Help for Anorexia Eating disorder dietitians, by telehealth

No. You can book your first session today without a referral. A referral only matters if you want a Medicare rebate, which needs an Eating Disorder Plan or a Chronic Condition Management Plan from your GP. If you already have one, email it to admin@biteintofreedom.com.au and we do the processing. If not, your dietitian can tell you which plan fits and what to ask your GP for.

We are taking new clients. Live availability is shown on the booking page, so you can choose a time now rather than wait for a call back. If nothing on the calendar suits, speak with our teamcall 03 9001 9100 and we will look at what is opening up across the team.

Your first session is 60 minutes by video. Your dietitian asks about your eating across the day, the rules and fears around food and what you want to be different, then you agree on first steps together. Nothing you share is judged. You complete an online intake form after booking, and your dietitian sends a telehealth link the day before or the morning of your session. Review sessions after that are 45 minutes.

No. Eating disorders are mental illnesses, not weight illnesses. Atypical anorexia has the same fears and restriction as anorexia nervosa without being underweight, and it is just as serious. If food rules and restriction are running your life, that is enough to book.

Samantha Wright, Sarah Why and Gabriela Salant see all ages, including children and teens, so start by booking with one of them. For young people, parents are usually central to treatment, often through family based treatment (FBT), and our dietitians support you with carer education, practical help with meals at home and supported meals by video. If your child also needs a psychologist, Eliza Hartley and Felicity Staedler see all ages. If your child is refusing food or seems unwell, see your GP promptly.

If you live in Australia, yes. Our dietitians see clients by video, so you can work with an anorexia dietitian from home, whether you are in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin or a regional town. Medicare rebates apply to telehealth sessions the same way they do in person.

Your first session is 60 minutes and costs $220, with a Medicare rebate of $63.40 and an out of pocket cost of $156.60. Review sessions are 45 minutes and cost $190, with the same $63.40 rebate and an out of pocket cost of $126.60.

An Eating Disorder Plan covers up to 20 rebated dietitian sessions in a 12 month period. A Chronic Condition Management Plan covers up to 5 rebated allied health sessions per calendar year, shared across all allied health. Payment is taken from your stored card after the session, and your rebate is usually in your bank account within 1 to 3 business days. We do not bulk bill.

Book a long appointment with your GP and say you would like help for anorexia. Your GP checks the Medicare criteria, writes the plan and gives you a referral, and a psychiatrist or paediatrician can also prepare one. The plan covers up to 20 rebated dietitian sessions and up to 40 psychology sessions in 12 months. Email it to admin@biteintofreedom.com.au and we handle the processing.

Yes, if your NDIS plan is self managed or plan managed and includes funding for dietetics. Check with your plan manager or support coordinator first, then book an NDIS dietitian session. Some private health funds also cover dietetics under extras, and we give you an itemised receipt. You cannot claim Medicare and private health for the same session.

Your dietitian leads nutrition rehabilitation: rebuilding regular, adequate eating step by step, planning meals and snacks, working through fear foods and food rules, and helping you manage the physical discomfort that can come with eating more. A psychologist works on the psychological side, and we coordinate with your GP.

Often, yes. Many people with anorexia find a structured plan helpful early on: regular meals and snacks at set times, built up gradually and adjusted as you progress. It is a plan for eating enough, never a diet, and your dietitian shapes it with you.

That fear is valid, and it is a core part of anorexia. Treatment is collaborative, not coercive. Eating more is part of recovery and your dietitian will be honest about that, but every step is explained, planned with you and taken at a pace you can manage.

Not in sessions: as a telehealth practice we do not weigh you. Weight and medical monitoring usually sit with your GP, and with your consent your dietitian coordinates with them and talks it through with you openly.

Dietician is another spelling of dietitian, so a dietician for anorexia is the same thing. Nutritionist is different: anyone can use that title in Australia. An Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) has a university degree in dietetics, meets Dietitians Australia standards for ongoing training and can offer Medicare rebated sessions. Every dietitian at Bite Into Freedom is an APD.

Atypical anorexia has the same fears, rules and restriction as anorexia nervosa, but the person is not underweight. It is just as serious, it can cause the same medical problems, and it is treated with the same care.

Yes. Research shows telehealth for eating disorders performs comparably to in person care, and Medicare rebates apply to video sessions the same way. Your dietitian can support meals in your own home, where eating decisions actually happen, while your GP handles physical checks.

Anorexia can affect your heart, blood pressure and other parts of your body, sometimes before you feel unwell. When eating increases after a long period of restriction, your body also needs checking, so your GP monitors your physical health, including blood tests where needed, and with your consent your dietitian coordinates with them.

Our dietitians provide outpatient care by telehealth. If you need more support than regular sessions, such as a day program or hospital care, your dietitian will work with you and your GP to find the right level of care.

We are not a crisis service and cannot respond urgently. In an emergency call 000. For support right now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 33 4673.