Helen Barnett Certified Intuitive Eating Coach, Nutritionist, Dietitian APD in Orange, New South Wales | Alternative & holistic health service

Helen Barnett Certified Intuitive Eating Coach, Nutritionist, Dietitian APD

Locality: Orange, New South Wales

Phone: +61 438 633 038

Address: 71 Dalton Street 2800 Orange, NSW, Australia

Website: https://www.helenbarnett.com.au/

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25.01.2022 Quite often we suggest all sorts of strategies to help people with eating - either because they want help with overeating, binge eating, comfort eating, stress eating .... and often at the heart of this is a concern with how it is affecting weight. As hard as I try, I try to deflect concern off weight - but it is so hard - because I know we live in a world where weight and shape concerns are front and centre. But the problem with this is that as long as we focus on weight, we... can't heal our relationship with food. When we continue to want to lose weight, we continue to not listen to our bodies and what they need - and when we don't give our bodies what they need we continue to ignore ourselves on a physical, psychological and biological level. Eating and nourishment is one of the most basic human needs, and dieting robs us of the ability to listen to what our body needs. However (as I have learned this week), when we suggest techniques like "mindful eating" this can also have a prescriptive flavour for some people. It can feel like we are telling people what to do - when they are already in immense struggle. That is not to say that Mindfulness techniques aren't fabulous for some, they just don't work for everyone, and we have to be curious as to the impact they can have. (I know I don't like meditative practices, or yoga, but I can manage pilates, because I am so caught up with how uncoordinated I am that I forgot I am doing something remotely "mindful"!). The response can be that it brings out a rebellious side - sparking the opposite to the desired outcome. In the live workshop with Evelyn Tribole on Friday she talked about focusing on the sensory aspects of the food that you might enjoy. Is it the flavour, the crunch, the texture, the saltiness, the spiciness, the temperature.... Find an aspect (or multiple) that you enjoy. Likewise - if you don't enjoy the food, don't eat it. (In my words, don't waste your time eating food that you don't enjoy - be it "healthy" or not.)

25.01.2022 Doing what we love, finding what were passionate about, and following our dreams can inspire those around us. But it takes energy, commitment, motivation and a constant determination and passion. Its interesting talking to so many people about their worries about food and body and they are so consumed with worry and fear - yet occasionally theyll find a topic that they are passionate about, and their faces light up and the room comes alive with energy. Its not what we are or how we look, but WHO we are that is important in this life. It is how we behave and treat others - the care, compassion and kindness, and the commitment to find what we are passionate about. That kind of beauty is real and authentic and goes to the core of a person. We need to love ourselves as we are, for who we are and feed ourselves accordingly.

24.01.2022 Struggling through the day to day of eating and body shame when we are constantly bombarded with images and advice of what we should look like is hard. But Eating disorders arent really about what we should like like - they are about coping with overwhelming anxiety and an out of control world... and isnt it out of control right now! Eating disorders and shame thrive in isolation and so many people are feeling isolated right now. If you need help then help is available. Rea...ch out and I can help you link in with appropriate services, while at least dealing with nutrition side - as a Specialist Eating Disorders Dietitian. Dubbo, Orange and Telehealth. 6882 7113, 6360 2388, 6360 3551. See more

24.01.2022 It's so much easier to love ourselves healthy than hate and punish ourselves thin. At a fundamental level, we need food to survive and it becomes a vicious cycle of stress, emotion, emotional eating for some, despair for others - when we don't nourish ourselves properly. The diet, "wellness" and to some extent "health" industries profit form our vulnerabilities by telling us we need to lose weight - when really perhaps what we should be focusing on is being Healthy. Focusin...g on weight loss often completely upsets the relationship with food - leading to food restriction, starvation, physiological and emotional stress, deprivation, bingeing, emotions that are out of control (due to guilt over food)... Whereas if we can nourish ourselves to be healthy, the focus is entirely different. We can eat food to give us energy, we can choose foods for their nutritional value, we can choose from the entire range of foods available and eat what our body wants us to eat rather than act out of rebellion (ie because we were told we couldn't have something!). When we fear that we are not valuable, we don't honour our worth. Just perhaps, if we can value our inner beauty, we will be able to nourish and nurture it and let it flourish. For Appointments: Orange: Psych Solutions - Monday 6360 3551 Colour City Medical Practice - Tueday, Friday 6360 2388 Dubbo Psych Solutions - Wednesday, Thursday 6882 7551 For more Information: www.helenbarnett.com.au

22.01.2022 https://www.self.com/story/body-talk-consent

22.01.2022 What is "right" nutrition? Does anyone feel overwhelmed by the constant stream of goodness bowls and goddess bowls and everyone else's perfect lunches? In learning to eat for ourselves again, we learn that we need to listen to what we need for ourselves, right now. Eating and nourishment is an act of self-care - there will be times when we don't want to eat, like after a huge workout, or before a stressful event - yet these are times when eating is important and needs to be ...viewed as moments of self-care. And in learning to see eating as an act of self-care we start to realise that it's something we do for ourselves in response to what we need, not in comparison to others. This can be quite powerful because all the information out there about food that just serves to confuse us can quite literally go jump! When we tune into what our body is telling us, then that is all we need! If I want a sandwich, or an egg on toast, or piece of sushi or a banana.... then all the rules regarding low carb, not eating this or that, and all the idealised pictures that make you feel inferior about food magically disappear. Tuning into what you want and eating what you desire helps you realise that what other people do, doesn't matter. It doesn't make you better or worse - it just makes you in-tune with what you need. See more

21.01.2022 About to embark on Supervision with the 1 and Only Evelyn Tribole...to become a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor.About to embark on Supervision with the 1 and Only Evelyn Tribole...to become a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor.

