to use

Links from the episode:

BodyMatters Australasia Website: https://bodymatters.com.au/

BodyMatters Instagram: bodymattersau

Butterfly Foundation Helpline:  Call their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

On this week’s episode I am so happy to be bringing you our next special guest Joss Armstrong. Joss is a provisional psychologist and family therapist here at BodyMatters currently completing her Masters of Professional Psychology at Macquarie University. Joss holds a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences Majoring in Counselling and Interpersonal Skills. With a Graduate Diploma in Psychological Sciences as well as being a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS).

Joss is passionate about all things disordered eating, body image and the internalisation of diet culture. Hoping to raise awareness for the consequences of dieting and body shaming particularly for young women. This is where Joss hopes to address the core of these body image concerns in a way that can then begin to build a healthier relationship with our bodies and who we are as people. This is where Joss so beautifully unpacks the impact of body image, body dysmorphic tendencies and body dysmorphic disorder. To greater understand the extent of negative body image, hoping to shed some light on the effects of this mental health condition.

This episode is especially helpful for those who feel as though they frequently examine their appearance, obsessively focus on a perceived flaw, avoid situations or photos, spend hours a day looking in the mirror, try numerous plastic surgeries as well as perceive themselves to look different to the reality of their appearance. With body dysmorphia being triggered intermittently or experienced constantly, this episode may help in identifying this cause. As a way to hopefully allow those struggling to seek treatment especially if you are unable to stop thinking about your appearance, perceived flaws or overall appearance. So, on that note, please as always take care and enjoy our lovely guest Joss!

Podcast Summary:

1. Body dysmorphic disorder

2. Body image as the mental representation of our body

3. Choosing not to internalise what people say

4. Social media distorting our perception of self

5. Ritual prevention and perceptual retraining

6. People often like an array of multiple things about you

Links from the episode:

BodyMatters Australasia Website: https://bodymatters.com.au/

BodyMatters Instagram: bodymattersau

Butterfly Foundation Helpline:  Call their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

On this week’s episode I am thrilled to be introducing our next special guest and one of BodyMatters very own therapists Nicola Dillenbeck. Nicola is a provisional psychologist currently completing her Masters in Professional Psychology at Macquarie University. Nicola has worked in the mental health sector for the last 8 years across a range of different sectors. With particular experience working with the LGBTQIA+ population. Most notably supporting clients with range of mental health concerns including but not limited to anxiety, depression, crisis care, eating disorders and drug & alcohol misuse.

On this week’s episode I am delighted to be speaking about the topic of ‘The Thin ideal vs the Healthy self’ as there is now a lot of academic literature on this topic. This is where Nicola is able to unpack the cognitive dissonance between societies ideals and the internal need to care for ourselves. Where Nicola is very passionate about unpacking the consequences of negative ideals, body image, eating disorders and broader mental health concerns. Nicola will also be speaking about the Body Image group therapy sessions done here at BodyMatters. Enjoy! 

Podcast Summary:

1. Striving for the healthiest version of you in all areas of life

2. Living your life in alignment with your true values

3. Letting go of having one ideal body type

4. The Body Project at BodyMatters

5. Building up more of a positive body image

Links from the episode:

BodyMatters Australasia Website: https://bodymatters.com.au/

BodyMatters Instagram: bodymattersau

Butterfly Foundation Helpline:  Call their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

On this weeks episode I am very pleased to be introducing our next recovery talk speaker, Emily. Emily identifies as being queer, neurodiverse, and multicultural coming from a background as a refugee as well as a migrant. Emily is  a mental health peer worker with lived experience, currently working as a consultant based in Melbourne. 

Emilys recovery talk explores the social and cultural norms surrounding eating disorders. After having experienced eating disorder symptoms from the age of 10 however, not receiving treatment for her eating disorder until the age of 15. During this time from the age of 13, Emily was facing experiences of depression and anxiety as well as battling other issues such as related to domestic violence, gender as well as with sexuality. This is where Emily began receiving treatment for depression from a psychologist. However, during this time this is where Emily was experiencing multiple eating disorders including Bulimia Nervosa, Anorexia Nervosa, ARFID, compulsive exercise, restrictive eating, and Binge Eating Disorder. With Emilys treatment for an eating disorder only beginning after Emilys physical health began to deteriorate at age 15 where Emily was unfortunately hospitalised. 

