Eating Disorders
Suffering from an eating disorder can be a very lonely, distressing and confusing experience. Recovery from an eating disorder is possible and at various points throughout an individual's journey they intensity for treatment needs to match the strength of the illness.
Treatment for Eating Disorders
Most people sense that something needs to change in their life, that they cannot go on living with the restrictions that an eating disorder puts on their lives; but thinking about making a change and possibly breaking free from the disorder can also seem terrifying and for some, unimaginable.
Robina Private Hospital has a comprehensive eating disorder services offering a range of evidence-based treatment options for adolescents and adults with an eating disorder aimed to assist with recovery.
Inpatient Program
Robina Private Hospital Eating Disorder Service includes an 10 bed specialist unit for the treatment of Feeding and Eating Disorders. The multidisciplinary team of qualified health professionals are experienced and trained in understanding and treating Eating Disorders and will provide you with 24 hour care.
The 3 week Eating Disorders Inpatient Day Program (DP) is for adolescents (16+) and adults with a diagnosis of an Anorexia Nervosa; Bulimia Nervosa; Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) or Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorder and runs Monday to Friday.
The purpose of the program is to provide intensive inpatient treatment to enhance motivation and develop skills, knowledge and resources to move towards recovery. The Inpatient Program utilises efficacious and evidence based treatment of ED including:
- Supported meals
- Medical monitoring
- Psychiatric input and reviews
- Therapeutic groups
- Art therapy
Day Programs
Eating Disorders Program for Adolescents and Adults
Designed for adolescents and adults with a diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa; Bulimia Nervosa; Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) or Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorder and their families and carers. This is eight week program is appropriate when the patient does not require inpatient care, but needs more intensive support than offered by usual outpatient treatment.
The program may also be able to facilitate earlier discharge from inpatient care as a step down option.
The purpose of the program is to provide intensive treatment over a short period of time helping patients get back on track, challenging unhelpful thinking and eating disorder behaviours, and enable a return to health and functioning. Group therapy offers the opportunity for patients to share their experiences as well as draw on the collective strength and knowledge of the group and others.
The program is made up of a multidisciplinary team who utilises efficacious and evidence based treatment of eating disorders under the following structure:
- Supported meals and social eating
- Medical monitoring
- Therapeutic groups
- Dietetic input
- Parent and carers participation
Intake is occurring now for the next program which will begin in May 2020.
Binge Eating Disorder Program for Adolescents and Adults
This 8 week day program is suitable for anyone over the age of 16, with a diagnosis of Binge Eating Disorder (BED), to assist in the development of skills and increase awareness of the maintaining factors for Binge Eating and associated behaviours and symptoms.
This program aims to;
- To interrupt binge-eating
- To establish healthy eating patterns
- To identify and restructure faulty thoughts and negative feelings
- To identify more effective coping strategies
The program runs for 8 weeks in duration in 2 phases
Phase 1) Two afternoon/evening (Tues & Wed) sessions 4pm – 9pm per week for the month.
Phase 2) One-afternoon/evening (Tues) session 4pm – 9pm per week for the month.
The program is made up of a multidisciplinary team who utilises efficacious and evidence based treatment of eating disorders under the following structure:
- Supported meals
- Medical monitoring
- Dietetic input
- Psychiatric reviews and input
- Therapeutic groups
- Art Therapy
- Parent and carers participation
Intake is occurring now for the next program which will begin in June 2020.
Multi-Family Therapy for Eating Disorders
This Multiple Family Group Therapy (MFT) program is designed for people aged 14 to 19 who are struggling with an eating disorder. It provides an alternative to an inpatient admission, and may be suitable when the patient and family require more intensive support than outpatient treatment.
Eating Disorders Team
Outpatient Services / Private Practice.
Dr Vinay Garbharran
Dr Vinay Garbharran is a Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatrist. He completed his medical training at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg South Africa, immigrated to Australia in 1999 and by 2005 had gained his specialist qualifications in Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
He worked for 12 years as a Consultant Psychiatrist, Gold Coast CYMHS, in community, in-patient, and Paediatric Liaison settings until his departure in December 2016. He is thus experienced in managing patients with Eating Disorders across all these settings during the various stages of their recovery.
Dr Garbharran also holds the position of Adjunct Associate Professor – School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University. He’s currently an investigator on their ‘OCD Busters’ research programme.
Dr Kim Hurst
Dr Kim Hurst is a Senior Psychologist who specialises in child and adolescent and young adult eating disorders. She has been delivering Maudsley Family Based Treatment (FBT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Enhanced (CBT-e) for over fourteen years and is a credentialed FBT therapist that provides training, supervision and consultation to clinicians across Queensland. Kim is currently the president of Australia & New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZAED).
Kim has worked across a range of treatment settings including psychiatric and medical inpatient units and outpatient services. Kim has developed specialist eating disorder clinical policies and is focused on service improvement strategies to enhance treatment delivery.
Dr Hurst has a solid record of presenting at several local, national and international eating disorder conferences and has several published works within the field.
Referrals and Appointments
Appointments or referrals to the Eating Disorders Day Program or Eating Disorders Private Practice can be made by calling Robina Private Hospital 07 5665 5155 or faxing 07 5665 5198.