Talk to someone now. Call our National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

Eating disorders
What can cause an eating disorder?

It’s unlikely that one single thing will lead to an eating disorder. There is often a combination of risk factors, including genetics, emotional factors and cultural influences.

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Who gets eating disorders?

No matter your size, shape, age, abilities, gender identity, sexuality, cultural or linguistic background, economic status or location, anyone can experience an eating disorder.

Do you know someone at risk?

Approximately 9% of Australians will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime but it’s not possible to tell if a person has an eating disorder simply by their appearance.
Body image
What is body image?

Body image is the thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs we have about our bodies and how we look, including our shape, size, weight, and the way our body functions for us.

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Body image issues don’t discriminate.

There are many factors that can contribute to poor body image and body dissatisfaction. Body image issues affect people of all ages, genders and across all cultures.

Body image programs

Butterfly’s programs for young people, professionals and parents are evidence based and designed to provide practical strategies, skills and resources to support positive body image and healthy behaviours in young Australians.
Get support
Butterfly provides support, care, referrals and resources

Whether for you, a friend, a family member, a client, or anyone else that you care about, Butterfly is here to offer support.

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Butterfly’s National Helpline

Our helpline is free and confidential, and our specialist counsellors offer non-judgmental support over the phone, by email and by online chat, seven days a week.

Search Butterfly's Referral Database

Find eating disorder professionals, services and treatment nearest to you, through our Referral Database, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Health Professionals
Information, resources and referrals for your clients

Our Helpline and support services are not only for people impacted by eating disorders and body image issues, but also for clinicians and other health and education professionals.

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Butterfly referral database

Butterfly's Referral Database provides a directory of professionals, screened for an understanding of eating disorders, so people Australia-wide can find appropriate care..

Medicare items for eating disorders

Patients with a clinical diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and other eating disorders may be eligible for new Medicare rebates under the Eating Disorder Medicare Plan.
School & Youth Professionals
Programs for people working with young people

Butterfly offers presentations, resources and workshops to teachers, professionals, young people and parents on the risk and protective factors for body dissatisfaction, disordered eating and eating disorders.

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Body Kind Schools

Support young people’s body image by joining Butterfly’s annual free schools awareness initiative. Finding ways to feel positive about your body can be challenging but we can all try to be kinder.

Butterfly Body Bright

A new whole of school program to promote positive body image and healthy attitudes and behaviours towards the body, eating, and physical activity in primary school-aged children.
Who we are
About Butterfly

Butterfly changes lives by providing support services, treatment and resources, delivering prevention and early intervention programs and advocating for the needs of those with eating disorders and body image issues.

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A Voice for Change

As the voice of lived experience, Butterfly advocates on behalf of people impacted by negative body image, eating disorders, and those who support and care for them.

Our Partners and Supporters

Butterfly is extremely grateful for the passion and commitment of our dedicated corporate and community partners.
Get involved
Ways to get involved

There are many different ways you can get involved and help bring about positive change for those experiencing eating disorders and negative body image. You are a vital part of the solution.

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Our Impact

Established nearly 20 years, Butterfly’s multi-skilled team continue to make a significant impact within the mental health sector.

Share Your Story

Every experience of an eating disorder is unique. Sharing stories from personal experience allows for reflection, understanding and connection.

Talk to someone now. Call our National Helpline on 1800 33 4673. You can also chat online or email

Home

Blog

A space for sharing all things body image and eating disorders related. All blog entries are written by our staff, those with a lived experience and professionals.

Who inspires you to share your lived experience?

In celebration of Butterfly's Lived Experience community, we asked the Butterfly Collective 'who inspires you to share your lived experience of an eating disorder or body image concern?'

Autism and Eating Disorders from the Inside: My Story

"My diagnosis at age 31 was transformative - the numerous challenges I had faced finally had an explanation... I finally understood why life transitions seemed so overwhelming, and how these contributed to disordered eating. I became more able to monitor my levels of sensory overload and fatigue, and to set boundaries for my own wellbeing." Ruth shares how being auDHD (autistic + ADHD) impacted her childhood, relationships to food and eating disorder recovery.

