Inside Eating Disorders - A Practical Workshop for Professionals

Why this workshop?

Unlike traditional clinical training, Danni McDougall's holistic approach combines theoretical knowledge with her personal recovery journey and social work practice.

Through her art, Danni reveals real insights about what helped versus what felt invalidating - perspectives you can't get from textbooks alone.

You'll leave with practical tools and the confidence to work safely and effectively with clients experiencing eating disorders.

Who is this for?

This workshop is for Counsellors, Psychologists, Social Workers, GPs, Dieticians, Occupational Therapists and other Mental Health Professionals who:

• Are seeking a deeper understanding of what it is like to live with an eating disorder to enhance their practice.
• Have clients with eating disorders and feel unsure of how to discuss their concerns and support them in their recovery.
• Would like to learn how to use “Eating Disorders and Other Shadowy Companions” cards as a tool to initiate and facilitate conversation with clients.
• Would like to contribute to a more inclusive and non-judgemental society where all bodies are accepted.

If you answer YES to some of these questions, you will benefit from the workshop:

• Do some of your clients present with body image and eating issues?
• Do you support clients experiencing an eating disorder?
• Do you feel inadequately prepared to work with clients with eating disorders?
• Do you avoid exploring food/body concerns because you're unsure how to respond safely and concerned that you might trigger your clients?
• Do you feel caught between wanting to help and feeling overwhelmed by the complexity?
• Is it exhausting to balance client needs with documentation, risk protocols, and time pressures?
• Do you wish you had more support when working with eating disorder presentations?

Learning Outcomes

• Understand exactly what helps from people with lived experience - insights that will transform your approach and can't be found in textbooks.
• Learn how to explore food/body concerns safely and confidently without fear of making things worse or triggering your clients.
• Gain practical strategies for working with ambivalence - techniques that help you and your client move forward when things seem stuck.
• Discover how to bridge the gap between clinical guidelines, your duty of care, and truly hearing your clients' voices- especially when evidence-based approaches feel rigid or invalidating.
• Be introduced to the 'Eating Disorders and Other Shadowy Companions' card set and learn how to use them immediately as conversation starters and therapeutic tools in your practice
• Access ongoing consultation support so you never feel alone or overwhelmed when eating disorder presentations arise in your caseload. Practical advice and tips on where to go for support.

You will receive:

• A pack of Eating Disorders and Other Shadowy Companions cards (Value = $85)
• Learning materials to use in your practice.
• Eating Disorder Specific Tools

About the Facilitator

Danni McDougall holds a Bachelor of Social Work and Masters of Art Therapy with over 20 years of practice experience, including 10+ years specialising in eating disorders and complex trauma.

As both a clinician and someone with lived experience of an eating disorder and recovery, Danni understands the gap between clinical theory and what helps clients heal. Her personal recovery journey informed the creation of the "Eating Disorders and Other Shadowy Companions" cards, which began as visual expressions of her own experience when words alone weren't enough.

Danni now combines her dual perspective to help mental health professionals work more effectively with eating disorder presentations.