Bulimia Treatment Bulimia recovery support, 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, what tends to happen before and after a binge and what you want to be different, then you agree on first steps together. There are no diets, and 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.

Start by booking a first session with one of our dietitians: you do not need a referral or a diagnosis. Bulimia nervosa help is a team effort, so many people also see one of our bulimia psychologists and keep their GP involved for physical checks. If you are not sure where to begin, speak with our teamcall 03 9001 9100 and we will help you choose.

Yes. Samantha Wright, Sarah Why and Gabriela Salant see all ages, so please book under 18s with one of them. Tiarna Foster sees clients aged 18 and over. For teens, parents are often part of treatment. If your teen also needs a psychologist, Tess Allen sees clients aged 12 and over, and Eliza Hartley and Felicity Staedler see all ages.

If you live in Australia, yes. Our dietitians see clients by video, so you can work with a bulimia dietitian from home, whether you are in Sydney, Brisbane, 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.

Yes. Bulimia nervosa is one of the conditions an Eating Disorder Treatment and Management Plan covers, if your GP assesses that you meet the Medicare criteria. It allows up to 20 rebated dietitian sessions and up to 40 psychology sessions in 12 months. If you are not eligible, a Chronic Condition Management Plan covers up to 5 allied health sessions per calendar year. A Mental Health Care Plan does not cover dietitians.

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 works on the eating side of the cycle: building regular, adequate meals so the pressure to binge eases, bringing back feared foods, and helping you manage urges to compensate after eating. It is a plan for eating enough, never a diet, and it works alongside therapy with a psychologist.

The cycle is kept going by restriction, emotional distress, shame and rigid food rules, which all feed each other. Breaking it usually starts with regular eating, which takes away the biological drive to binge, and with support for the triggers underneath. You do not have to do it alone, and you do not have to change everything at once.

Yes. Many people recover from bulimia with the right support, and bulimia recovery is more likely with regular eating and evidence based therapy such as CBT-E. Recovery takes time and is rarely a straight line, and setbacks are part of it rather than a failure.

Often, yes. A structured plan of regular meals and snacks helps many people break the cycle early on, and it is adjusted as you progress. It is a plan for eating enough, never a diet, and your dietitian shapes it with you.

No. Our care is weight neutral. Dieting is one of the strongest drivers of bingeing, so another diet or a weight loss goal would work against treatment. The focus is fewer episodes, a settled relationship with food and a body that trusts it will be fed.

Dietician is another spelling of dietitian, so a bulimia dietician 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.

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 work with your own kitchen and routine, and many people find the hard things easier to say from home.

Yes. Purging can upset the balance of salts in your blood, which can affect your heart, and it can also damage your teeth and throat. That is why your GP stays involved for physical checks, 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.