Eating disorders lead to unhealthy eating habits that may be characterised by obsession with food, body weight and body shape. Individuals with an eating disorder may display a number of symptoms and these are most commonly purging behaviours, over-exercising, restricting food intake and food binges.
The Melbourne Clinic offers two programs to support patients with disordered eating. Both the Eating Disorders and Binge Eating Programs aim is to provide a safe and trusting environment that fosters the restoration of health whilst assisting patients to develop an understanding of the factors that maintain their disorder.
Please click on the tabs below to read more about the available programs:
Eating Disorders
Who is the program for?
The Eating Disorders Inpatient Program is specifically designed to assist people with eating disorders. These include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED).
How will it help me?
This specialised program provides a safe and trusting environment to foster the restoration of health, whilst assisting participants to develop an understanding of factors that maintain the disorder. The evidence based program incorporates nutrition education, emotion regulation and cognitive behavioural therapy, and creative arts therapies.
Dietitians work with participants to organise the nutritional component of the program with an emphasis on improving nutritional status and developing a peaceful relationship with food. An individualised eating plan will be developed on admission and will be reviewed regularly.
Participants will attend weekly café trips to address any feared foods and to engage in social eating.
Specific considerations
- Most participants will be expected to eat hospital food as per their eating plan
- The program incorporates general guidelines for eating behaviour and food choices
- For example, there are no low fat or diet products used on the unit and chewing gum, lollies, soft drinks and artificial sweeteners are not permitted.
- Specific food issues like vegetarian eating or allergies usually need to have pre-existed the eating disorder or be medically confirmed
- Vegan diets are not supported as it has a restricted range of foods and may be extremely bulky. It can be difficult for the patient to eat large amounts of food during re-feeding in order to meet nutritional requirements. We advise that patients restore their health through eating a wide variety of nutritious foods. When recovered patients can return to veganism however, we recommend they consult an Accredited Practicing Dietitian to ensure their nutritional requirements are met.
When does the program run?
The inpatient eating disorders program runs on an ongoing basis. The length of the program for each participant is 6 weeks, with discharge planning commencing from admission to promote a recovery focused admission.
Please also see ‘More Information’ below for details on the Eating Disorders Day Program and Outreach Services.
How do I access the program?
A referral from your GP or Psychiatrist is required. A referral letter can be faxed to The Melbourne Clinic’s Intake service for triage. The fax number for intake is (03) 9420 9351
Please click HERE for further details on the referral process
More information?
Who is the program for?
Binge eating can affect people of all genders and all body types. It is characterised by the consumption of a large amount of food in a short period of time while accompanied by feelings of distress, guilt or shame; loss of control over eating; or feeling unable to stop the binge once it has started.
This program is suited to adults who experience binge eating and do not engage regularly in behaviours to compensate for bingeing, such as self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, excessive exercise or fasting. (For those who are experiencing compensatory behaviours after bingeing, please see information under the Eating Disorders tab above)
How will it help me?
Facilitated by highly experienced clinicians, this 4-week evidence-based program aims to help participants understand and address their binge eating in a safe and supportive environment.
The group component includes education sessions with a dietitian and psychiatry registrar, movement sessions with an exercise physiologist, family and relationships sessions with a social worker and art therapy sessions. In addition to this, participants will have a weekly individual session with the program’s dietitian.
The “Rise Up + Recover” app will allow participants to self-monitor daily thoughts and feelings related to food. This information is used during sessions with the dietitian to establish regular eating and identify unhelpful rules and beliefs about food that contribute to binge eating.
Participants will be encouraged to practice using skills developed in program, to help manage urges to binge and to cope with triggers.
When does the program run?
The Binge Eating Disorder Program runs 4 times per year. Please call (03) 9420 9340 to find out the next admission date.
Please also see ‘More Information’ below, for details on Outreach Services.
How do I access the program?
A referral from your GP or Psychiatrist is required. A referral letter can be faxed to The Melbourne Clinic’s Intake service for triage. The fax number for intake is (03) 9420 9351
Please click HERE for further details on the referral process
More information?
Who is the program for?
This three-week program is designed to assist those whom have eating disorders symptoms and issues of emotional regulation and distress tolerance which have made effective treatment problematic.
How will it help me?
This program offers the opportunity for eating disorder patients who have experienced longstanding difficulties managing emotions and coping with periods of distress. These difficulties may be impacting on quality of life, relationships, and self-worth.
The Eating Disorders Emotion Management Program combines and DBT skills and dietetics which aims to increase confidence to participate in independent eating combined with strategies to minimize any associated anxiety to these activities.
When does the program run?
The Eating Disorders Emotion Management Program runs throughout the year for 3 weeks.
See below in ‘How do I access the program’ for more information.
How do I access the program?
A referral from your GP or Psychiatrist is required. A referral letter can be faxed to The Melbourne Clinic’s Intake service for triage. The fax number for intake is (03) 9420 9351
Please click HERE for further details on the referral process
How much does it cost?
All referrals are subject to a health fund check prior to admission or commencing a program.
We have agreements with Private Health Funds, DVA, WorkCover and TAC however, self-funding is also an option.
Please do not hesitate to call us on 03 9420 9340 if you have any questions or wish to discuss your options in relation to cost.
More information?
- Day Program for Eating Disorders - Click HERE
- Outreach Services – Click HERE
- Email us - tmcintake@healthscope.com.au
Collaborative Care Skills Workshop
The Collaborative Care Skills Workshop is a six-week (plus follow-up) skills-based learning program involving six two-hour sessions for parents, siblings (16 years and over), partners, other family members and friends of a loved one with an eating disorder.