World-first, free eClinic opening the door for Australians to access life-saving eating disorder treatment

Developed by Australia’s leading authority on eating disorder research, the InsideOut Institute, in partnership with the Sydney Local Health District, the new eClinic – eclinic.insideoutinstitute.org.au – offers evidence-based, self-paced programs for Australians living with eating disorders, their carers’, and healthcare professionals. 

According to Clinical Psychologist and InsideOut Institute Director, Professor Sarah Maguire OAM, Sydney, eating disorders are complex, serious illnesses with devastating psychological, physical and social impacts, and are on the rise.1,2 Despite being treatable,4,5 they remain a growing public health concern.3-5 Yet stigma, shame, limited access to specialised services, and long wait times continue to prevent many people from seeking timely support.6,7 

“Early detection and treatment is critical to improving outcomes for people living with eating disorders.8 

“Yet many Australians face major barriers stigma, limited access, long wait times and a highly fragmented and costly system, with no obvious, or effective entry point,” said Prof Maguire. 

“Many people, and their carers’ don’t know where, when, or how to access help.9 

“The Inside Out eClinic was designed by clinicians, researchers and people with lived experience to break down barriers to accessing high-quality, flexible care,” Prof Maguire said. 

“The eClinic acts as a front door to the health system, delivering free, evidence-based treatment at scale. 

“It makes expert support accessible to everyone, especially those living in rural and under-served communities,” said Prof Maguire. 

Former AFL star and mental health advocate, Brock McLean, Brisbane, mounted a private battle with bulimia nervosa for more than four years. Now in recovery, Brock is using his platform to challenge stigma, particularly around men’s mental health and eating disorders. His disordered eating, which began during his elite sporting career, and continued beyond retirement, was closely linked with co-occurring mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety. 

His experience mirrors the struggle many Australians living with an eating disorder face: delayed diagnosis, limited access to care, and a lack of services reflecting the diversity of those affected. 

“The biggest challenge was admitting I needed help. But once I did, everything changed,” Brock said. 

“The eClinic will break down huge barriers – especially cost and access. It will save lives.” 

Brock is now a proud ambassador for the IOI eClinic and a passionate advocate for inclusive, early intervention approaches to treatment. Living with his wife Stephanie and young daughters Bonnie and Camille in Brisbane, he describes this new chapter of his life as his “happiest and healthiest”.

Currently, only about one in five of people living with an eating disorder receive treatment. Delays in accessing care can stretch to up to 10 years, depending on the type of disorder,6,10-12 Clinical Psychologist, InsideOut Postdoctoral Research Associate and eClinic Research and Evaluation lead, Dr Sarah Barakat, Sydney, explained. 

Those living with lesser-known conditions, such as binge eating disorder, are often under-recognised by healthcare professionals, while concerningly, those with bulimia nervosa rarely receive treatment for their eating disorders at all.6 

“Delays are fuelled, in part, by outdated assumptions about who develops an eating disorder or who they affect, often reinforced by bias that eating disorders only occur in young, underweight females,” Dr Barakat said. 

“Digital, on-demand tools like the eClinic have the power to break down barriers and deliver timely, inclusive care to those in need. 

“Our research reveals just 10 sessions of our online therapy can be as effective as 20 in-person sessions,13 highlighting the potential for digital solutions to close the treatment gap,” said Dr Barakat. 

Australian author, comedian, and broadcaster, Lucinda Price, aka ‘Froomes’, battled anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder for more than four years, before seeking help in 2020, after enduring severe physical, mental and social tolls. Like many Australians, Lucinda faced long wait times to access the urgent support she needed. Fortunately, one specialist she couldn’t see, suggested the InsideOut Institute’s Binge Eating eTherapy (BEeT) program – a flexible, self-paced treatment for binge eating and bulimia nervosa. Lucinda became one of its first trial participants. 

“During the 12-week program, my approach to food shifted dramatically. It felt like I was both the subject and the witness, observing changes in my behaviour and thinking patterns. 

“When I finished the program, I felt completely different. I was lucky to have found the trial. It played a huge role in rewiring my brain,” Lucinda said. 

“I used to spend all day, every day, thinking about food. Now, that mental space has been replaced with this feeling that I can’t believe how different and happy I feel.” 

Now several years into recovery, Lucinda is using her experience for good. 

"I'm proud to be an InsideOut eClinic ambassador because it was a pivotal stepping stone in my recovery. 

“The more access Australians have to treatment, the better,” said Lucinda. 