However, recovery for Emily was not linear, facing multiple setbacks including those from the hardships of COVID. This included Emily having to move across Australia to a new city without the same support systems and routines that aloud for that new sense of safety as protection from the eating disorders. This is where Emily identifies the significant emotional toll that having a history of an eating disorder can have in the midst of challenging circumstances. This is where Emily needed to once again fight back against the eating disorders and begin to take small steps again in establishing new support systems to be able to handle things well again. This is where Emily was able to form meaningful connections and utilise a new sense of passion and purpose towards the advocacy role within the eating disorder community.

Emily now understands that every day looks different but overall if you are able to acknowledge when you are struggling, speak to yourself with compassion, and create a supportive relationship with others recovery is achievable. This is why Emily is really passionate about helping anyone who may be seeking help for an eating disorder or is beginning to take the first steps towards a recovery journey. 

So for anyone who may have felt inspired by Emily’s story and wants to share their recovery talk please click here.

Happy New Year!! So to start off 2023 we are having both of our much loved guests Harriet and Phil back on the podcast to unpack some eating disorder myths. 

The amazing Dr. Phillip Aouad currently works at Shape Your Mind, an eating disorder treatment clinic based in central Sydney’s CBD. Phil is a registered psychologist and researcher who received his PhD in 2020 from the University of Sydney. Phil is also currently serving at the Early Career Researchers Special Interest Group as the Co- chair for the Global Academy of Eating Disorders. 

The lovely Harriet Illes currently works at BodyMatters Australasia as a provisional psychologist and family therapist as well as at Ramsey North Side Clinic. Harriet has completed a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences at the University of Adelaide.  Also having completed her Honours year in psychology at the University of Sydney. 

On this weeks episode Harriet and Phil expose the nature of eating disorders and the various complexities influencing their onset, maintenance or recovery. This is where  Harriet  and Phil, are able to beautifully unpack some of these mainstream myths and assumptions around eating disorders. To provide much more of an understanding around some of the mainstream cultural stereotypes that seem to miss the mark on the reality of this illness. Enjoy!

Eating Disorder Myths

1. Eating disorders are a choice and based on vanity?

2. Parents cause their child’s eating disorder?

3. Eating disorders are only experienced by teenage girls?

4. You can only have an eating disorder if you are under a safe BMI weight?

5. If it doesn’t appear that someone has eating disorder behaviours when with others then they don’t have one?

6. You can only struggle with one eating disorder not multiple?

7.  It’s easy to get over an eating disorder and people usually do in adulthood?

8.  You can’t fully recover from an eating disorder you will always have one?

Links to Phil: 

Shape Your Mind: https://shapeyourmind.com.au/

Links from the episode: 

BodyMatters Australasia Website: https://bodymatters.com.au/

BodyMatters Instagram: bodymattersau

Butterfly Foundation Helpline:  Call their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

On this weeks episode I am so excited to be bringing you our next special guest on the podcast Dr. Elizabeth Dale and proud Aboriginal, Worimi women. Liz is a Psychologist Registrar and a Senior Lecturer with a Doctorate in Indigenous health sciences and medicine from the University of Wollongong. Where Liz clinically conducts research aiming to better understand Aboriginal and Tores Strait Islander people’s experiences of mental health, trauma recovery, and eating disorders. To better enhance the cultural utility of the treatment sector for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Liz is also an Ambassador for the Butterfly foundation and has had a lived experience of having recovered from Anorexia Nervosa. So, please give a warm welcome to our lovely guest Liz and enjoy this episode!

Podcast summary:

1. A lived experience of Anorexia Nervosa as a First Nations Australian

2. The unique vulnerabilities of Aboriginal peoples

3. The impact of the introduction of western foods

4. The 7 Aboriginal whole of life domains for health and wellness

5. Cultural concepts for understanding Aboriginal health

6. Knowing that your culture is always within you and can always be reconnected to

Links from the episode:

BodyMatters Australasia Website: https://bodymatters.com.au/

BodyMatters Instagram: bodymattersau

Butterfly Foundation Helpline:  Call their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

The Butterfly Foundation has an “Everybody is Deadly” campaign on their website to provide some resources and helpline links for  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People who may be experiencing an eating disorder : You can find out more here

On this week’s episode I am very excited to bringing back our much loved guest Dr. Phillip Aouad who currently works at Shape Your Mind, a clinical psychologist and dietetic practice in central Sydney’s CBD. Phil is a registered psychologist who received his PhD in 2020 from the University of Sydney.  Where Phil is now currently serving at the Early Career Researchers Special Interest Group as the Co- chair for the Global Academy of Eating Disorders. Phil has worked with a broad range of mental health presentations including but not limited to those who experience Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge- Eating Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, and Mood Disorders such as Anxiety or depression. This week, Phil will be speaking deeply about the experiences of those in the LGBTQIA+ especially in relation to struggles to eating disorders. To highlight the importance of raising awareness for this community especially when it comes to the current understanding with research. 

