Louise Grech

Louise is a fat-affirming, size inclusive Dietitian, Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician (CEDC), Certified Practicing Counsellor and Supervisor.

With almost 20 years experience working as a dietitian Louise is now a dual registered dietitian and counsellor able to provide Dietitian informed counselling sessions. Whilst she will always be a dietitian at the core, her counselling sessions can unpack and explore the issues that contribute to food and body distress. She works with clients with long standing eating disorders, those who are in a big body and have experienced weight stigma, those who have been harmed from eating disorder treatment in the past, who identify as neurodivergent and want to understand their eating and body patterns through this lens. She is also passionate about supporting those in peri-menopause who are struggling with the immense changes occurring and feel overwhelmed with the
information out there.

Louise’s counselling is grounded in compassion, curiosity, courage and depth. She offers a nourishing space to land, feel seen and supported, and make sense of your patterns, not from a place of “fixing you”, but from a trauma-informed, harm- mininimisation and de-pathologising approach.

Louise sits alongside her clients with empathy and nurturance and understands the impact trauma can have on their recovery pathway. She takes a person centred and de-pathologising approach, and highly values the therapeutic relationship as a conduit to progress.

Louise acknowledges she benefits from the unearned privileges of her straight-size, skin colour, gender identity, able body, education, and class, and she is committed to her ongoing learning.

Louise is an avid reader and book collector and is well known for her immense love of all things cats. You may also find her out and about in Melbourne drinking coffee, eating sweets and tap dancing.

A message from Lou

My therapy style is deeply embodied, somatic, and experiential. This means we can work not only through talking and thinking, but also through body-based awareness, emotions, parts work, symbols, and creative exploration where appropriate.

As a dietitian-counsellor, we can delve more deeply into how these have impacted your experience.

How is this different to other dietetic support for eating disorders?

Many dietitians (especially those trained in eating disorders) can hold supportive discussions around the things that impact a client’s relationship to food and body. However, as a dual-qualified counsellor and dietitian, I can expand the scope of
sessions beyond holding the space and explore what’s under the surface when needed. There is less rigidity when working with your body image/experience as it doesn’t have to be linked back to food and eating if it’s not appropriate to do so.

In other words: we’re not limited to the “tip of the iceberg”.

With your consent, we can explore why the pattern is there, what it is protecting, and what your system needs in order to shift safely.

What can I expect in sessions?

A supportive, trauma-informed space grounded in compassion and curiosity. Sessions may include psychoeducation, exploring patterns, and embodied and creative/experiential approaches.

Are you a dietitian or a counsellor?

I hold qualifications and registrations for both, allowing me to offer practical nutrition support as required alongside diving deeper into the emotional/psychological layers surrounding eating, nourishment and body concerns. At the start of working together, we’ll clarify whether your sessions are best approached as dietetic support, counselling support, or a blend of both, depending on your goals.

What does “expanded scope” actually mean?

It means we can integrate:

• Therapeutic exploration of underlying drivers
• Embodied and experiential techniques to support body healing
• Self-awareness work that connects behaviour to your inner world and body story
• Nutrition strategies and education when needed

This can create deeper insight and allow change to be more sustainable, because we’re working with the whole system, not just surface behaviours.

Who is this likely to suit?

We may be a good fit it you:

• Want a more compassionate and expansive approach to eating and body concerns
• Are ready for deeper self-understanding
• Prefer a therapeutic approach that includes body-based awareness
• Have already had extensive dietetic support and nutrition education in the past and are looking to move beyond this

Who may not be suitable?

This may not be the best fit if you:

• Are after specific nutrition information and intervention
• Want a prescriptive meal plan without deeper exploration
• Are currently in a situation requiring urgent, intensive mental health support (for example, crisis-level support)
• Need specialist psychiatric care or diagnostic assessment as the primary focus

If I’m not the right fit, I will always support you to find the care that best matches your needs.

Medicare rebates

• Mental Health Care Plans: Not available for counselling sessions, only available for psychologists.
• Dietetic rebates: May be available via EDMP (Eating Disorder Management Plan) if eligible

How is this different to seeing another dietitian?

As well as nutrition support, I’m qualified to explore the deeper emotional and nervous system drivers behind eating patterns, allowing us to work with whatever comes up in session.

Are you a psychologist?

No. Psychologists can diagnose and treat mental health disorders and may offer Medicare rebates. My work is counselling-based, relational, and person-centred.

Do I need to see a psychologist as well?

Not always, but many people benefit from having both. My work can complement psychological support and deepen insights through an embodied, nourishment- focused lens.