News & Blog

Weight Stigma Awareness Week, 2020

Weight Stigma Awareness Week, 2020

September 30, 2020

I met Kiera in 2018 on a trip with ‘The Hunger Project’. On a bus in rural Uganda, we spoke about her work as a psychologist empowering people of all body shapes and sizes.

Coronavirus: Our Practice Policy

Coronavirus: Our Practice Policy

March 9, 2020

Until we receive clearer directions, CFIH is adopting a “better to be safe than sorry approach”. Please support us in our efforts to reduce the spread of Coronavirus.

International Women’s Day: Our Message

International Women’s Day: Our Message

March 8, 2020

On International Women’s Day, we passionately strike the #EachforEqual pose. To us, this pose symbolises equality, compassionate boundaries, allyship, and the disruption of destructive gender-based cycles.

Exercise and eating disorders

Exercise and eating disorders

February 20, 2020

In an interview with Hack on Triple J, CFIH Psychologist, Ashleigh Olive, proposed a number of red flags that can help to identify someone with or at risk of an eating disorder.

How accurate are nutrition information panels?

How accurate are nutrition information panels?

October 2, 2018

Diet-culture loves numbers – we’re sold the idea that we can achieve tight and calculated control over food and our bodies through counting, tracking, weighing and measuring.

5 ways to shut down diet-talk in the office

5 ways to shut down diet-talk in the office

August 15, 2018

Office diet-talk can be relentless, triggering and difficult to avoid. If 8 hours of carb, keto and cleanse commentary is making you want to ride your wheelie chair down the fire escape, here’s a few ideas for you: Excuse yourself and walk away. After a few smoke-bomb moments they’ll start to get the picture you’re … Read More