Podcast Summary: 

1. Taking care of your inner garden 

2. The unique mental health risk factors for those in the LGBTQIA+ community 

3. LGBTQIA+ community subcultures 

4. Systematic barriers 

5. Providing holistic care

Links for Phillip Aouad:

Shape Your Mind: https://shapeyourmind.com.au/

Links from the episode:

BodyMatters Australasia Website: https://bodymatters.com.au/

BodyMatters Instagram: bodymattersau

Butterfly Foundation Helpline:  Call their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

On this weeks episode, I am so pleased to be bringing back our much loved guest and therapist here at BodyMatters Harriet Iles. Harriet has completed a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences at the University of Adelaide. Also having completed her Honours year in psychology at the University of Sydney where she now also currently works at the Ramsey North Side Clinic. On this week’s episode we will be speaking deeply about the topic of grief and loss in the context of eating disorders. To better understand the interrelatedness between eating disorders and various areas within our lives. 

This interview is a very important part of eating disorder recovery as well as a beautiful part of what it means to have loved something. So, to better help support those in times of grief and loss this interview aims to shed some light on the areas within our lives that deserve to be acknowledged and mourned with compassion.  So please as always take care and be kind to yourself. Enjoy.

Podcast Summary

1. Grieving the loss of things we never had

2. Physical symptoms in the body as a response to grief

3. Grieving the life you had before an eating disorder

4. The impact of hospitalisation

5. How parents grieve the life their child could have had

6. The 5 stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance

7. Grieving the loss of having the identity of an eating disorder

Links from the episode:

BodyMatters Australasia Website: https://bodymatters.com.au/

BodyMatters Instagram: bodymattersau

Butterfly Foundation Helpline:  Call their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

Mental Health Line: 1800 011 511

On this week’s episode I am very pleased to be bringing you our next guest Carolyn Rogers from Brisbane, Queensland. Before her training as a psychologist, Carolyn was a registered nurse for 20 years where she worked in a variety of different healthcare settings. Where she most notably worked as a Nurse working as a Medical Representative for Abbott Australasia in their Nutrition Division. This is where Carolyn became interested in psychology specifically around eating disorders, where she now has been a registered psychologist for over 24 years. Carolyn is also on the Clinical Advisory Panel for Diversa Health which is an Australian healthcare company with a multi- disciplinary team dedicated to reversing Type 2 Diabetes without medications. Throughout her experience this is where Carolyn learned firsthand that patients’ apparent struggles with food were often not attributed to that of motivation or willpower but instead  the direct result of the calories in/ calories- out model. So, let’s get into it!

Podcast Summary

1. Celiac disease as an autoimmune disease

2. Highly- processed food vs minimally processed food

3. The Yale Food Addiction Scale

4. ADHD and executive functioning

5. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)

Carolyn Rogers ‘The Psychology of Food & Overeating' YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpJNkdgkScg

Links to the episode:

BodyMatters Australasia Website: https://bodymatters.com.au/

BodyMatters Instagram: bodymattersau

Butterfly Foundation Helpline:  Call their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

I am very happy to be bringing Dr. Kylie Mosely back on the podcast to now be speaking about the topic of type 2 diabetes and experiences of eating disorders. Kylie has obtained an Honours and Masters degree in psychology. Conducting a subsequent PhD in research focused on social, cognitive, and emotional triggers of overeating. Kylie has over 14 years’ experience as a psychologist in Australia, Singapore, and England. Where most recently Kylie held a position of Associate Professor where she unpacked effective tools of management used to cope with chronic health conditions. With further knowledge of the healthcare system, Kylie is passionate about the impact that chronic health conditions can have on people’s mental health especially when it comes to eating disorders. This is where Kylie will now be talking about the topic of todays podcast, as a way of hopefully assisting people in being able to best adjust to a new health diagnosis. To explore new comforts, joys, meaning and ways of engaging with life in the best way possible. 

Podcast summary

1. Type 2 diabetes: becoming resistant to insulin

2. People with diabetes may be at risk of developing binge-eating disorder, compulsive overeating, and night eating syndrome

3. How a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes can impact someone who has a history of an eating disorder

4. Different ethnicities and diabetes

5. Supporting those with a health diagnosis, condition, illness, or injury

6. Informing your treatment team of experiences of disordered eating

Links from the episode: 

BodyMatters Australasia Website: https://bodymatters.com.au/

BodyMatters Instagram: bodymattersau

Butterfly Foundation Helpline:  Call their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email