21.01.2022 Face to Face appointments with a Dietitian specialising in Eating Disorders are now available in Dubbo at Psych Solutions, 195 Brisbane St. Ph: 6882 7551 0438 633 038

21.01.2022 Struggling through the day to day issues of eating and body shame when we are constantly bombarded with images and advice regarding what we should look like is hard. But eating disorders and body image issues arent really about what we look like - they are ways to cope with overwhelming anxiety and an out of control world. And our world is currently out of control. We are also being forced to remove ourselves more and more from people and isolate ourselves more - yet we th...rive when we are in relationship with each other. How do we thrive now when we feel so alone? Eating disorders and shame thrive in isolation. And at the same time, attempts to re-estabish connection cause us to want to eat - because eating is a relational action/activity. It is no wonder people are eating more and eating disorders are emerging within this COVID pandemic. And eating disorders that were already there are starting to be acknowledged. While people seek to think they are flawed or that something is wrong with them, perhaps this response is a natural response to isolation and is a way in which we just want connection - or attachment to another. While it may feel unachievable - just think about what it will feel like when you reach the summit and can look back... and be an inspiration to others. One doesnt have to share their story - but the essence of triumph and conquering pain and struggle tends to shine through.

21.01.2022 I was listening to Brene Brown the other day - and this quote resonated. If we want to show up and be real in what we do, then we need to show our authentic and genuine selves to the world. We need to engage with others, and accept that life is tough, hard and nothing is perfect. Understanding ourselves is part of the journey - and knowing that were all fumbling our way through this life in all of its imperfections, and all of our imperfections can be hard and raw. Exploring our relationship with food is equally vulnerable. It is hard and requires a deep exploration of oneself. But understanding yourself can be so liberating and lead to sustainable change.

20.01.2022 It has been an eventful week! I have joined a wonderful team of Allied Health Professionals (Psychologists and Speech Pathologist) at Psychological Solutions in Dubbo, and am again seeing clients face to face in Dubbo. You have no idea how wonderful this is! As an "all senses" persons (harking back to my singing days), it is incredible to be able to engage with people in Dubbo in such a genuine, authentic and real way. I have always been doing this in Orange, so it is wonderf...ul to return to face to face in Dubbo where I can sit with, and hold space with people and hopefully truly convey the sense that I am non-judgemental when it comes to food, eating - and how hard the struggle can be. To that end - in a couple of weeks `I am doing a course on Acceptance and Committment Therapy (ACT) because I have come to realise that my struggle in nutrition counselling reflects my clients struggle, and I need strategies to accept that discomfort. As a clinician we take on the powerful feelings that our clients feel - and that can be overwhelming for us.... But it can also be helpful because it makes us realise the struggle that you are facing (to some degree!). But how do we help you in these moments? Especially if we become overcome with your pain, and then our paralysis with not knowing how to "fix" it? So much of my work is around body image and people not liking how they are. But I guess I come at it from the angle of deconstructing the powerful diet industry that makes us feel like crap. Yet that doesnt help the fact that we still feel like crap. Can I help that you/we feel like crap? Sometimes I feel powerless and helpless to help. Other times I hope that maybe hearing and understanding your story of pain in relationship to food, and validating your experience can be helpful... There is no magic cure. There is just owning your (our!) story - whatever that is. Its painful and confronting and the relationship with food is one that is often seen as shameful and one to be hidden. But if I can do it right, then hopefully there wont be shame - just a path to freedom and self-understanding. After all, shame thrives in isolation, not in the light, so lets bring it into the light....

19.01.2022 From the International Conference of Eating Disorders: *Athletes are presumed to be at a higher risk of an eating disorder - however, it is not by virtue of being an athlete, but the specific type of athlete they are. That is, specific sports have specific risk factors which predispose athletes more than others - this includes (though not limited to): - endurance sports (triathlon, cycling), - weight class sports (rowing, weight-lifting, boxing, jockey), - aesthetic sports (...dancing, gymnastics), - power/position sports (rugby/football) * Embedding nutrition programs that have an Eating disorders awareness and prevention program inherent in Sports training programs really is a responsibility because we know that these athletes are at risk * Assessing eating disorder risk/prevalence in Males is considerably different compared to females. This seems obvious, however using current assessment tools (such as the EDE-Q which is used to determine eligibility for the Eating Disorder Plan) will grossly underestimate Eating Disorder pathology and/or risk in boys and Men. This is because the EDE-Q assesses concerns regarding drive for thinness, wish to have a flat stomach, consumption of fat, limiting calories etc. These are all concerns of women, while men generally want to be larger, more muscular, more toned - and their eating disorder pathology is markedly different. We perhaps need to change the terms to reflect the concerns of men in order to capture boys and men who are struggling with Eating Disorders. * There was a fascinating Plenary (Lecture) on the Neurobiology and Genetics of Eating Disorders. I need to re-watch this and take more detailed notes to quote this correctly. However it was fascinating that there are very clear Loci (sections of the genome) that are associated with Eating Disorders - helping to shift blame away from sufferers and help us frame Eating Disorders as a biologically based illness. SO much fun watching a conference in Ugg Boots and sipping coffee...

