For all of our group services, all clients receive funded positions and do not need to make any payments. Similarly, all Carer & Key Support services are fully funded by Queensland Health and do not have an associated fee for participants. For individual therapeutic support, dietetic support, or peer support, there are three funding options available.

All clients are eligible to access up to 20 sessions of Structured Psychological Therapy funded by Queensland Health. Clients may also be able to access support using either an NDIS Plan or a Medicare referral. See Treatment for Individuals for more information. For guidance on your specific situation, please contact EDQ’s Care Navigator.

All new clients need to go through an intake process when they first connect with EDQ, before booking in an appointment. To get this process started, contact EDQ on 07 3844 6055, or email [email protected].

The intake process is three steps. We try to make this process as quick as possible, but there are often waiting lists for each step due to the high number of enquiries we receive.  

1. First we ask that you contact us, even if your doctor has written a referral letter. It is important to EDQ that it is your choice to come here. We will get your contact details and ask you to complete some paperwork.
2. Second, one of our practitioners will contact you for a ‘phone assessment’. This is a brief phone call to check that you are eligible for our services, and find out a little bit more about what kind of support might be most helpful for you at this time.
3. Thirdly, we will contact you to book in an intake appointment. We will ask you to attend this appointment in person if possible, or via telehealth if required. During this session (usually around 90 minutes) we get to know you a little bit more and will work with you to decide what treatment options you would like to try. If you are interested in a particular group or service, the practitioner will be able to put your name down on the contact list for the next availability.
4. After your intake appointment has been completed, you are able to start attending groups and/or seeing a practitioner, depending on availabilities.

If you are a carer or key support person, and you would like to speak with a Carer Coach, the process is slightly easier. You can either call on 07 3844 6055 and we can check if somebody is available immediately, or you can email us at [email protected].

One of the Carer Coaches will then get in touch as soon as they are available to arrange a suitable time to speak with you.

The Eating Issues Centre (TEIC) and Eating Disorders Association (EDA) merged in October 2018, creating the largest community service in Queensland – Eating Disorders Qld Previously, TEIC and EDA were Eating Disorders Qld, now based in South Brisbane, is a state-wide not-for-profit organisation funded by Queensland Health. We offer provide support and offer treatment for individuals living with and recovering from eating disorders, their Carers and loved ones.

The eating disorder is an attempt to address a larger and more substantial trauma or conflict.

Through listening to those who come to us, we hear about their lives, their difficulties with food and their sense of themselves. Each story is unique, yet there are some important common areas. A fundamental and deep-seated loss of self-esteem; an experience loss of power and control over their lives; and contradictions and conflicts exist in their lives.

It is now widely recognised that eating disorders are caused by a complex interplay of individual, family, and social factors.

Five key factors can contribute to – and maintain – eating disorders. These are: society & culture (culture, community attitudes, influence of schools, workplaces, religion, etc.); gender (influence of perceptions, expectations and experiences around being female/male, or not fitting into gendered categories); family & personal relationships (influences from family, domestic situation, genetics, relationships, expectations and experiences etc.); individual (influences of your personality, thinking, your body, perfectionism, personal experiences etc.); and a complex interaction of some or all of the above factors. It is important to remember that eating disorders are not a choice; and that eating disorders are not anybody’s fault.

We offer a complementary but also alternative service to the biomedical model. Recognising the medical implications of eating disorders we encourage those with eating disorders to access appropriate medically based support alongside our therapeutic services. However, to use our service you do not need to be medically diagnosed with an eating issue nor do you need a referral from another medical practitioner.

We offer a range of services to help those affected by eating disorders in some way:

Eating Disorder Counselling, Carer and Family support and coaching, professional group therapy; peer mentor programs; talks & workshops; information & referral; training & resources.

There’s a lot we don’t know. But there are also a few things we do – and they include: the common age of onset is during adolescence, there are no known biological causes of eating disorders and eating disorders occur predominately within Western countries. It is now widely recognised that eating disorders are caused by a complex interplay of individual, family, and social factors.

5 key factors can contribute to – and maintain – eating disorders. These are: society & culture; gender; family & personal relationships; individual; and a complex interaction of some or all of the above factors.

Absolutely not! Eating Disorders Queensland provides access to individual counselling, information and referral and resources to those of all genders. We are also open to creating groups tailored to specific experiences e.g. a men’s group. If this is something you’d like to be a part of, please let us know.

We do not have a weight or BMI requirement, and you are not required to have a diagnosis or referral before  contacting EDQ.

For carers/key supports: You must be a current Queensland resident. The person you are supporting with an eating disorder does not need to meet any of the above eligibility criteria. They do not have to be a current client of EDQ.

• EDQ requires 48 working hours’ notice of cancellation for all appointments.
• In the event of 3 late cancellations or no-shows, your practitioner will discuss other support options with you before booking another appointment.

Yes, you can! We see clients with all kinds of eating disorders. You do not need to have any particular diagnosis, or meet any BMI or weight criteria to be eligible for treatment.

No. While we encourage you to include your friends and family in treatment where possible, we know this can be a big step for you to take. We will not contact family/friends on your behalf. We will ask you to list at least one emergency contact.

You can find more information on our privacy and confidentiality here. (link: https://eatingdisordersqueensland.org.au/feedback-privacy-and-rights/)

No, you don’t. We just ask that you contact us and let us know you would like to connect with EDQ.