Eatlovelive.com.au Josephine Gibson, Body Image, Eating Disorders, disordered eating,

Some people have a foolish way of not minding, or pretending not to mind, what they eat. For my part, I mind my belly very studiously, and very carefully; for I look upon it, that he who does not mind his belly will hardly mind anything else.

James Boswell, Life of Johnson (1791)

About Eat Love Live (ELL) and Services:

Eat Love Live is a Team of health professionals who specialise in eating disorder treatment and support with disordered eating, non dieting weight management and general health, nutrition and well being. Eat Love Live was founded by Josephine Gibson, a passionate dietitian with a passionate interest in helping others. Jo continues to work with clients on a one to one basis and is also working on growing the Eat Love Live team and avaliable resources.

Meet The ELL Team:

Josephine Gibson (Jo),

Director ELL

Accredited Practicing Dietitian

Diane Rennard

Accredited Practicing Dietitian

Dr Leah Brennan

Clinical, Health, Educational & Developmental Psychologist

About Jo:

Accredited Practicing Dietitian

Accreditied Nutritionist

Clinical Dietitian

Eating DIsorder Specialist

Eat Love Live Director

Josephine is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist with experience in a wide variety of areas including clinical, community, private and public health. Jo has experience working with individuals and groups as well as in resource development, program development, group facilitation and public speaking. A dietetic consultation can be helpful to anyone who wants to improve their health and nutrition through food and lifestyle change. When faced with illness or a specific health concern, sorting through complex information and advice about diet can require specialist help.

Living in a society so focused on health can result in many conflicting messages in the media. As a dietitian, Jo can support clients to understand the basics of food and nutrition so they are better able to learn the facts and continue to make ongoing lifestyle changes.

Jo aim's to work collaboratively with her individual clients in developing a more positive relationship with food through the development of realistic, sustainable strategies and goals. Improved physical and psychological health is the ultimate goal.

Jo has experience supporting clients with a wide range of clinical medical conditions including diabetes, elevated cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure, bowel disturbances and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Overall, Jo has a non-dieting approach to weight management which involves working with people to improve their overall relationship with food and to reconnect with the body's hunger and satiety cues.

Jo is currently enjoying working with individual clients with a variety of issues across the spectrum of disordered eating. Jo has a strong interest and extensive experience working with Body Image, , Eating Disorders, as well as a non- dieting approach to weight management. She has worked with the Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria in education of school staff, health and fitness workers and coaches in early identification, intervention and prevention of Eating Disorders and the fostering of an environment to support the development of a positive body image.

More recently Jo has worked clinically on the Eating Disorders Unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Locums for the Eating Disorder Program at The Melbourne Clinic. This has helped further develop her experience across numerous settings - working with individuals, groups and families from intensive inpatient, day program, outpatient and ongoing care Jo's focus is upon the development and use of evidence based supportive approaches as well as offering education and support of behaviour change for clients and their families.

Jo also works with other mental health conditions which can impact on lifestyle, health and weight. These range from working with clients experiencing weight gain as a side effect of medication to minimizing the impact of disease through positive choice and behavioural change.

Jo has experience working with children, pre-adolescents, adolescents, adults and their family and carers. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team (such as a GP or psychologist) to support people to make positive changes in their relationship with food is advantageous. It is important to recognize that many other factors can manifest in negative eating behaviours and food beliefs and that support from medical practitioners, mental health workers, social workers and support for families is important.

Jo has completed professional development in counselling skills, CBT, ACT, Mindfulness , ASSIST and Mental Health First Aid; This has helped her develop skills in complementary psychological therapies in order to assist clients to make positive nutritional changes.

About Diane:

Accredited Practicing Dietitian

Accredited Nutritionist

Eat Love Live Team Member

Diane is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) and Accredited Nutritionist.

Throughout her life Diane has maintained a keen interest in and passion for food and its relationship to health and disease.

Diane is highly skilled in communicating specialist advice in a practical way to people of all ages and at different stages of life. Her experience includes clinical nutrition, group education, group facilitation, health promotion and resource development. Diane has worked in a variety of settings including Community, Private and Public Health.

Diane aimes to assist clients to improve their health through better food choices and lifestyle modification. Diane is experienced in providing support for those diagnosed with specific medical conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes, Elevated cholesterol, Triglycerides, Hypertension, Irritiable bowel syndrome, food intolerances and Coeliac disease.