18.01.2022 How hard is it to sit and explore the depths of yourself? Yet how amazing is it to come out the other side and discover that you are stronger than you ever thought possible, and there is a whole world waiting for you - to be explored, enjoyed.... It is such a privilege to do this work - my clients really are my greatest teachers. Thankyou!

18.01.2022 There are so many messages out there telling us we are "not enough", that we need "fixing". When I started my studies in nutrition and dietetics I thought my role was going to be to help people "become healthy" and "lose weight" - yet I always wanted to help people overcome Eating Disorders, and hence I quickly discovered that weight loss was going to go against Eating disorder recovery. Central to Eating Disorders is the idea that we are not acceptable as we are - that we ne...ed to change ourselves to fit into this world, and so many people present to Dietitians with the hope that we will "fix" you. But that is not MY role. As an Eating Disorders and Body Image "specialist" dietitian I hope to help my clients discover that they were never broken in the first place. That all those messages telling them they needed to change themselves were just preying on their vulnerabilities to make them buy products or services - not to be healthier, but to make companies richer. Yet all the while making you, me, us feel broken. There is so much angst, obsession and sadness in the world caused by the dieting and wellness industries, and not much "health". When you start to see it (diet culture with all its pressure), you cant unsee it and its finally liberating to be able to break free from it - yet the journey to seeing it is hard and exhausting. Im back consulting face to face in DUBBO at Psych Solutions - 195 Brisbane St - 6882 7551 Ive always been consulting Face to Face in ORANGE at Colour City Medical Practice - 71 Dalton St - 6360 2388 and Psych Solutions - 14 Sale St - 6360 3551

18.01.2022 Today is the start of the International Conference of Eating Disorders and Im so excited to be joining in - Virtually (it has gone online due to COVID). All the more fun to be enjoying it with some colleagues I work closely with both here in the central west, but also networking with fabulous dietitians I have come to know from across Australian and around the world. As Health at every size, non-diet dietitians, committed to inclusive care and bashing down the walls of weight stigma (Im definitely looking forward to the weight stigma interest group meeting), it is such an inspiring group of people to be a part of. I gain such energy, passion and insights from these meetings - even if it means taking time off from my busy clinics. I always come back reinvigorated and excited to share new research.

18.01.2022 Learning to love food again.... It is a wonderful journey. After years of deprivation and restriction the idea of asking "What do I want" can be both scary and exciting - but it is also incredibly liberating. So many people say it takes such a weight off their shoulders, and they spend so much less time worrying about food. When we eat food that we love, and food that our body craves, we end up satisfied so much more quickly - because we dont spend our time filling up on fo...od that we dont want. Rather than eating more, ironically, we usually eat less when we eat the food that we crave. About a year ago I did a mindful eating exercise with a colleague - Ailsa Graham - an expert in mindfulness - where we ate a piece of chocolate over a few minutes. It was so satisfying. At the end of the few minutes, the chocolate was so intensely sweet, I didnt want any more - but I enjoyed savouring it. We tend to think that weight management comes down to calories in and calories out - but perhaps it comes down to enjoyment, less worry and some mindfulness.... And giving our bodys what its asking for - self-love and self-nurturing.

17.01.2022 Its hard when we live in an appearance obsessed world, not to think that appearance is the only thing that matters when pretty much the main comments we receive are "you look great" or "wow, youve lost weight" or "dont you look beautiful"..... But what really matters? These things - beauty, size, weight - cause so much misery for so many people - even for those people who do fit our standards of beauty (but what is beauty? I dont want to go there.... but the fight to atta...in it and the perception that one has failed, is failing, cant reach it etc causes so much distress). So many truly beautiful people I know dont feel "beautiful" by our cultural standards of beauty and as a result are miserable. We are born a certain way - we teach our young children not to tease others based on what they look like, yet why do we as adults not do that ourselves to ourselves? Here is a list of non-appearance based compliments that can help us re-frame that we are more than what we look like and perhaps help us value ourselves for who we are, not what we are or what we look like. Id love to know if you have other ones, or if you actually use them! Have a lovely weekend. Hxx

16.01.2022 If we want to be healthy, doesn't it make sense to love ourselves as we are? It confuses and beguiles me that in an effort to improve ourselves, so many people think they have to hate and punish themselves to achieve results. And by results, I mean lose weight. It seems counter-intuitive doesn't it? I love this quote - we really do need to love ourselves as we are now, whatever size we are, however we are, in order to ever love ourselves at what we end up. Life is a journey,... and if we can love ourselves enough to be self accepting, then perhaps we can show some compassion and acknowledge the real and genuine issues underlying our problems - and not just mask them with an another diet or diet plan. We can love ourselves healthy. It's likely to be more successful than hating ourselves thin.