According to Executive Director, Eating Disorders Families Australia, Jane Rowan, Brisbane, an eating disorder is not a choice. It is a serious and complex mental illness14 that can affect anyone,15 and potentially lead to permanent physical complications.15 

“An eating disorder can pervade nearly every aspect of a person’s life,16 and cause significant distress for their family, carers, partners, and friends.17 

“Eating disorders are on the rise in Australia, with disordered eating increasing by 21 per cent over the past 11 years.1 Yet despite this rise, few people seek treatment, highlighting an urgent, unmet need for early intervention and improved access to care,” said Ms Rowan. 

“The eating disorders community wholeheartedly supports the official launch of the IOI eClinic. We welcome the enhanced access to care, and the transformative treatment outcomes this platform promises to deliver.” 

If you suspect you, or a loved one, may be living with an eating disorder, speak to your local healthcare practitioner without delay, or head to insideoutinstitute.org.au to complete an online screener and assessment, and to access more information and professional support. 

Australian professional patient support services offering 24/7 helpline services include: 

• Butterfly National Helpline: 1800 334 673 
• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 
• LifeLine: 13 11 14 
• Men’s Line Australia: 1300 78 99 78 
• Kids Help Line: 1800 55 1800 

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References 

1. Deloitte AE. Paying the Price, Second Edition: The economic and social impact of eating disorders in Australia. Report commissioned by The Butterfly Foundation. 2024. 

2. New Report Reveals Alarming Growth in Both Prevalence and Cost of Eating Disorders: Butterfly Foundation; 2024 [Available from: https://butterfly.org.au/news/new-report-reveals-alarming-growth-in-both-prevalence-and-cost-of-eating-disorders/#:~:text=Butterfly%20Foundation%2C%20the%20national%20charity,economic%20cost%20since%202012%20%C2%B9]. 

3. Galmiche M, Déchelotte P, Lambert G, Tavolacci MP. Prevalence of eating disorders over the 2000-2018 period: a systematic literature review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;109(5):1402-13. 

4. Eating Disorders in Australia 2025 [Available from: https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/eating-disorders-in-australia#:~:text=Eating%20disorder%20symptoms%20are%20on,%2C%20decreased%20quality%20of%20life).]. 

5. Hay P, Aouad P, Le A, Marks P, Maloney D, Barakat S, et al. Epidemiology of eating disorders: population, prevalence, disease burden and quality of life informing public policy in Australia—a rapid review. Journal of Eating Disorders. 2023;11(1):23. 

6. Hamilton A, Mitchison D, Basten C, Byrne S, Goldstein M, Hay P, et al. Understanding treatment delay: Perceived barriers preventing treatment-seeking for eating disorders. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2022;56(3):248-59. 

7. Linardon J, Jarman HK, Liu C, Anderson C, McClure Z, Messer M. Mental Health Impacts of Self-Help Interventions for the Treatment and Prevention of Eating Disorders. A Meta-Analysis. Int J Eat Disord. 2025;58(5):815-31. 

8. Maguire S, Li A, Cunich M, Maloney D. Evaluating the effectiveness of an evidence-based online training program for health professionals in eating disorders. Journal of Eating Disorders. 2019;7(1):14. 

9. Barriers to Care: National Eating Disorders Collaboration; [Available from: https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/treatment-and-recovery/barriers-to-care#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20people%20with,disorder%20%5B4%2C%205%5D.]. 

10. Hart LM, Granillo MT, Jorm AF, Paxton SJ. Unmet need for treatment in the eating disorders: a systematic review of eating disorder specific treatment seeking among community cases. Clin Psychol Rev. 2011;31(5):727-35. 

11. Vanheusden K, Mulder CL, van der Ende J, van Lenthe FJ, Mackenbach JP, Verhulst FC. Young adults face major barriers to seeking help from mental health services. Patient Educ Couns. 2008;73(1):97-104. 

12. Cachelin FM, Striegel-Moore RH. Help seeking and barriers to treatment in a community sample of Mexican American and European American women with eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord. 2006;39(2):154-61. 

13. Our Research: InsideOut Institute; [Available from: https://eclinic.insideoutinstitute.org.au/our-research]. 

14. Ivancic L, Maguire S, Miskovic-Wheatley J, Harrison C, Nassar N. Prevalence and management of people with eating disorders presenting to primary care: A national study. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2021;55(11):1089-100. 

15. National Eating Disorders Collaboration. What is an Eating Disorder? [Website]. 2024 [Available from: https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/whats-an-eating-disorder]. 

16. van Hoeken DH, Hans W. Review of the burden of eating disorders: mortality, disability, costs, quality of life, and family burden. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 2020. 

17. InsideOut Institute for Eating Disorders. Managing Distress in Individuals with Eating Disorders 2024 [Available from: https://insideoutinstitute.org.au/assets/managing-distress-in-individuals-with-eating-disorders.pdf].