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.

Be You, Be Free: How I overcame an eating disorder to become an author, body positive PT, and intuitive eating counsellor

"Once recovered from my eating disorder, all I wanted to do was help others who were going through what I went through. I hope my book will help you feel alive, help you feel connected, but mostly, that it will help you uncover the person that you were meant to be before the world and diet culture told you who you had to be." Shreen shares her recovery story & how it led her to write 'Be You, Be Free'

How to #QuietTheNoise of an eating disorder this festive season

An estimated 75% of people with eating disorders will also experience a toxic inner ‘voice’ or noise. This ‘self-talk’ can play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of disordered eating behaviours, and has been linked to high rates of relapse, longer duration of illness and greater use of compensatory behaviours. We asked our recovery and support team for their advice on how to Quiet the Noise of an eating disorder this festive season.

How lived experience workers can help Quiet the Noise of an eating disorder

Many of Butterfly's staff have recovered from their own eating disorder or body image concern. Rhiannon is one of those people. In this blog, we sat down with Rhiannon to learn about the power of lived experience wisdom in recovery, what’s involved in Butterfly’s peer support programs, and how you can help ‘Quiet The Noise’ for people with eating disorders this festive season and beyond.

How my gender identity impacted my eating disorder as a man of transgender experience

"Being transgender and having an eating disorder are two very lonely experiences. I spent 6 years in and out of hospital and during this time found my struggle with my gender identity to be a barrier to treatment. When I began my transition from female to male, life started to look a little brighter but then I was faced with the challenges of not living up to the masculine ideals of being muscular and having big broad shoulders and a small waist." Reece shares his story of recovering from anorexia as man of trans experience.

Keeping diet culture out of Halloween: advice for parents on language around food

Halloween is a great opportunity to foster a healthy relationship with food in your children and emphasise that all foods belong and can be enjoyed in a varied diet. But like any holiday that centers around food, diet culture can creep in. We provide advice for parents on language around food.

Jesus and ED: How my crisis of faith led to an eating disorder

Darren shares how his experience with Anorexia and Bulimia was influenced by questioning and losing his life-long faith in Christianity.

World Teacher’s Day: How educators can support eating disorder recovery

Educators are in an incredible position to set the next generation up for success - but how they respond to mental health concerns, like eating disorders, can play a pivotal role in a young person’s recovery. For World Teacher's Day, Jess shares how her teachers' support made all the difference in her eating disorder recovery. We also share eating disorder and body image resources for teachers.

A work in progress: my story of eating disorders, neurodiversity and queerness

Zoe shares how they overcame anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder to become an author and LGBTQIA+, ADHD and mental health advocate.

Finding Liberation through Trauma-Informed Yoga: How it can help with eating disorder recovery

"Trauma-Informed Yoga is invitational, encourages choice and agency, is slow, safe, and accessible, and is facilitated with cultural awareness. During a time where I felt the need to strive for perfection and performance, Trauma-Informed Yoga gave me a place to breathe and be human." Shanelle shares how trauma-informed yoga assisted in her own recovery from an eating disorder.

Hearing from lived experience on improving eating disorder treatment, support, and awareness in the next 10 years

"We need businesses, schools, services and professionals to undertake relevant training in eating disorders, highlighting how to identify them, gain a deeper understanding on the different types, where to reach out for appropriate support, how to increase help-seeking and to learn the appropriate terminology and language”. - Chey

Simple acts to make your loved one’s life easier when they have an eating disorder

Eating disorders can be incredibly isolating, and families and carers can have a pivotal role in an individual's recovery. We asked people with lived experience for their advice on how loved ones can best support their eating disorder, in support of Body Image and Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2023.

The Body is not an Apology

We weren’t born hating our bodies. But the world we live in often makes it feel like we need to apologise simply for existing in the body we’re born in. Butterfly Collective member Bridget shares how Sonya Renee Taylor’s book ‘The Body Is Not an Apology’ is helping her to overcome this mindset while also aiding in recovery from an eating disorder.

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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.