16.01.2022 It is hard not to listen to the messages that we should be, look, or feel a certain way. Generally, as women in western culture, "beauty" is tied up with being a certain weight and from a very young age we aspire to being thin - because we have heard older women in our lives (mothers, sisters, aunts etc) talking about going on diets and needing to be thin. From a very young age, weight defines what is important to us - we might be successful in so many areas of our lives, bu...Continue reading

16.01.2022 What is "right" nutrition? Does anyone feel overwhelmed by the constant stream of goodness bowls and goddess bowls and everyone else's perfect lunches? In learning to eat for ourselves again, we learn that we need to listen to what we need for ourselves, right now. Eating and nourishment is an act of self-care - there will be times when we don't want to eat, like after a huge workout, or before a stressful event - yet these are times when eating is important and needs to be ...viewed as moments of self-care. And in learning to see eating as an act of self-care we start to realise that it's something we do for ourselves in response to what we need, not in comparison to others. This can be quite powerful because all the information out there about food that just serves to confuse us can quite literally go jump! When we tune into what our body is telling us, then that is all we need! If I want a sandwich, or an egg on toast, or piece of sushi or a banana.... then all the rules regarding low carb, not eating this or that, and all the idealised pictures that make you feel inferior about food magically disappear. Tuning into what you want and eating what you desire helps you realise that what other people do, doesn't matter. It doesn't make you better or worse - it just makes you in-tune with what you need. See more

15.01.2022 If COVID has taught us anything, it has revealed that life is tough. We can build golden cages and show to the world a version of ourselves that is perfect, but WHEN LIFE GETS TOUGH, it all can come tumbling down. Day in, day out, I hear stories of heartbreak and struggle, and I personally struggle with acknowledging (to my clients) that I too totally "get it". I do not come home and drink green smoothies and eat goodness bowls and do Pilates 3 times a week. (Green smoothies...Continue reading

15.01.2022 It has been such a huge week! Like so many weeks, I have seen so many people struggling with food and in so much pain. As part of our discussions I always try to focus in on our need for self compassion when we are are struggling, and particularly when we are trying to change and recover. Learning new skills and changing behaviour is hard and takes patience and persistence. It is tiring and frustrating. But it's also rewarding to see yourself grow and develop insight. Kriste...n Neff has done a lot of work around self-compassion and has shown that self-compassion is far more effective in helping us change than the "tough love" approach, which tends to keep us stuck. And when we show compassion to ourselves we are also more compassionate to those around us as well because we have more capacity for empathy. Perhaps because we're able to recognise and meet our own needs. Our world doesn't encourage self compassion and a lot of the time it doesn't really embrace or support kindness (though on the surface it does). We can start with being kind to ourselves and see what flows from there. See more

14.01.2022 Body Image.... it is such a loaded issue. I rarely see or know anyone who is comfortable in their own skin. How has it got this way? For our young people, and perhaps for us not-so-young-people, the impact of social media is huge. Following people who almost dictate what we should look like, or at least aspire to, puts so much pressure on us. It makes us constantly feel that we are "not enough", and provides a point of "comparison to". It's often made even worse when the peop...le in the posts are complaining about their bodies and saying how they are striving to make themselves even better. How does that make us feel - when that person looks, perhaps, so much better than us? Often young minds think "if that person isn't 'perfect' (when they have an amazing body - though what IS 'amazing'?), then I must be horrible!". However, admittedly, many adult minds see these images and are drawn into this thinking too. What can be just as damaging are the little daily comments we make around each other regarding our bodies, or the diet we might be on, or the food we might be avoiding, or the new exercise regime we might be undertaking. Our children listen intently to all of this talk and absorb it, thinking that bodies must need to be changed, they mustn't be acceptable, it must be what people do, it must be a given to just hate your body. When teenage girls comment and pick at each other for what they look like, where do we think they have learned that behaviour? It is so apart of our culture, our society - it is all around them - we really can't be that surprised when that is all they seem to care about. We can certainly change this - below are 2 articles with some simple ideas that I thought might be interesting and hopefully useful. I particularly like the idea of asking for consent when wanting to tell others about your own struggles with body issues, dieting weight etc (article 2). While it is tough, often complaining about what we're going through, fails to recognise how hard it is for the listen to hear it.... We may feel bad in our body, but what about them? How does our telling of our struggle impact on others? Interestingly, the simple asking to tell our story changes the dynamic because it acknowledges the shared struggle and our shared humanity. https://www.nytimes.com//5-people-learn-to-love-your-body. https://www.self.com/story/body-talk-consent

