Talking helps
Call 1800 ED HOPE, webchat or email.
We're open 8am – midnight (AEST), seven days a week.
Free and confidential support for anyone in Australia affected by an eating disorder or body image issue.
We're open 8am – midnight (AEST), seven days a week.
Free and confidential support for anyone in Australia affected by an eating disorder or body image issue.
| Police & Ambulance |
Lifeline | Kids Helpline |
| 000 | 13 11 14 | 1800 551 800 |
Our qualified counsellors are experienced in supporting you - whether you're experiencing an eating disorder or body image issue - or someone you care about is - with information, counselling, and guidance on treatment options.
We also provide information and referral pathways for clinicians.
Everyone’s experience of eating disorders or body concerns is different. We provide confidential support for:
Looking for referrals to health professionals with an understanding of eating disorders? Butterfly National Helpline can help you find professionals screened for an understanding of eating disorders.
Qualified professionals who have experience in treating eating disorders are invited to apply to be listed on our National Referral Database, to help ensure more people can receive appropriate treatment.
You can give us a call on 1800 33 4673 (1800 ED HOPE), send us an email to support@thebutterflyfoundation.org.au or connect with us on webchat.
We want to be there for you, however, as we don’t make appointments or set call times, the line may be busy from time to time.
If you try to contact us via phone and don’t get through, please leave a voicemail and a counsellor will return your call as soon as possible. Note that you are also welcome to send us an email.
For webchat, if you try to get through and can’t, please either call and leave a voicemail, or send us an email.
Anyone experiencing a body image issue, disordered eating or an eating disorder, their family and friends along with professionals such as psychologists, GPs, employers and teachers to name a few.
If you have a non-English speaking background, we have telephone translation and interpreting available, to enable you to use our Helpline service with more ease.
You can access the service by calling 131 450 and asking to be connected with the Butterfly Foundation.
If the Helpline is busy, the Helpline counsellors can call in an interpreter when they return your call.
The Translation and Interpreting Service website provides lots of information if you’d like to know more.
We can help with support, information, one-off or short-term counselling, guidance, referrals and/or resources.
If you’re not sure exactly what you need, but know you want to reach out about what is happening with you or someone else in relation to body image, disordered eating or an eating disorder, you are welcome to connect with us. We will guide you on how you might use our service.
If you are a health professional, you can use our service to get information and guidance to support your client presenting with eating or body image concerns. You can also access our database for referrals to other health professionals with eating disorder experience and resources that may helpful you and your client.
You will speak with a professionally-trained clinician who is passionate and skilled in supporting anyone concerned by eating disorders or body image issues. Our team includes registered and provisional psychologists, counsellors and social workers.
Given the nature of our service and the availability of counsellors, it is not possible to request to speak with a particular counsellor. We aim to give prompt support, guidance and information, and all counsellors have relevant training and an understanding of the impact of eating and body image issues.
You can give us a call, email or connect over webchat for:
Your conversation with us is confidential. However, if at any time we believe there is a significant risk of harm to you or another person, we may need to contact appropriate support agencies and share relevant information to keep you or someone else safe.
We respect your privacy and are committed to maintaining it. We collect your information only where necessary and relevant so we can provide you with our services and, subject to your permission, conduct research. Read our privacy policy.
If you wish, you can use our service anonymously by not sharing your name or contact details with us. However, we may receive some information automatically via your phone or computer including telephone number and/or IP address. We will only use this information if there is a serious risk of harm to you or another person and we need to notify relevant agencies.
We recognise body image and eating disorders are complex and understand that it may be helpful for you to contact our service more than once for support or guidance about your next steps. Please note that when we have a large number of people contacting us, we may need to limit the frequency or length of your interactions with us.
Our counsellors work as a team and if at any point they think ongoing contact is not helpful for your or not within the scope our Helpline service, they will discuss this with you and give you other options that may be more helpful.
Our team of clinicians (psychologists, provisional psychologists, counsellors and social workers), with specialised training in eating disorders, can give you information, referral options and pathways, resources and general guidance. For instance, you may be a teacher wanting information on how to best support a student, or a therapist wanting more information on eating disorder treatment best practice.
Please send your compliments, feedback or complaints to feedback@thebutterflyfoundation.org.au
It can be extremely difficult raising the subject of eating disorders with a friend or loved one. To be supportive one needs to learn what to say and what not to say.
We can help you with knowing when to talk to your friend and what to say. ›
Communicating your concern with your child about eating and dieting behaviour can be extremely difficult. Butterfly offers a range of services that can provide you with skills and information related to communicating with your child.
We can help you with recognising issues and what to do. ›
Teachers and those working with young people are often the first to become aware of dis-ordered eating behaviours. Butterfly Education provides early intervention and prevention skills for professionals working with young people.
We have a range of advice & resources ›