CENTRE FOR EATING, WEIGHT & BODY IMAGE
Rural and Remote Outreach
Bringing Equitable Eating Disorder Care to Rural and Regional Australia
We are dedicated to bringing high-quality, evidence-based eating disorder treatment to people in rural and remote communities.
We understand the challenges of accessing specialised care in these regions, and we’re committed to bridging that gap.
Access Specialised Eating Disorder Care, Anywhere
Our telehealth services are specifically designed to provide expert care for eating disorders, ensuring that people receive the same level of support as those in the city. We make it possible for people to access best-practice evidence-based treatments from wherever they live or work.
Building Strong Community Connections
We collaborate with local General Practitioners (GPs) and other health practitioners (e.g., dietitian, exercise physiologist, psychiatrist, surgeon) to deliver a network of care that is integrated into communities. Our approach ensures that people receive coordinated, comprehensive support, tailored to the specific needs of their area and focused on their eating disorder recovery.
Equitable Access to Quality Eating Disorder Treatment
Everyone deserves access to specialised, high-quality care for eating disorders, regardless of their location. We are dedicated to providing equitable treatment that meets the same standards as those available in metropolitan areas, ensuring that rural communities are not left behind.
Meet Our Clinical Director: Professor Leah Brennan
At the heart of our outreach program is Professor Leah Brennan, our passionate Clinical Director, who also leads our sister company, Yarrawonga Mulwala Psychology. Leah has dedicated her career to improving access to high-quality, evidence-based treatment for eating disorders across Australia.
After moving back to her home town in 2018 Leah realised how hard it was for rural people to access high quality specialised care. This sparked her commitment to improving access to best-practice mental health care in rural and remote communities.
Leah’s work has been instrumental in bringing specialised care for eating disorders to those in rural and remote areas, ensuring that geography is not a barrier to receiving the best possible treatment. Leah has also led important research demonstrating that telehealth can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy when conducted well. Combined, these evidence-based approaches have been key to our outreach efforts, allowing us to deliver high-quality eating disorder treatment to rural communities.
Leah's dedication was recently recognised with the Australian Psychological Society's Significant Contribution to Rural and Remote Communities award.
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In addition to her focus on eating disorders at CEWBI, Leah oversees the broader psychological services offered through Yarrawonga Mulwala Psychology. This extension of CEWBI enables us to provide comprehensive mental health support that complements our specialised eating disorder treatment.
Through both CEWBI and Yarrawonga Mulwala Psychology we are able to ensure that our services are accessible, evidence-based, and tailored to the specific needs of rural Australians, particularly those seeking specialised care for eating disorders.