14.01.2022 Over the past few weeks I've had the pleasure of finishing the first part of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) training with Dr Heather Ticehurst with whom I do quite a bit of work. This training has been so helpful in focusing my work around values and what is important in our lives. When we are struggling with eating issues, chronic dieting or an eating disorder, our lives can get such a narrow focus that we lose what really matters. It doesn't help that we live in a ...culture that puts so much emphasis on how we look and having the perfect body, and all around us people are talking about diets, weight loss, exercise regimes and restricting food. When we are overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings about not being good enough, it is easy to find things that reinforce this - like another diet, or friends and people who are on the same journey of changing their bodies (because this just reinforces that we need to change to be acceptable). But maybe we can consider another possibility. How is this working for you? Is it making your life better? richer? More meaningful? Is it helping you live by your values, or helping you reach your goals? Many people want to lose weight, yet they also value family, fun and health, and interestingly being on a diet doesn't really align with any of these values. Everyone has different things in life that are important and valuable to them, and we all have things that make our lives rich, meaningful and full of purpose. Being able to clarify and articulate what is important is so helpful as it enables us to come back to our values when life throws us some curve balls. I'm grateful to have learned ACT (both with Russ Harris, the ACT Guru and through Fiona Sutherland in a special course for Dietitians) as I'm finding it a valuable tool to incorporate into my dietetic practice. For Appointments: DUBBO: Psych Solutions - 195 Brisbane St 6882 7551 ORANGE: Psych Solutions - 14 Sale St 6362 3551 Colour City Medical Practice - 71 Dalton St 6360 2338

14.01.2022 Oh, Diet culture... It is there all the time.... I can make my consulting rooms a sanctuary against the constant buffeting of the diet industry and wellness culture that attempts to make us feel bad about ourselves - but reminding ourselves that we are "doing ok" amidst the craziness of life really is a daily practice. Yes - you are awesome and amazing and beautiful and acceptable - just as you are.

13.01.2022 What really needs to change? . #mhc #nondiet #nondietapproach #haes #dietculture #psychology #gp #generalpractice #dietetics #dubbo #ruralhealth

13.01.2022 I saw this quote by Marilyn Monroe this morning and it resonated so much. The diet culture we live in constantly pummels us with the idea that we need to change ourselves so we are acceptable. So many people feel they're broken and need fixing, or just want to be anything other than what or who they are. But this is such a waste! How about we spend more time valuing the things we can do and do have, rather than don't have and should be? I know this is easier said than done - but perhaps if it's done in rebellion from the diet industry and as an act of self-love then we might all just feel that little bit more liberated? Don't throw away or ignore the talents you have in an effort to be something you may never be. And on top of it, perhaps you are loved for you, not for who you are trying to be.

12.01.2022 Often Dietitian's are seen as Body Fixers. Clients come to us to "fix" their bodies because they don't feel they are acceptable. But I'd like to offer a different narrative. Perhaps our bodies are acceptable JUST AS THEY ARE - they don't need to be changed by drastic means - diets, boot camps, bariatric surgery. Research shows these drastic weight loss attempts result in weight rebound, and the person stuck in the middle is left with spiralling loss of self-esteem and worseni...ng body image - after all - if they were apparently seen as a "better person" at a lower weight, then they must be a lesser person when they inevitably regain the weight.... WRONG! This is not the case. We are acceptable just as we are. We can improve our health, our relationship with food, our lives - through learning what has shaped how and why we eat. And learning a compassionate approach is at the heart of this - but bootcamps that leave us exhausted, starving ourselves til we're dizzy, and god forbid - cutting our stomachs out are far from compassionate. These approaches also teach us that we can't TRUST our bodies. But perhaps our bodies are telling us EXACTLY what we need to hear. When we starve ourselves we rebound and eat because we are biologically hungry. Just like when we deprive ourselves of oxygen our diaphragm recoils and we gasp for air (like when we've been under water for too long, or been singing an extraordinarily long note - and as a professional singer, I know this feeling all too well). Our body knows what to do - but while we call "binge eating" after long periods of restriction "loss of control eating", do we call gasping for breath "loss of control breathing"???? We can love and nurture ourselves and listen to our needs. We are allowed to loves ourselves. Perhaps being given permission to love ourselves will enable us to take care of ourselves in the way we've always wanted to - and in the way we've always known how. We just don't need to be bullied anymore. If you'd like a compassionate, kind and gentle approach to healing your relationship with food, and moreover, would like to learn to trust yourself again, then give me a call at: Psych Solutions Orange - 6360 3551 Colour City Medical Practice Orange - 6360 2338 Psych Solutions Dubbo - 6882 7551

12.01.2022 Such a difficult time for so many people... Support is here if you need it.

11.01.2022 How can we treat ourselves more kindly? When we bash ourselves up over food and constantly berate ourselves it only keeps us stuck. Think about the bullies in the playground who treat others so badly - it doesnt motivate or inspire their victims. So why do we treat ourselves the same way? Coming in to spring, with the days starting to at least look nice (in Orange anyway - Im sure theyre warmer elsewhere!!) - perhaps we can start to be kinder to ourselves and be more compa...ssionate. Life is too short to be so nasty to ourselves. And it certainly doesnt inspire us to change. It simply keeps us stuck in the same behaviour. Self-compassion and gentle encouragement is the key to change - and it will lead to a happier and surprisingly healthier life. See more

