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Information for therapists and medical practitioners |
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 What Freedom with Food offers
Freedom with Food is a privately-run therapeutic practice specialising in eating and body image issues (sessions can also address other related issues or any issues that arise in the process). I aim to supplement rather than overlap with what is offered by the DHB and other services and will always refer on where appropriate. I offer sessions both to those who fit the diagnostic criteria for eating disorders and to those with less severe issues. In all cases, the aim of the sessions is to explore and agree goals with the person seeking help, and then to facilitate their making changes to their body image and relationship with food in line with these goals.
Due to the somatic element of eating and body image issues, the type of counselling and psychotherapeutic help which offers the best results in these cases can differ in some important respects from other kinds. Depending on the nature and severity of the issues, there may be potential or actual physical health risks for the person seeking help, and the therapist must take account of these and work together with that person to minimise them. Also, while I take very seriously the need for confidentiality and only disclose information or seek disclosure with consent, research-based evidence shows that a collaborative approach between the counsellor/psychotherapist, carers and/or medical professionals may work best for the person seeking help, and I take account of this in my work. In some cases, a collaborative approach may be essential to ensure that person's safety, and therefore the only way to work ethically. If so, I make this clear from the outset of the sessions.
I would be happy to discuss any of these issues or potential referrals, and to offer any information I can on services available in the Wellington area. I can be contacted by email or by phone.
My training
Among other qualifications, I have a Post-graduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy and a Diploma in Practitioner Skills for Eating Disorders. The main modality on both these courses was in Integrative Counselling, a modality which is well-known in the UK (where I trained) and becoming increasingly widely used there, possibly because of the evidence-based rationale underpinning it. This training enables me to work either in a process-oriented or goal-oriented way, whichever is appropriate at the different stages in the therapeutic process. I also hold an accredited Diploma in Life Coaching; this training informs the goal-oriented aspect of my work.
I would be happy to give more information about my training and my approach on request. You are welcome to contact me about these or other issues. |
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Information for family/friends/whanau |
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 If you’re concerned about someone’s weight loss or eating behaviour, you may be experiencing a variety of things. You may be confused about what is going on, particularly if it hasn’t been possible for you and the person you’re concerned about to speak openly together about this issue. You may be worried about their present and perhaps also their future well-being. You may be feeling helpless. You may even be feeling guilty, if you believe you could have prevented the problem from arising.
Having clear information about eating and body image issues can be very helpful in this situation, both for you and for the person you are concerned about. For you, there are three important pieces of information which form a context for any others:
- you are not to blame. All eating and body image issues start from and are perpetuated by multiple factors, not just one. And no one of these factors is guaranteed to lead to eating and body image issues: there are other people who have experienced similar situations and have not developed eating and body image issues.
- you can be very helpful in supporting and speeding up that person’s recovery, particularly if you are able to offer them more, or more long-term, support than any professionals they are involved with.
- in that process, you are likely to need your own support. At present Freedom with Food doesn’t offer services to carers (this means anyone who cares about) someone with an eating or body image issues. Here are some other possibilities:
- find a carers’ support group near you. To see if there is one in your area, contact the nearest Eating Disorders service run by the DHB. If there isn’t a carers’ support group near you, consider setting one up yourself.
- find someone who can offer you regular support. This could be someone who offers therapeutic help like a counsellor, or it could be a friend who is a good listener and who is able and willing to give you regular opportunities to talk about the situation.
- find reliable sources of further information about eating and body image issues and about how carers can help. These sources can be information leaflets from specialist organisations, webpages, or books. If you find books helpful, here is an initial suggestion: Skills-based Learning for Caring for a Loved One with an Eating Disorder: The New Maudsley Method by Janet Treasure, Gráinne Smith, and Anna Crane (2007) UK
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