Sydney Eating Disorders Special Interest Group

Meeting Description 

We are delighted return face to face network meetings for the Sydney Eating Disorders Interest group. For our first (and last) meeting for this year, we would like to invite you to meet our multidisciplinary panel and network with other Sydney members. We will have a brief presentation from our panel members regarding their role in a multidisciplinary team followed by a Q & A discussion. We will also complete a networking activity and discuss plans for meetings in 2024. 

Date: Monday, 27 November 2023 at 6:00 PM AEDT 

Duration: 1.5 Hours

Catering Details: Please include any dietary requirements with your RSVP.

RSVP Information: A friendly reminder to all MHPN network members, meetings are organised with time volunteered by each Network Coordinator, and it is appreciated if members let them know as soon as possible if they can no longer make a meeting. If you are no longer able to attend, we request that you update your registration to an apology.

1. Log into the MHPN Portal and go to the relevant meeting.
2. Follow the prompts in the upper right-hand corner to change your RSVP response.

Guest Speakers 

Dr Karen Spielman (GP): Karen is a GP in Paddington with special interest and expertise in Mental Health, Youth Health and Eating disorders. A credentialed Eating Disorders Clinician, she also practices in a small private multidisciplinary ED team in Woollahra as well as being GP consultant at InsideOutInstitute and Advocacy Rep for Australian Society of Psychological Medicine.

Dr Lilian Zou (Psychiatrist): Dr Lilian Zou (MD, Mpsych, FRANZP) is a consultant psychiatrist currently working in both public and private settings with a special interest in eating disorders. She is the medical lead of the Northern Sydney LHD eating disorders outreach service, and also works in private practice at St Leonards. She is passionate about medical education and teaches psychiatric trainees and medical students. She is also a conjoint lecturer at the UNSW school of psychiatry.

Elizabeth Stathakis (Dietitian): Elizabeth Stathakis is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Nutritionist, Exercise Physiologist and Health Coach. Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Health and Exercise and a postgraduate Masters of Nutrition and Dietetics, she has completed additional studies in management, leadership, counselling and behaviour change. Throughout her career, Elizabeth has utilised a client-centred approach working with children, adolescents and adults. Her main area of interest is in mental healthcare and in particular eating disorders recovery. Elizabeth has worked as a Dietitian at the Eating Disorder Units at Wesley Hospital, Northside West Clinic and at the Butterfly Foundation group programs in Sydney. She is currently working in private practice alongside Bechamel the Greyhound, they provide both individual and group treatment for clients, as well as clinical supervision for health professionals. 

Jessica Aradas (Clinical Psychologist): Jessica Aradas is a clinical psychologist who has worked in the eating disorders space for over 10 years. Following her Masters in Clinical Psychology she has worked in inpatient, outpatient, and private practice settings, providing treatments for young people and adults experiencing eating disorders. Jessica currently works at the Peter Beumont Eating Disorders Outpatient service, a tertiary adult treatment service that provides individual and group treatments across NSW, including a semi-virtual multidisciplinary Intensive Outpatient Program. She also works part-time in private practice. Jessica is a credentialed eating disorders clinician.

Please submit your questions for the panel by emailing: belinda.poole@sydney.edu.au

Coordinated By 

Dr Belinda Poole is a clinical psychologist and postdoctoral research fellow at The University of Sydney. Belinda has worked with people with eating disorders across a range of settings - including inpatient, day program, community mental health, and in schools. She has also lectured in eating disorders at The University of Sydney and has provided a number of in-services and training to allied health clinicians and school-based staff. Belinda is a passionate advocate for people with eating disorders and strongly supports innovative and effective research and clinical practice.

Robert Matek is a psychologist credentialed with ANZAED, his focus area is Binge Eating Disorder (BED), the most common of all eating disorders. He is currently providing treatment to patients who present with physical and psychological injuries as a result of workplace incidents. Patients attend treatment at Workers Doctors Parramatta. All patients are screened, assessed and diagnoses provided by GPs and psychiatrists. Posttraumatic stress disorder, Major depressive disorder, Adjustment disorder and Psychological injuries (bullying and harassment). His preferred model of approach being part of a multidisciplinary team, support of family, carers and patient care via trust in a therapeutic relationship.