11.01.2022 What we see in the mirror is distorted by how we feel right now. And how we feel right now is constantly affected by how we think we SHOULD look - which is a product of the dieting and "wellness" industry telling us that we must be a certain size, look a certain way, be a certain weight. We cant truly care for ourselves when we are hating ourselves - yet so many of the health messages around our bodies inspire us to hate ourselves, to push ourselves further, to feel guilty ...- and all it does is make us feel ashamed, guilty and hateful towards ourselves, our bodies, our very sense of who we are. Perhaps seeing this for what it is - a multi-trillion $$ industry, preying on our vulnerabilities and calling a stop to the BS. We deserve to love and accept ourselves for who we are right now. And we deserve to nourish ourselves and our bodies, no matter what size we are - right now. It is only by accepting ourselves, and loving ourselves, for who we are that we will then be able to look after ourselves in the way that we truly deserve - just like we look after our families and friends whom we truly love. FOR APPOINTMENTS to assist in Eating Disorders, Body Image, Chronic Dieting and Weight Management from a Non-dieting and Intuitive Eating Perspective, you can find me at: ORANGE: Colour City Medical Practice - Tues/Fri - 6360 2388 Psych Solutions - Mon - 6360 3551 DUBBO Macquarie Health Collective - Wed/Thurs - 6882 7113 More info: www.helenbarnett.com.au

10.01.2022 COVID and Isolation is really causing people to struggle in ways we didnt know how. Eating disorders are rising and it is heartbreaking to see people in so much pain. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, jump on to my Facebook page for a daily dose of inspiration to help you pull through. Somedays it will be a simple quote, other days it might be a description of a lecture or webinar Ive listened to, other days I might share an inspiring story o...f struggle Ive heard. Recovery is hard - the struggle is real - but it can be overcome and won, especially if you believe you can do it. I believe it can be done. For Appointments with me -a Dietitian specialising in Eating Disorders: Colour City Medical Practice Orange - 6360 2388 Psych Solutions Orange - 6360 3551 Macquarie Health Collective Dubbo - 6882 7113 more info: www.helenbarnett.com.au

10.01.2022 A dear friend sent this to me today. I needed reminding that life is full of paradoxes, hard decisions, conflicting emotions. It is sometimes hard to stand alone. I cling to Brenes other quote:... "True belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself so deeply that you can share your most authentic self with the world and find sacredness in both being a part of something and standing alone in the wilderness. True belonging doesnt require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are." Today I find myself again in the wilderness. But I love its craggy beauty.

09.01.2022 Nothing quite like joining Evelyn Tribole at 3:30am in the morning for a live seminar on Intuitive Eating. However, she is full of gems and worth every minute to hear her speak. It's such a life-changing journey in itself!

09.01.2022 How do we love the bodies we are in? Well, that is the $64 million question. I have no quick answers or solutions. But I can offer some observations from listening to so many people in pain. I know when people come to me hoping that I will "fix them" (ie help them lose weight) that this is most likely the worst thing I can do, because it perpetuates the idea that they are not good enough exactly as they are. It is interesting that so many of the methods out there that are des...igned to encourage us to lose weight start with the notion of punishment, restriction, and to some degree needing to "hate" yourself in order to succeed. But if we examine this in detail, we start to realise that it is destined to fail. Why? Because bullying and fear mongering in the name of motivation actually keeps people stuck and it humiliates us further. If you think about if you were to talk to a good friend or a young child in that way, how do you think they would respond? Do you think it would motivate them? Or do you think it would humiliate and demoralise them? Perhaps if we start with loving ourselves, accepting ourselves, nurturing ourselves, and giving ourselves some compassion, this will allow us to see our failures and failings as inevitably human and in turn we can pick ourselves and motivate ourselves to try again and move on. The compassionate and loving approach enables us to give ourselves what our body needs and be forgiving - and from that place we can understand how and why things haven't worked for us. When we can love our bodies healthy rather than starve and restrict our bodies of nourishment, we all might end up being much happier and healthier - and not just having a healthier relationship with ourselves, but a much less mixed up and confused relationship with food. We do not need to be fixed. We are all imperfectly perfect just the way we are. FIND ME AT DUBBO: PSYCH SOLUTIONS - 6882 7551 ORANGE: PSYCH SOLUTIONS - 6360 3551 COLOUR CITY MEDICAL PRACTICE 6360 2388

09.01.2022 For those who know me well, I am a HUGE Brene Brown fan. I love her raw honesty. I love that she can make you laugh and cry in the same sentence. And I must admit - I try and aim for this in many of my sessions. (I'd say all - but sometimes it's not appropriate.) Showing up when it is hard requires courage. Showing up when you don't know what the outcome is going to be requires Oh my God, so much determination, and true grit, and things that words just can't describe. My clients often think they are going to be judged by me. But if I can let you know one thing - I have so much admiration for you. You inspire me and I learn so much from you every day.

