About Julie

I was trained as a Dietitian over 30 years ago, and this has been my primary work since then. I am now training to be a Spiritual Director (or Spiritual Companion), which is about accompanying and supporting people through life’s ups and downs, with a spiritual focus.

Over the years I have had the honour to go deeper with clients than their presenting issue, being able to look at their issue in a completely different and holistic way. Once clients feel their food concerns are being managed, they often ask if I also offer counselling. I explain that I continue to undertake training in various counselling modalities but feel called more towards spiritual directing as the next step (and the study involved in this) than in completing the huge amount of study required to become a qualified counsellor.

With the above in mind I have decided to offer more in-depth services for clients requesting it. I will not be providing those services expected from a psychotherapist or psychologist but use my years of training and life experience to support you in the best way possible. If the areas arising in our sessions are more appropriate to be dealt with elsewhere, I will let you know and refer you on if you don’t already have someone you can go to.

Working with me…

There are 2 levels of working with me.

The first is straightforward – look at your eating and some basic changes you might like to make. This involves up to 5 sessions, of about 25 minutes to check in on how you are going and to look at challenges you may be facing. The eating concerns are not deep and are not having a significant impact on your quality of life and emotional wellbeing.

The second is more in-depth work, suitable for those wanting more, or those with significant issues with eating (usually involving the way we think about food).

What does this mean?

These sessions are about creating an ongoing supportive relationship. My role is to provide an atmosphere of safety, trust and openness through active listening, reflection and guidance where appropriate, although always drawing on your own inner wisdom. My focus will be on holistic health – physical, psychological and spiritual. If any issue falls outside my area of expertise and experience, I will let you know and refer you on.

In summary, it is a health professional meets personal growth and development, looking at what you value most in your life, and the sort of person you are and wish to be more of.

Understanding and Expectations of the in-depth sessions

1. Appointments are usually 45-60 minutes (an hour will be allowed).
2. There will be fees involved, based on my current fee schedule for a 45-minute appointment – these can be negotiated depending in individual needs. If you feel the sessions are worth more, feel free to pay more (if able), so I can offer those in need more support.
3. You are expected to keep scheduled appointments, and as with my other work a $65 cancellation fee will apply if inadequate notice is provided. It is your responsibility to reschedule.
4. The recommended frequency of sessions is every 4-5 weeks for maximum benefit with a mutual review after the first 6 of these sessions, to ensure that it is working for both of us. Review is recommended more frequently for those with acute and life-threatening eating disorders.
5. If either one of us feels this format is not working, we can then end with understanding and mutual respect at the conclusion of the session or you can contact me before the next scheduled session.
6. All information is to be held sacred and confidential. No release of information may be made to third parties except by your consent, or where it is legally and/or ethically required, as in cases of actual or suspected abuse, or other risk of injury to myself, to a minor, or to any third party.

Reflecting prior to the sessions

Find a quiet space and reflect on how your life is going at the moment.

You might like to respond to some of the following:

• How is my body feeling?
• How is my mood?
• How is my spirit feeling?
• What is the general tone of my life lately?
• What would I like to focus on today?

Julie as a Dietitian…

The best way to think about an experienced Dietitian is a as a Food and Eating Behaviour Therapist or Counsellor – yes we know all the latest science on nutrition and we also know and understand the way people eat, and why they eat in the way that they do. People don’t eat well just based on their nutrition knowledge (if it was that easy!), instead they eat particular foods for many reasons, in all sorts of ways, and on a variety of occasions.

Research shows that people need to build their eating skills, understand their thinking around food, understand their body and then, they can apply the nutrition knowledge. We need a strong, caring and compassionate approach to our food and body in order to change at our core, and permanently!

After 30 years working as a Dietitian I have seen people with all sorts of food worries and concerns, taking over their lives, especially in this food and body obsessed culture, and I know it doesn’t have to be like this. I am passionate about helping others access this knowledge and leave behind their own unhelpful food beliefs.

Relief is experienced from the very first appointment as people begin to understand their own food and body beliefs.  My goal is to work in a way that honours each individual, where they have been and where they are now, as they find peace with food.

Using my experience as a Dietitian, ongoing counselling training and a commitment to my own personal development, I can work with you to create a peaceful and transformative relationship with food.

Areas I can assist you with include, but are not limited to the following:

• Any food worries, whether it is practical issues in what to eat in our confusing nutrition world, or emotional / psychological issues related to food.
• Eating Disorders – Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, or any other in between
• Newly diagnosed Diabetes – making sense of often contradictory or complex information – tailoring to your needs
• Any gut issues -indigestion, bowel concerns
• Clarifying a healthy diet – just for you!

The boring bit …

An Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) is a qualified health professional who knows about food and health, and can help you sort through all the confusing information that is around. A Dietitian is an expert in interpreting scientific knowledge about food in relation to health (or disease), and translating this into practical information, considering the social and psychological factors that influence our eating patterns.

A Dietitian undergoes at least 4 years of University training , and then has to maintain a minimum amount of ongoing education each year to remain accredited (30 hours per year).

Basic background: I qualified in 1987, and worked at Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute before moving to a local hospital (Maroondah) while I started my family. Wanting to specialise more in the psychology of eating, I worked at Austin Health in the Adult Eating Disorder and Psychiatric Unit before beginning in Private Practice in 2005, in order to help a wider variety of people with their eating behaviours.

Additional Training

“If Not Dieting” Professional training
Use of the low FODMAP (Fructose) diet for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Mental Health First Aid
CBT and Motivational Interviewing for Eating Disorders