For those seeking advice for general health and well being Diane can provide sensible and non-prescriptive advice about food and nutrition and can assist with dispelling food myths and erroneous information commonly found in the media.

Diane believes that “You are how you eat”. When assisting client's with weight management Diane uses a non-dieting approach with a focus on eating behaviour and normalising eating, in doing so clients learn how to respond to their body's natural cues of hunger and satiety and to develop a healthier relationship with food.

Diane's key area of expertise is in Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating. She has worked exclusively as Dietitian and Senior Clinician for the Mandometer Clinic in Melbourne, a treatment model for Eating Disorders developed at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Sweden. The model is behaviour based and focuses on normalising eating.

Through her training at the Karolinska Institute and her experience working with individual sufferers and their families she and has developed a sound understanding of eating disorders and their treatment. Earlier this year Diane returned to Sweden for further training in the treatment of Obesity.

To enhance her skills in facilitating behaviour change and to gain greater insight into the counselling role Diane has completed professional development in Health Coaching, Motivational Interviewing, Mental Health First Aid for Adolescents and is currently undertaking training in Counselling Skills at The Cairnmillar Institute.

Phone (03)9560 9372 to appoinment with Diane at The Melbourne Sports Medicine Centre today!

Dr Leah Brennan

Clinical, Health, Educational & Developmental Psychologist

Dr Leah Brennan is an experienced clinical and health psychologist who takes a cognitive-behavioural (CBT) approach to helping people understand and change their thoughts, feelings and behaviours relating to eating, weight and body image. CBT is an effective, evidence-based psychological approach to promoting health behaviour change and improving mental health. Leah recently joined the Centre for Bariatric Surgery to offer additional support to patients.

Leah has worked extensively in both hospital and community settings helping adults, adolescent and children with overweight and obesity and/or disordered eating and eating disorders understand and change their health behaviours to improve their physical and mental health. She has also been involved in the clinical training of many psychologists with an interest in eating, weight and body image.

Leah is passionate about helping patients receive the best available evidence-based treatment. She has conducted a range of research projects exploring the role of psychology in understanding and treating overweight and obesity and/or disordered eating and eating disorders in children, adolescents and adults. She is currently working as a Senior Research Fellow with the Centre for Obesity Research and Education.

In addition to her clinical and research roles, Leah is actively involved in a number of professional bodies aimed at improving the understanding and treatment of overweight and obesity and/or disordered eating and eating disorders. She is a member of the council of the Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society and sits on the board of the Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria. Recently Leah led the establishment of the Australian Psychological Society's Psychology of Eating, Weight and Body Image Special Interest Group.

Phone (03) 9903 0941 To make an appoinment today!

1st Floor, Glen Iris Private

314 Warrigal Road, Glen Iris.
VIC 3146

email: drleahbrennan@gmail.com

Information About Dietitians:

What is an accredited practicing dietitian?

Accredited Practicing Dietitians' (APD) are recognised health professionals with the skills to convert scientific knowledge and research into practical strategies to improve health through diet and lifestyle.

APD's work with individuals, groups or at a public health level. They have the skills to use nutrition and lifestyle modification to treat clinical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, allergy, gastro-intestinal issues and weight management.

APD's must have undertaken university study accredited by the Dietitians Association of Australian (www.daa.asn.au) and abide by DAA Code of Professional Conduct and Statement of Ethical Practice.

Why see An Eat Love Live Dietitian?

As clinical dietitian's the ELL Team provides education and support for people with a wide range of clinical issues such as:

Weight management through a non- dieting approach. This may include weight loss or gain, improving body image and body size acceptance
Gastrointestinal Nutrition including irritable bowel syndrome or malabsorption of lactose or fructose
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance Type 1, 2 or gestational Diabetes and metabolic syndrome
High cholesterol, high triglycerides, hypertension and other heart health problems
Iron deficiency anaemia
Women's health including menopause and osteoporosis
Healthy eating during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Childhood and adolescent nutrition
Nutritionally adequate vegetarian eating
Optimal nutrition for optimum energy and prevention of health complications
Supporting people to understand their disordered eating patterns and make changes towards more sustainable eating habits by creating a positive relationship with food
Supporting, motivating and educating people suffering with eating disorders to make necessary changes towards recovery at a pace which is appropriate for them
Working to improve people's relationship with food so they can eat in response to their hunger and satiety, free of guilt or compulsive compensatory behaviour.