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Unfortunately, it’s unclear how many people in society actually have a binge eating disorder. This may be due to diet culture normalising the idea that bingeing is simply a lack of “willpower” rather than a mental health disorder. This is one of the biggest myths that circulate around eating disorders. Yet due to the lack of awareness surrounding this disordered eating behaviour, most people aren’t aware their binge eating is a part of a larger psychological picture. In many cases those who do reach out for help usually look to weight management programs and therefore miss out on receiving therapy for the underlying issues that may be at play. It is common for people to perceive their binge eating as a failure. However, research has shown that binge eating is a powerful biological response from your body to compensate for the lack of food it receives when restricting. The vicious cycle starts with restriction and/or dieting, which results in a combination of nutritional and psychological deprivation. With the inevitable occurrence of social events, meals out, holidays and the simple unpredictability of life, the diet rules are easily broken and a binge results. Guilt and shame are bound to follow and thus the restrictive dieting starts again. We want to be clear that the lack-of-willpower perspective is completely false. Binge eating is a mental health issue NOT a personal failure or a reflection a person’s character. Just as we don’t blame ourselves for a burst appendix, the same goes for anyone with an eating disorder. It’s important to destigmatise binge eating and its causes. By changing our perspectives and improving awareness in society, it will become easier to identify these behaviours and help our friends and family get the right help from the right team. #EDrecovery #eatingdisorderrecovery #lifewithouted #mentalhealth #therapy #bingeeatingrecovery #edtherapist #socialjustice #recoveryispossible
Globally, the detox product market is worth approximately USD $50.9 billion. Yet this industry, with an eye-watering amount of worth has little- to no clinical evidence to back it up. Strong marketing of the detox and weight industry completely blinds society to the scam that it is. There is limited regulation on health claims in this industry, most of which can be bypassed by slight rewording of their products (eg. May help or may support…) which leads a false sense of confidence that the product’s promises will come true. In fact, most products will have a fine print stating “This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease”. Some of the known risks of “detoxes” are diarrhoea, dehydration, interference with medication, overdosing on supplements, slow metabolism, inadequate macronutrient intake (which can lead to malnutrition if prolonged), kidney disorders, bowel perforation, bowel blockage or heart failure. Sadly, some detoxes have been fatal, all in the pursuit of health. Whilst these product tout quick fixes for weight loss, it’s usually just from fluid loss that is quickly restored once an individual resumes regular eating and drinking. Thankfully, the body has its own detox system and its completely free! Our organs are the best and most powerful tools we have in detoxifying our bodies and it’s comprised of six parts. These include the skin, respiratory system, immune system, intestines, liver and kidneys. Within a healthy person, these organs work extremely well, and there’s no product in the world that could make a perfectly functioning organ work better. #antidiet #antidietculture #antidetox #nondietapproach #haes #haesdietitian #nondietdietitian #nondietapproach #mentalhealth #stopthetox
One of the greatest myths about intuitive eating is that it’s about eating only foods that are less nutrient-dense or what people often refer to as “junk” food. However, intuitive eating is about becoming attuned to what your body is telling you and more often than not, it will ask for a variety of foods. One of the key components of dieting is taking away the permission to eat certain foods. When moving towards intuitive eating and starting to give ourselves permission to eat these previously “forbidden foods”, one of the most common fears is never being able to stop. Habituation is a term to describe repeated exposure to stimulus and its inevitable loss of appeal. For example, when you first purchase an outfit, it’s new and exciting and by the 100th time you’ve worn it, the outfit is old, uninteresting and you desire something new. In terms of intuitive eating, the novelty of eating your restricted foods whenever you like wears off and people start to find that eating past satiation actually reduces the pleasure of the food. This phenomenon has been shown in many studies with many different types of food, with the results always being the same. Contrary to the name, intuitive eating isn’t so intuitive at the beginning, it takes concerted effort to trust the process. By making true peace with forbidden foods, the anxiety reduces and there is no longer the desire to overeat them. It may take some time to trust your body again as so many diets undermine that trust. Learn to listen to your body and learn how to honour your body’s cues. When learning to become an intuitive eater, focus on the relationship with your body first, and then the varied diet will follow. #Intuitiveeating #nondietapproach #nondietdietitian #antidiet #HAES #healthateverysize #healthateverysizemovement #morethanmybody
