Live Training
The upcoming events at BodyMatters include:
Clinical Psychologist, Dr Carmel Harrison and Accredited Practising Dietitian, Mari Harrison present a two day workshop on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Binge Eating Disorder (CBT-BED). | Zoom, Friday 7 November and Friday 14 November 2025 9am to 4pm AEDT
Location: Via Zoom, Link to be provided prior to the event.
Price: $795.00 (GST and TryBooking Processing Fee included)
Date: Friday 7 November and Friday 14 November 2025
About the Course:
While Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is the first line treatment for BED, the evidence base has historically relied on very old CBT treatment manuals. The most comprehensive eating disorder treatment manual cognitive behavioural therapy – enhanced (CBT-E) is commonly believed to be the evidence base for BED treatment, however binge eating disorder is under-represented in many clinical treatment trials for CBT-E, despite it being considered the first line transdiagnostic treatment for eating disorders.
Additionally, significant limitations applying the manual to BED exist given the overvaluation of shape and weight (the core psychopathology of the transdiagnostic theory) is not a diagnostic criteria in BED. Only 50 percent of people with BED report the overvaluation, and dietary restraint is not the most common precipitant to binge eating in BED. Additionally, 50-75 percent of people with BED have higher weight and most commonly present to weight loss services and with an exclusion criteria of a BMI > 40 for CBT-E, significant limitations exist in current evidence base treatments for binge eating disorder and those with co-occurring clinical obesity.
The publication of a new treatment manual Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Binge Eating Disorder (2024) provides clearer guidance to clinicians working with binge eating disorder and higher weight as to navigating treatment in a complex landscape. In addition, the new international definition of clinical obesity (2025) provides further clarity around the known limitations of BMI alone in defining clinical obesity. This workshop provides the opportunity to reflect on this, the evolving evidence and implications for psychological and nutrition treatment.
Workshop Objectives:
- To expand your knowledge on BED more broadly understanding how it differs to Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.
- To develop a clear understanding of the unique content in CBT-BED compared to CBT-E including the treatment of overeating/dysregulating eating, eating for reward, addressing internalised weight bias, increasing movement, creating a helpful food environment, pursuing weight loss when medically indicated and addressing realistic expectations around weight. For the mental health clinicians in attendance, opportunity to role play the implementation these interventions will be given.
- To consider and build an understanding of contrasting perspectives on higher weight including clinical obesity treatments and weight neutral/Health At Every Size approaches, to enhance client centred practice and work on cohesion and communication between eating disorder services and clinical obesity services.
- To explore the complex relationship between BED and clinical obesity including building greater knowledge around common medical comorbidities including type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, polycystic ovarian syndrome and other metabolic disorders.
- To navigate when clients want to pursue weight loss and how to support them. Including touching on the role of GLP1s, bariatric surgery and behavioural weight loss interventions along with their pros and cons.
This workshop is multidisciplinary and open to psychologists, dietitians, mental health occupational therapists, general practitioners and other medical professionals. For the mental health clinicians who plan to deliver the CBT intervention, CBT-E is assumed knowledge. The content will primarily be psychological with nutrition content incorporated.
About the presenters:
Dr Carmel Harrison
Carmel is a Clinical Psychologist with a special interest in weight concerns and Binge Eating Disorder. Carmel has approximately ten year’s experience in private practice and completed her training at the Australian National University. She holds a Clinical PhD in Binge Eating Disorder and has published a number of academic journal articles on Binge Eating Disorder, and disordered eating more broadly. She is a Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician (CEDC) and a member of the Australian New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders and a board approved supervisor and offers training workshops and webinars in BED.
Mari Harrison
Mari is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician with over 25 years of experience in mental health, eating disorders, diabetes care, and metabolic & bariatric surgery (MBS). She has a keen interest in the intersection of MBS and eating disorders, dedicating her career to helping individuals with nutrition and eating behaviour concerns. As an educator, Mari enjoys sharing her knowledge and professional insights through workshops and webinars, empowering both her clients and fellow healthcare providers. Her unique combination of skills and knowledge in eating disorders and bariatric surgery makes her a trusted professional in the field.
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