09.01.2022 Oh, diet culture... it is there all the time.... I can make my consulting rooms a sanctuary against the constant buffering of the diet and wellness industries that attempt to@make us feel bad about ourselves - but reminding ourselves that we are doing ok amidst the craziness of life really is a daily practice. Yes, you are awesome and amazing and beautiful and acceptable - just as you are.

08.01.2022 So, not quite nutrition related, however, as I am also a musician I thought Id share this gorgeous piece of music - one of my favourites, by composer Ennio Morricone, who died yesterday. Sometimes when there arent words - there is music.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WJhax7Jmxs

08.01.2022 COVID has enforced Isolation on many people. This has been very difficult for all of us, but particularly for those struggling with eating disorders. Eating Disorders develop for many reasons - but 1 reason is due to altered and disrupted attachment systems. Often, due to altered attachment (with important figures), a person can develop an eating disorder as a way to feel safe in the world. This can manifest as anorexia (because it doesnt feel safe to eat), bulimia (because ...it doesnt feel safe but then the over-riding need to eat and self-soothe is still there and becomes overwhelming), or binge-eating (because the need to self-soothe through eating predominates). This is of course a very simplistic explanation. However - it makes sense that eating disorders have become more prevalent in the context of COVID and isolation, because when one is forced into isolation, many people feel the need to replicate attachment - by eating - because the threat of loss of relationships has become real. It is important, and of course possible to address this - through the multidisciplinary help of a dietitian, psychologist, your GP, and maybe even a psychiatrist. However, help is available. Talk to your GP if you are concerned about your eating patterns and if your anxiety around food and eating has increased. You can ask for a referral to a Psychologist and Dietitian for assistance, and it may be appropriate to be assessed for an Eating Disorder. You can also call the Butterfly Foundation for assistance, or search online for the Insideout Institue where you can find a heap of useful resources. As a Dietitian, I specialise in Eating Disorders, Intuitive Eating and Gastrointestinal Issues. Appointments can be made at: Colour City Medical Practice Orange: 6360 2388 Psych Solutions Orange: 6360 2388 Macquarie Heath Collective Dubbo: 6882 7113 For more information: www.helenbarnett.com.au

07.01.2022 Its so easy to focus on the things we dislike about ourselves - but excruciatingly hard at times to hold in mind some things we like or even love about ourselves. How can we look after ourselves, and treat ourselves with the love, kindness and respect we deserve, if we dont truly like and love ourselves? Id love to hear - if youre so brave - of some of the things you like about yourself. It can be your laugh, your hair, your ability to change a tyre, or just show up and g...et stuff done. OR if youre brave enough - Id love to hear that you love some aspect of yourself, your body. Its about time we showed our friends, our families, our children, and most of all ourselves, how much we truly can love ourselves. Because sometimes that is the first step to believing it. Yes.... its hard.... But sometimes you have to fake it til you make it. Hxx

07.01.2022 Do you ever notice how much we talk about dieting? Or how much we talk about how much we dislike our bodies? How much we want to change our bodies, how much weight we want to lose, what diet we're going to go on, what foods we should or shouldn't be eating..... Have you ever noticed the impact it has on people around you? Let alone yourself? It's super hard. Especially when the society we live in constantly talks about how many people are ...... (sorry - stigmatising word). T...he news is plastered with statistics on childhood....... (again, another stigmatising word). Have you ever thought what it must feel like to be in an "epidemic"? Oops, actually, we're in a pandemic now, so actually, it's kinda, not nice. It feels a bit defeatist after a while.... And perhaps we switch off to it? Maybe if we stopped talking about the diets, the food we shouldn't eat, the regimes we should try and just learn to care for ourselves as we are - and not comment on what others are doing, then maybe we'd have time for the things that really mattered? Maybe what we are doing is our business, and sometimes what we are doing and the decisions we make for our body and how we talk about our body can have unintended impacts on those around us. For example, we may feel negative about our body, but be totally unaware that someone else might think that we look amazing, and would give anything to look like us - yet the fact that we are so negative about our body could spiral them further into negative feelings about themselves. Our diet talk really flows on to others. Especially our kids - who grow up thinking that restricting food and not nourishing yourself appropriately is just what humans do. Women are nurturers. Nurturing means self-care. A fundamental part of self-care is nourishment. If we all nourished ourselves appropriately we might all feel less stressed, less frayed, less exhausted and emotional eating might be a thing of the past. When the body is under-nourished, it ends up stressed, and at the end of the day when you return home exhausted, one inevitably stress eats. Perhaps if we removed the undernourished part, we'd also remove the stress eating part. And then we wouldn't need to worry about the dieting either.

06.01.2022 There is barely a person I talk to who has a positive thing to say about their body. And OMG it is exhausting. I must say - it is a huge step to go from Body Hatred to feeling positive about one's body, but the journey I try to walk with people is one of hopefully feeling less awful - hopefully that is something people can actually see as achievable. Particularly when they're feeling so bad about themselves. However, if we think about it - it is such a huge weight to carry ev...eryday to feel so negative and horrible about oneself. WHY??!! What is it that makes us feel this way? Why do we constantly do it to ourselves?? There is perhaps a lot we can do in our families and communities to start stopping this - we can make our families a "diet free" zone. We can stop making body talk a thing in the office or work place We can also stop "diet" talk in the office If we're struggling with our body image (which we all do), we can acknowledge this - but perhaps ask permission before we discuss it with those around us. This subtly changes the dynamic about our bodies - it means the listener can decide whether they an or want to bear the "brunt" of the body talk... (ie are they in the right headspace to listen to it?). Maybe we can also start noticing our own thoughts - that is a good first step too.

