Freedom with Food

Forthcoming training events

The next open access event will be a half day introductory workshop held on Saturday 20th March 2021 1pm-4.30 pm in central Wellington. For details, see below under Eating Disorders, and other eating and body image issues: an introduction.

All training is based on the latest research as well as clinical experience. Most events are designed to be appropriate for every level: those new to these issues, as well as those wanting to refresh, update, or extend their knowledge (see the individual course details for any exceptions). For more information on costs and other details, you are invited to make contact.

Eating disorders and other eating issues: the fundamentals

This one hour presentation is for anyone who may encounter people with Eating Disorders and other eating issues in the course of their work. It is suitable for those new to the topic as well as those wishing to update, refresh or extend their knowledge.

Key learning points include:
✓ Understanding the relationship between eating disorders and other eating issues
✓ Identifying the main types of issues presented by clients: what they are, how they differ, and why this matters
✓ Myths and facts
✓ Understanding the world of your client
✓ How to answer questions about causes
✓ How to answer questions about recovery
✓ What you need to know — and what to do with this information
✓ Key ethical and safety issues

For more information, or to register for this event, you are invited to make contact.

Eating disorders, and other eating and body image issues: an introduction

Next course date: Saturday 20th March 2021 1pm-4.30 pm in central Wellington. This is a half-day introductory workshop for those in the helping professions who may encounter clients with eating and body image issues, including clients with diagnosed Eating Disorders, in the course of their work. It is suitable for those new to the subject as well as those wishing to update, refresh or extend their knowledge.

Key learning points include:
✓ The relationship between eating disorders and other eating issues
✓ Identifying the main types of issues presented by clients
✓ Understanding causes: the role of genes and the environment
✓ Assessing for risk 
✓ Developing a therapeutic alliance with your client
✓ Treatment services and multidisciplinary work
✓ What you need to know — and what to do with this information
✓ What recovery looks like
✓ Working ethically and self-care
✓ ANZAED eating disorder treatment principles & clinical practice standards


For more information, or to register for this event, you are invited to make contact.

Restricting: working with clients who restrict their food intake

This is a half-day introductory workshop for professionals working with clients whose issues include unhealthy restricting of the amount or type of their food intake (including those with Anorexia Nervosa and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)).

Key learning points include:
✓ Identifying your client's eating issues, and the role of diagnosis
✓ The effects of restriction
✓ Assessing for severity and risk
✓ The role of genes and the environment
✓ Types of treatment and the role of motivation
✓ Multidisciplinary work, and your role in the recovery team
✓ Supporting your client in making sustained behavioural change
✓ Relapse prevention
✓ Working ethically and self-care
✓ ANZAED eating disorder treatment principles and general clinical practice standards

For more information, or to register for this event, you are invited to make contact.

Purging: working with clients who use compensatory strategies

This is an introductory half-day workshop for practitioners working with clients who binge-eat and then use compensatory strategies (such as vomiting or laxative use), including clients with with Bulimia Nervosa and Purging Disorder. (Where clients are below a weight that is right for them, the workshop Restricting: working with clients who restrict their food intake is recommended instead.)

Key learning points include:
✓ Identifying your client's eating issues, and the role of diagnosis
✓ The effects of purging
✓ Assessing for severity and risk
✓ Assessing for predisposing, precipitating and perpetuating factors
✓ Developing a therapeutic alliance with clients who purge
✓ Key first steps and addressing ambivalence
✓ Facilitating behavioural change with clients who purge
✓ Facilitating cognitive change
✓ Facilitating skills for dealing with emotions
✓ Relapse prevention
✓ ANZAED eating disorder treatment principles and general clinical practice standards

For more information, or to register for this event, you are invited to make contact.

Bingeing: working with clients who eat compulsively

This is an introductory half-day workshop for practitioners working with clients who binge eat, including those with Binge Eating Disorder. (Where clients also use compensatory strategies, the workshop Purging: working with clients who use compensatory strategies is recommended instead.)

Key learning points include:
✓ Understanding Binge Eating Disorder and other forms of compulsive eating
✓ Assessing for predisposing, precipitating and perpetuating factors
✓ Developing a therapeutic alliance with clients who eat compulsively
✓ Key first steps and addressing ambivalence with these clients
✓ Faciliating behavioural change with clients with these clients
✓ Facilitating cognitive change
✓ Facilitating skills for dealing with emotions
✓ Understanding more about whether mindful eating and intuitive eating can be helpful
✓ Relapse prevention
✓ ANZAED eating disorder treatment principles and general clinical practice standards

For more information, or to register for this event, you are invited to make contact.

Working with female clients with body image issues

This is a half day workshop to support practitioners working with female clients who are experiencing body dissatisfaction and have no significant eating issues. (Please note that with respect to clients with body image issues who also have eating issues, attendance at one of the above half-day workshops is recommended instead.)

Key learning points include:
✓ Predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors for body dissatisfaction
✓ Navigating the empathy tightrope: developing a therapeutic alliance
✓ Understanding the relationship between a negative body image and your client's other issues
✓ Joint goal setting in a thin-obsessed world: Body confidence? Self-acceptance? 'Healthy at every size' (HAES) or a 'healthy size'?
✓ Facilitating cognitive change
✓ Using other strategies
✓ Understanding the role of your own body image

For more information, or to register for this event, you are invited to make contact.

For information about other training events, to request a customised in-house training for your team, or to be kept informed of future events (including online events) you are invited to make contact.