What will happen at a session with an ELL dietitian?

Jo or Diane spends the initial session getting to know individuals and understand what they want out of the relationship with a dietitian by discussing their expectations and goals.

Jo or Diane will ask questions about an individual's medical history, physical and psychological symptoms and concerns. Information about past dieting, current eating patterns and activity levels will help determine current nutritional status and lead to recommendations to help to improve an individual's health and progression toward their goals.

Jo or Diane provides accurate, easy to understand information about nutrition helping to differentiate fact from fiction. Jo or Diane works with the client to set appropriate and achievable goals. Follow up sessions provide an opportunity to review progress, make further suggestions and amendments to an individuals nutritional intake, and provide ongoing motivation and support.

Jo or Diane can provide information and support to individual's family, friends or loved ones at their request, so that the person feels supported in between sessions.

Information About Psychology:

Why see a clinical or health psychologist?

Psychologists are experts in human behaviour. They help people understand their thoughts, feelings and behaviours and develop the skills needed to improve their functioning and prevent future problems. They assist people with everyday problems such as stress, health and relationship difficulties and also treat those with mental health problems.

Health psychologists are specialists in health behaviour change. Many clients concerned about their weight and shape find it difficult to change their health behaviours (e.g., eating, exercise, sleeping). They may find that their old unhealthy habits are hard to change and/or that the way they are thinking and feeling makes change difficult. Effective treatment, such as cognitive behaviour therapy, can help establish healthier behaviours, improve weight management efforts and enhance quality of life.

Clinical psychologists specialise in the treatment of mental health problems. Many clients concerned about their weight and shape also suffer from depression, anxiety and/or eating disorders. Effective treatment, such as cognitive behaviour therapy, can help alleviate the symptoms of mental health problems, improve weight management efforts and enhance quality of life.

What does psychological treatment involve?

Consultation with a clinical or health psychologist typically involves:

Discussing your issues and concerns
Exploring how your thoughts, emotions and behaviours relate to these concerns and how they may be contributing to your difficulties
Identifying the changes that you would like to make
Learning more effective ways of controlling and coping with difficulties situations
Implementing changes that help you achieve your goals, enhance wellbeing and alleviate problems
Evaluating the success of treatment and making changes as necessary

What is cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)?

CBT is a form of psychotherapy that emphasises the important role thinking has in how we feel and what we do. It is based on the belief that most unhealthy ways of thinking and behaving have been learned over a long period of time. CBT helps you learn to identify and change unhelpful and unhealthy ways of thinking and behaving. CBT is one of the most effective psychological approaches to treating mental health problems (e.g., depression, anxiety, eating disorders) and promoting changes in health behaviours (e.g., eating, physical activity, sleeping). Treatment is generally brief, lasting 10 to 20 sessions.

Feel free to contact Jo , Diane or Leah to discuss your needs and ensure that you feel comfortable working with them. Making diet and lifestyle changes is a difficult process which requires commitment and persistent.

Having the right health professional to support you is very important.

Health professionals are a bit like shoes- if the fit isn't right- you won't use them!

Services Available:

Individual Consultations (family and friends welcome to attend):

Jo works with the team at Melbourne Sports Medicine Centre (www.melbsportsmed.com.au) in Collins Street, Melbourne providing individual consultations On Tuesdays - Fridays (inclusive).

Bookings can be made by phoning (03) 9650 9372.

Diane is also at Melbourne Sports Medicine Centre (www.melbsportsmed.com.au) in Collins Street, Melbourne providing individual consultations On Mondays.

Bookings can be made by phoning (03) 9650 9372.

Jo is available Saturday mornings at The Essendon Foot Clinic, 961 Mt Alexander road, Essendon

Bookings can be made by phoning 0407 822 106.

Contact your private health fund to see if you are eligible for a rebate for seeing a dietitian. A limited number of Medicare rebates are available for some chronic conditions if referred under an Enhanced Primary Care plan. Contact your GP to see if you are eligible for this program.

Leah is based in Windsor, 22 the Avenue.

For all enquiries and bookings please phone (03) 9903 0941

Corporate or Education presentation:

Eat Love Live is able to provide thought provoking lectures, seminars or workshops for a variety of groups including school students or staff professional development, corporate, community or medical conferences.

Please phone or email to discuss your organisations needs so that a presentation can be tailored to meet your intended session goals.