05.01.2022 How do we see beauty? We spend so much time focusing on what we look like, trying to whittle ourselves down to a tiny size, that it upsets our relationship with food, our bodys, ourselves, our friends, our families - but most of all, ourselves. We end up torturing ourselves for what purpose? To look good in the eyes of who? But we end up hating ourselves, hating our bodys, not knowing how to feed ourselves, not knowing how to care for ourselves, not knowing how to be kind, ...not knowing what is important for us or for others. The biggest thing in our lives is both food and not food - we want it yet, we dont. We are dominated by it, yet we want to run from it at the same time. All in the name of striving for some "beauty ideal" that were never going to reach because it will never be good enough.... Ironically, turning towards self-care, being able to feed ourselves and nurture ourselves as we need to be nurtured, allows us to give to others what they need. Love, support, attention, kindness. We can only give those things to others when we give it to ourselves. Our body can only stand in this world and radiate self acceptance, love and kindness to others, when we give it to ourselves. And in this world that profits from us hating ourselves, we need to practice loving ourselves so fiercely, so that our children, friends, sisters - communities... everyone around us really - start to absorb some of our warmth. See more

05.01.2022 Suffering through the pain of an eating disorder, or struggling with body image discomfort can be so excruciating in a world that constantly tells us what and how we should be. We are constantly torn and pulled away from what our internal body cues tell us - and we cant truly settle in and both appreciate food AND live in the body we have. This manifests on so many levels - and I am both astounded and privileged by the journey I am taken on every day with my clients who co...nstantly teach me about how we can both torture ourselves, but also change and grow. Im excited to now return to face to face consultations in Dubbo, at my new practice location - PSYCH SOLUTIONS, 195 Brisbane St, Dubbo. For appointments, please call: 6882 7551 or 0438 633 038

03.01.2022 We really can't underestimate the power of what we say and do as women, mother's, sisters, friends. We have so much power to influence - both positively and negatively - other women (and Men and boys) around us. I listen to stories of so much pain each day about how much women (and increasingly boys/men) hate their bodies - yet these are women who are mother's raising beautiful children, working in incredible jobs doing wonderful things for our communities, supporting husband...s, caring for elderly parents, volunteering.... Yet personally are in so much pain. I understand that "Diet culture" and how it is dressed (as "wellness culture") is SO incredibly powerful. I have compassion and understanding for the many people who want to lose weight and change their bodies because our society tells us that we are "better" for being in smaller bodies. However, I also have immense compassion and empathy for the people struggling with eating disorders, body image struggles, body dysmorphia and are in serious pain because of the constant messaging they hear from all around us - not just from the media, social marketing - but from those closest to them. PLEASE - it is time we celebrated ALL bodies, and concentrated more on WHO we are as people and what we bring to this world. NOT what we ARE and what we LOOK like. This just brings so much pain and suffering. It is time we lived life - concentrating on what we can bring to it, rather than how we should be in it... I know this is hard. But if we can all support each other by loving our own body's just as they are - then that would go a long way to changing things, little by little. For Assistance with Eating Disorders, Body image Issues, Chronic Dieting or Intuitive eating: Orange: Colour City Medical Practice - 6360 2388 Psych Solutions - 6360 3551 Dubbo Psych Solutions - 6882 7551

03.01.2022 How do we change? It doesn't just happen, and we have to be intensely invested in wanting to change. It is long are painstaking and often involves taking a long hard look at ourselves are realising there are parts of ourselves we don't much like, but also recognising there are many parts that are strong and resilient too. Ironically, the ability to recognise the parts we don't much like is a huge strength, and shows courage, humility and grace. And gosh - it can be oh so rewa...rding. Often with food and eating, it is so hard to change because the behaviours related to eating have developed over a lifetime and have become so entrenched that it feels overwhelming. And overlaid on top of that are societal expectations and judgements regarding what we should look like and how we should be, and that we should all aim to be healthy. And then overlaid on all of that are our own feelings of judgement, guilt, shame, embarrassment (or however we feel - I'm just using the common ones I hear from my clients) about why they can't "get it right". Yes, nutrition is a science, and when we bring it back to the science the body works in a certain way in relation to food - and there will be things that will nourish you to make you feel energised, vital, sleep better and have better mood. But eating is a behaviour - and the psychology of that is fascinating. What is your relationship with food, and how has it developed? Do you see food as good and bad? and do you crave/desire the "bad" foods and consequently feel guilty? What if there were no "bad" foods? What if you didn't have to finish your plate (and didn't feel guilty about the starving children in Africa?) but left it for leftovers tomorrow? Where have all these rules come from? And why do we rigidly follow them when they aren't serving us any more? See more