Whilst the body positive movement has been around for a few years now, body neutrality is a relatively new term that is gaining momentum, so what’s the difference, and is one better than the other? Body positivity is the idea that no matter your size, shape, weight, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or disability, everyone deserves to have positive outlook on their bodies regardless of society’s expectations. Body neutrality is about how your body makes you feel, without placing any judgements on its shape, whether positive or negative. There is no importance placed on your body or what it looks like, rather, it’s about the idea your body is a vessel to help carry you through life. Many are finding that body positivity has become a commercialised buzzword. Some people find that body positivity movement maintains too much focus on their body or is too great a step away from the body dissatisfaction they have felt for most of their lives. Others believe that our bodies are impressive creations to be celebrated regardless of what they look like, and they find the body positivity movement to be a powerful tool towards self-love. Whilst some believe body positivity is “over” and neutrality is “in”. I believe this black and white mentality, like in most cases, isn’t so helpful. There’s a space for both and it’s really a personal choice. Whichever movement works for you, these approaches both strive to improve self-esteem, wellbeing and create a world for everyBODY. #aworldforeverybody #bodypositvity #bodyneutrality #selflove #bodyacceptance #mentalhealth #edrecovery
One of the key characteristics of an eating disorder is its intrusive voice about body, weight and shape. It can dominate an individual’s life and convince them that their self-worth can be found only within the eating disorder. The eating disorder often claims that the only solution to feeling better and improving self-worth is to continue with their current behaviours, when in fact the opposite is true. No matter how much weight is lost, or how much control is given to the eating disorder, it is not the solution to better self-worth, body image, confidence or self-esteem in the long-term. Our clients have shown us time and time again that leaving their eating disorder behind doesn’t mean leaving the life they want behind. #morethanmybody #EDrecovery #eatingdisorderrecovery #lifewithouted #mentalhealth #therapy #edtherapist #recoveryispossible
One area that is less talked about when recovering from an eating disorder, is the importance of sleep. It improves the ability to make logical decisions, learn, memorise, strengthen our immune system, supports a healthy gut microbiome and regulates hormones important for our hunger/fullness cues. Unfortunately, getting a good night’s rest can be incredibly difficult for those with an eating disorder and insomnia is quite common. Even if you regularly sleep under 8-9 hours per day and don’t often feel tired, there are many underlying physiological mechanisms that are being disrupted. When we don’t get enough sleep, our body doesn’t get the chance to regulate and reset itself for the next day, essential for those undergoing recovery. Here are some ideas that will help with improving sleep: 1. Avoid the temptation to nap in the late afternoon/evening, and if you do nap, limit the time to a max of 20 minutes. 2. Pick a bedtime and set an alarm to remind you it’s time to prepare for bed. 3. Take time before bed for self-care (that excludes screens); take a bath, use a face mask, listen to some calming music, read or meditate. 4. Place your screens as far away from your bed if possible and avoid using your phone as your alarm. 5. If you struggle to fall asleep try some breathing techniques. 6. If you do wake up during the night, avoid all screens, don’t check the time. If the voice in your head is causing you to stay up, it’s not a good idea to stay in bed as this can lead to listening and believing in those negative thoughts. Distract yourself with calming activities and keep repeating until you fall back to sleep. Sleep is very important in your recovery and by making it more of a priority, it will help your brain function and focus during the day. #EDrecovery #eatingdisorderrecovery #lifewithouted #mentalhealth #therapy #ed #edtherapist #intuitiveeating #mindfuleating #socialjustice #recoveryispossible #sleep #sleepwell #sleepbetter #sleepsupport
#4 “One other thing that has also stuck with me is the relationship we have with our bodies. I remember saying “oh my gosh my body is starting to trust me again!” And Kate Gough said to me “but trust is a two-way street, and I think I can sense that you are beginning to trust your body right back” I now have a trust in my body and mind that I never thought I would have, and I trust that it will know exactly what to do with the fuel and energy that I give it." #morethanmybody #EDrecovery #eatingdisorderrecovery #lifewithouted #mentalhealth #therapy #edtherapist #recoveryispossible #CBT #cognitivebehaviouraltherapy
#3 "There is a saying that our bodies are merely vessels that carry our souls through life. I like to now think of food as the fuel that we need to power those vessels. Food shouldn’t be feared. While food is fuel, it can also be fuel for your mind, bring happiness, and bring people together." #morethanmybody #EDrecovery #eatingdisorderrecovery #lifewithouted #mentalhealth #therapy #edtherapist #recoveryispossible #CBT #cognitivebehaviouraltherapy
CFIH is also excited to announce that Renee Curran has joined the CFIH team in 2021. We are excited to share that Renee will be consulting across both the Sunshine Coast and Kelvin Grove clinics. Renee is an experienced Accredited Practising Dietitian who firmly believes recovery is possible for everybody. Renee's compassionate and non-judgemental approach allows clients to feel safe and supported throughout their recovery journey. Welcome to the CFIH community, Renee! #nondietdietitian #EDtherapist #HAES #EDdietitian #eatingdisorderdietitian
CFIH is thrilled to announce that Rebecca Haubner has joined the CFIH team in 2021. Rebecca is a registered psychologist who completed her postgraduate training in Clinical Psychology at Griffith University. Rebecca aims to provide a warm, compassionate, and client-centred approach to therapy, utilising evidence-based interventions to support her clients in understanding the challenges they are facing and moving toward their therapy goals. Rebecca is passionate about empowering her clients to feel safe and supported in learning to draw on their existing strengths to make meaningful, sustainable changes toward enhanced well-being, and in learning how to cultivate a kinder, more compassionate relationship with themselves. Rebecca has commenced consulting at our Kelvin Grove clinic from Monday through Friday. Please join us in welcoming Rebecca to the CFIH community. #EDtherapist #clinicalpsychologist #eatingdisorderrecovery #eatingdisorderhelp