Psychologist & Family Therapist
Rebecca (Bec) is a registered Psychologist at BodyMatters. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) (Honours), she is a member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc. (AAPi), she is a Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician (CEDC) with the Australia and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZAED) and she is a board approved supervisor with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA).
With a naturally empathetic and caring nature Bec enjoys working with a range of eating disorder presentations, and with clients from varied backgrounds and age groups. She takes a flexible approach to treatment, working collaboratively with her clients to individually tailor sessions to their needs. Bec believes that the therapeutic relationship is key to success in treatment. Her therapy style is relaxed, and person centred with a focus on being relational and genuine with her clients. She incorporates evidence-based therapies including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Enhanced-CBT (CBT-E), Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness and motivational approaches. Bec understands that seeking treatment for an eating disorder can be incredibly difficult, and that ambivalence is often a barrier to accessing, or progressing in treatment. She believes in providing a safe and non-judgmental space for her clients to explore their own motivations to recover and to assist them in moving toward a life that is meaningful and aligned with their values. Bec supports the Health at Every Size (HAES) approach and works from a non-dieting framework.
In addition to working individually with clients, Bec is trained in Maudsley Family Based Therapy (MFBT) and offers support to families with a child or adolescent experiencing an eating disorder. MFBT is the treatment of choice for young people who are restricting food and/or losing weight. It harnesses parents as a vital resource in supporting their child’s recovery. Siblings are also included in treatment.
Bec has recently relocated interstate and therefore currently provides services via telehealth only. Telehealth also allows her to work with clients who do not have any local specialised services by removing the hours of travel previously required to seek support. Telehealth works in much the same way as face-to-face therapy; however, it is completed via videoconference online and all resources can be sent via email.
Bec is passionate about changing the conversation when it comes to eating and body image issues in our society and she is a fierce advocate for girls and women both professionally and personally. Bec has spent close to a decade working across a range of treatment settings including private practice, outpatient and day programs, inpatient programs and in schools.
Bec’s experience includes working as a therapist in Butterfly‘s Treatment Programs for eating disorders. During her time at Butterfly, Bec worked across both the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and the Youth Program and she was comprehensively trained in meal therapy, providing meal support to clients and their families both onsite and offsite. Bec facilitated group therapy sessions for clients and their families, and she was a key contributor to the IOP program’s content and development. During her time with Butterfly, Bec was fortunate to receive both in-person and teleconference supervision and training from Carolyn Costin herself, founder of the well-known Monte Nido Eating Disorder Treatment Centres in the USA.
Bec has also previously worked as a psychologist at Ramsay Clinic Northside, in the eating disorders inpatient unit and the day program. In this role, Bec facilitated the group therapy program for inpatients and day patients, in addition to providing psychological support as needed to patients to assist them throughout their treatment at the clinic.
When she is not at BodyMatters, you can find Bec working as a school psychologist in a girl’s school. In this role, Bec focuses on working with adolescents to manage general mental health concerns, neurodivergence, learning difficulties and to increase their psychological wellbeing throughout their school years. Bec is passionate about building resilient young people and working in the prevention and advocacy space with adolescents.
Bec is available for telehealth appointments at BodyMatters on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Bec can also be contacted for supervision inquiries.
You can read more about Bec here.