Through individual and group therapy, peer mentoring and community building, Eating Disorders Queensland (EDQ) aims to alleviate the impact of eating disorders for everyone concerned.

Eating Disorders Queensland understands that individuals, families, carers and loved ones recover at their own pace.

We value the important role that Medical and Psychiatric services can have in recovery from an eating disorder and offer our services as a partner, as well as alternative to the medical model, depending on client need.

We are an Eating Disorder Service located in Brisbane. EDQ is a statewide, community-based not-for-profit organisation.

Support options include therapeutic and psychosocial support for individuals, and coaching and community connection for carers.

EDQ also provides early intervention opportunities with community education events focussed on creating healthy relationships with food and our bodies.

We are passionate about eradicating weight stigma and diet culture.

Services Offered

Practitioners at EDQ are experienced and qualified, and are generally matched with clients on a next-available basis. Staff qualifications include Counselling, Mental Health Social Work, Social Work and Psychology.

Structured Psychological Therapy is available to individuals across Queensland (age 16 and over), either in person or via telehealth. This support option allows people to explore their underlying issues with skilled practitioners in a safe, therapeutic, and confidential environment.

Appointments are scheduled at a time that suits you and are generally booked for 60 minutes. Up to 20 fully funded sessions are available for anyone determined eligible, with no out-of-pocket expenses.
 
There is a waitlist to access individual Structured Psychological Therapy services. The length of this waitlist varies throughout the year. While on the waitlist you can attend some of the groups detailed below.

The EDQ 10-week Groups support individuals with eating disorders. The sense of community created in these groups and the story sharing by participants offers support and those suffering can often find the groups help to counter the sense of shame, guilt and isolation they feel.

The groups are held in a safe and supportive environment. These groups are open to people of all genders from age 16 years.

The 10-week group aims to create a safe and supportive environment. This allows people to explore some of the underlying reasons why we might be struggling with eating disorders. We look at a range of topics including feelings and needs, relationships and communication. Also how body image and how gender roles, cultural and family expectations might play a factor in eating disorders.

The group explores these different topics through discussions and expressively based therapeutic activities. These serve to increase our insight and build our support networks, skills and resources in our recovery journey.

Reasons for participating:
-Reduce experiences of isolation, shame and misinformation surrounding an eating disorder
-Receive support and understanding
-Explore personal issues that contribute to your eating disorder
-Explore our sense of self and identity separate from the eating issue
-Gain valuable insight into your own and others’ experiences
-Enhance your ability to seek support that will help you further in the process of recovery from an eating issue

Some aims of the group:
-Learning to recognise the internal critical voice and awareness of the role the critical voice plays
-Awareness of the relationship between feelings and over or under eating and body dissatisfaction
-An understanding of why diets don’t work
Understanding that recovery is a process


Recovery Warriors
A monthly group that includes activities and strategies for coping and staying connected. This group is facilitated by two practitioners and run online and in person.

Careful consideration is made in facilitating this group as it can often be the first time a client engages with EDQ services and gets insight into the counselling interventions used and the community that exists at EDQ. The group aims to support clients until they can move into more intensive therapy and support services.

Participants are introduced to various therapeutic and support interventions as well as providing ongoing recovery skills and reminders to help their recovery pathway.

Topics covered include:
-Understanding and working with emotions
-Exploring skills to do with opposite actions
-Relationship building
-Sensory modulation
-Connecting values to inner strength
-The role of society and stereotypes

Wise Choices
An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy based group program that runs for 11 weeks. It is facilitated by two practitioners and runs either online or in person. The group supports people who experience eating disorders or body image concerns to learn strategies to flexibly manage difficult thoughts and feelings.

Within a group setting, the program aims to support participants to develop skills to lead a life of healthy and meaningful relationships with self and others.

Topics covered include:
-Wise choices
-Avoidance and values
-Willingness and acceptance
-Awareness of thoughts
-Mindfulness of pleasure
-Awareness of emotions, sensations and urges
-Responding to emotions, sensations and urges
-Acting on values
-Obstacles and choice points

Fees and Payment

Individual counselling and groups are available for free. Once the initial allotment of free therapy sessions are used rebates from a variety of sources can be claimed to reduce the cost of ongoing treatment.

Services Offered To:
Adults
Teens

Payment:
Sliding Scale
Pro-bono

Online Counseling:
Yes