Emily: Autism and Atypical Anorexia

"I found it hard to get help after my diagnosis because I didn’t fit the stereotypes that people had in their minds about autism and anorexia. Professionals working with autistic people need more education about supporting us because their words can be harmful. It didn’t help when people treated me like I was attention seeking or could change how I thought without help." Emily shares her experience as an autistic woman living with atypical anorexia.

How and why I focus on recovery everyday

"Slowly, through recovery I was able to restore appreciation for the beauty of life and all that surrounded me every day. I learnt how to be in the moment and with time the eating disorder thoughts and noise became quiet." Alice shares what it's like to live with, and recover, from Anorexia Nervosa.

How dietitians can help eating disorder recovery

"A key component to recovering from an eating disorder is rebuilding a healthy, compassionate relationship with food - look no further than an accredited practising dietitian to be able to help you with this." Alex shares how a dietitian helped him during his own eating disorder recovery, and why he's now passionate about using his lived experience as a dietitian himself.

From eating disorder patient to dietitian – Korey’s story

"When I was in treatment for my eating disorder many years ago, dietitians felt like the most threatening health professional in my team. Fast forward 8 years later, and I am now sitting on the other side of the table. I am the eating disorder dietitian." In honour of Dietitians Week, Korey brings attention to the important role that dietitians play in eating disorder recovery.

International Women’s Day: Cracking the code on body image

The global United Nations theme for International Women’s Day 2023 is ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality’, with events in Australia badged as ‘Cracking the Code’, referencing the cultural, economic and social codes and behaviours that entrench inequality, including the digital gender gap. Sarah Squire, Butterfly’s Head of Knowledge, Research & Policy, explores what this theme means for the relationships that girls and women have with their bodies in online environments.

Embracing your queerness is about embracing who you are as a whole person

Chantel identifies as transgender and non-binary and has lived experience of an eating disorder. In this blog, they share their insights into body image, gender, and identity, and how they developed #BodyPride by embracing their sexuality.

Making it easier for school professionals to implement eating disorder prevention in Australian school settings

A new study has revealed barriers such as a lack of resources, training, funding and workload is hindering school professionals from delivering eating disorder prevention in Australian school settings. We examine why body dissatisfaction is a serious issue among young people, and how our whole of primary school body image program, Butterfly Body Bright, can help.

How to develop a positive relationship with exercise

Butterfly’s Head of Prevention Danni Rowlands, who was also a PT for over 10 years, shares her tips on how to develop a positive relationship with exercise if you have lived experience of body image concerns, disordered eating or an eating disorder.

Body Neutrality: What is it and why is it important?

Body neutrality is a helpful term for those who may be struggling to practise body positivity or acceptance, especially those living with an eating disorder or disordered eating. This Summer of Kindness is a perfect time to learn more about what it means and how you can integrate it into your life.

Helping young people navigate body image pressures during school formal season

Formal season is upon us and while it should be a time of celebration, the intense focus on appearance, finding the ‘perfect’ outfit, securing a date and wanting to fit in can be all consuming for some young people, sucking the joy out of what should otherwise be a happy event. Here are some practical things the adults in young people’s lives can do to support body image during formal season.

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Butterfly acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work as the first people of this country.

We commit to embracing diversity and eliminating discrimination in health care. We welcome all help-seekers and strive to create a safe place for all people, irrespective of their size, shape, age, abilities, gender, sexuality, cultural background, language, economic status, profession or location.

Butterfly acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work as the first people of this country.

We commit to embracing diversity and eliminating discrimination in health care. We welcome all help-seekers and strive to create a safe place for all people, irrespective of their size, shape, age, abilities, gender, sexuality, cultural background, language, economic status, profession or location.