Eating Disorders: A Practitioner's Guide to Psychological Care

By Dr Vivienne Lewis

Working with clients who struggle with eating disorders is rarely straightforward.

Motivation can shift from session to session. Progress may stall. And even experienced clinicians can find themselves questioning what to do next — what to say, how far to push, and how to respond when change feels fragile.

This book is designed for exactly those moments.

Eating Disorders: A Practitioner’s Guide to Psychological Care offers clear, practical guidance you can use in session — helping you navigate complex presentations with greater confidence and clinical clarity.

This is not a theoretical overview or a structured treatment program to implement.

It is a practical, clinician-focused resource that shows how eating disorders present in everyday practice — and how you can respond in ways that support engagement, insight, and gradual change.

Drawing on extensive clinical experience, Dr Vivienne Lewis translates key psychological principles into approaches you can apply immediately.

This book helps you to

• Work more confidently with eating disorder presentations, even when motivation is uncertain
• Respond to body image concerns in real conversations, not just in theory
• Support clients struggling with self-worth, control, and ambivalence about change
• Address common co-occurring issues such as anxiety and depression
• Navigate difficult moments in therapy with greater clarity and direction

Through authentic case examples, the book shows how eating disorders unfold in practice — and how small, well-timed shifts in your approach can make a meaningful difference.

These are not idealised scenarios, but recognisable clinical situations that reflect the realities of day-to-day work.

Written for clinicians working directly with clients, including psychologists, counsellors, dietitians, and other members of the treatment team, this book supports a shared, practical approach to care.

It can be used:

• as a session-to-session reference
• in supervision and case discussion
• as a resource alongside your existing therapeutic approach

The material is structured in accessible sections, making it easy to revisit when you need guidance — whether you’re preparing for a session or reflecting afterwards.

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About the Author
Dr Vivienne Lewis is a Clinical Psychologist at the University of Canberra specialising in the area of body image, disordered eating, and eating disorders. Her research focuses on the influence of appearance perceptions on wellbeing and mental health in males and females. Dr Lewis also has a private practice where she sees clients of all ages dealing with body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, stress, depression and anxiety. She is part of the University of Canberra experts guide and regularly features in the media. (https://researchprofiles.canberra.edu.au/ en/persons/vivienne-lewis) Dr Lewis is a member of the professional body, the Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologists. She is a Board Approved Supervisor and supervises clinical students, registrars and full qualified psychologists. She also offers workshops and supervision to a range of professionals working with people with disordered eating and body image issues and is a strong advocate for body respect and celebrating body diversity. She has previously written a self-help book for people battling body image issues called Positive Bodies: Loving The Skin You're In and one for adults including parents and teachers, helping children and young people with body image issues, eating disorders and mental health called No Body's Perfect: A helper's guide to promoting positive body image in children and young people.

ISBN 9781925644678

Softcover, 186 pages

Released August, 2024