Naina Varma (APD, CEDC)

She/They

Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD)

Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician (CEDC)

Naina is a size inclusive Accredited Practising Dietitian, researcher, activist and advocate for an equitable healthcare system free of weight discrimination. She is currently engaging in a research project exploring size inclusive care in Australia’s healthcare system with Deakin University.

Naina brings her experience from public health from metro and regional Australia, understanding of social determinants of health and passion for research. Naina resides in a larger body and has lived experience with medical, societal and political fatphobia and weight discrimination. Naina identifies as a woman of colour and queer, she hopes to bring her lived experience to practice to help clients feel seen and validated.

Naina is passionate to support people develop a positive and healthy relationship with food, body and health. She demonstrates commitment to practice and supporting clients to feel home in their bodies and advocate for body autonomy.

Naina engages in regular clinical supervision, reflective practice and therapy to ensure she can show up best to her clients and self.

Qualifications:	Professional memberships:
Bachelor of Health Science Master of Dietetic Practice Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician (CEDC)	Size Inclusive Health Australia® Australia New Zealand Academy of Eating Disorders Dietitian’s Australia (Accredited Practising Dietitian) Mental Health Practitioners Network (MHPN) Eating Disorders Victoria Group National Eating Disorder Collaboration (NEDC)
Areas of special interest:	Naina has completed professional development in the following areas:
Size inclusive practice Working with clients at a higher weight Culturally inclusive care and decolonising food/health beliefs Trauma informed lens Body image distress Paediatric feeding and growth concerns Eating disorders and disordered eating Neurodiversity affirming care Size inclusive diabetes support Gender diversity and supporting the LGBQTIA+ community	Enhanced Cognition Based Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E) Motivational interviewing Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) Mental Health First Aid Body Image: The Missing Pieces of Body Healing Size inclusive care to support chronic disease (such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and renal disease) The Non-Diet Approach for Dietitians Neurodivergence training Trauma informed care IBS and Low FODMAP Diet Women’s health i.e. PCOS, Endometriosis, fertility treatments Paediatric feeding and nutritional concerns

BOOKING DETAILS:

Please note clients need to be 15+ or older to see Naina for eating disorder care and 5+ for general paediatric care.

Naina is currently accepting new clients.

To make a booking with Naina, you can contact reception or book online via:

Phone: (03) 9087 8379

Online booking system: Naina's online booking link

Availability:

Naina is available for consultation on:

Fridays (in person and telehealth)

You can fill out a pre assessment Questionnaire here.

Please send all referrals to:

Email: reception@eatlovelive.com.au

Fax: (03) 9088 0249

What will happen at the first session with an Eat Love Live Dietitian?

EAT LOVE LIVE POLICY

We require that all clients be linked in with regular medical support to ensure their ongoing medical safety.

We require clients to be engaged with or planning to engage with psychological support to ensure that we are providing safe, ethical and evidence-based support.

AGE LIMITS FOR ACCEPTING NEW REFERRALS:

Please note some practitioners have boundaries on the age of clients they will accept as new referrals.

We request that for all new clients aged 15 years and younger that a pre-assessment questionnaire be completed to assist us in triaging the young person and family.

For all clients aged 15 or younger we request that the initial assessment be with the parents/ carer only.

Eating disorders do not just affect the person but families as a whole.

This is an important part of the assessment process and will help us to get a clear history of the development of the eating disorder and aid in setting up a treatment team and clear treatment goals moving forward.

Family Based Therapy/Treatment (FBT) is the gold standard for supporting children and adolescents with eating disorders. The Eat Love Live team are not trained in FBT or family therapy.

We can be an adjunct to this important treatment process, provide a safe space for discussion around meal planning, information about eating disorders, physical and psychological risks associated with the eating disorder, normal puberty changes to the body, guidelines to adequate amounts of nutrition and help clear many of the myths about food and bodies in our community.

We appreciate that accessing paediatric and adolescent services is difficult and there are long wait lists. As with all clients, we insist that all adolescents are linked in with a multidisciplinary team including a GP and a mental health clinician - be it a psychologist or psychiatrist. And we suggest that clients make the referral to CAMHS/CYMHS and / or private family therapy and be on the waiting list for this support.

Along with the GP or paediatrician we can provide information and support while families are waiting for this important more intensive support.

Parents can speak with their GP or Paediatrician about referrals to these supports.

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