Chat online
We are here for you 8am to midnight (AEST/AEDT), 7 days a week. A Counsellor will join the Webchat once available and you will be able to start chatting.
If you are looking for an eating disorder practitioner, you can directly search Butterfly Referral Database on our website.
Please note The Butterfly National Helpline is not a crisis service. In case of an emergency, please end the chat and call 000, Lifeline 131 114 or Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.
A gentle reminder
Our staff members are dedicated professionals who strive to assist individuals in need. We request that you act respectfully and safely towards our staff at all times. If someone behaves in a way that is abusive, threatening or in any way places others at risk, our staff may immediately end the interaction. Please see Butterfly’s Charter of Rights for more information.
Are you unsafe or in a crisis now?
Our Helpline is not a crisis line and we cannot provide medical help. If you or someone you know is in crisis please contact Lifeline (13 11 14) or Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800). If it is an emergency please call 000.
Helpline experiences a high demand, such as evenings, and at these times there may be a longer wait. Please keep an eye on the chat window so you see when a Counsellor has joined. If we have not been able to respond to a webchat within 60 minutes, the chat will automatically disconnect.
Alternatively, you can try calling us on 1800 33 4673 and rather than waiting on hold, you can keep your place in the queue and receive a call back. We will attempt to call you back as soon as possible between the hours of 9am to 11pm, Australia Eastern Standard or Daylight Savings times adjusted.
If you have an enquiry for our Helpline regarding support, eating disorders or body image you can email us by clicking here.
Butterfly asks questions about your age, gender, LGBTIQA+ identity, if you identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person and if you have a culturally or linguistically diverse background. Asking people about these key demographic questions helps us:
- better understand how various community groups access the Helpline.
- know if we are receiving contacts from vulnerable groups in the community.
- make decisions regarding how to best increase access to the Helpline for vulnerable groups, tailor our support and language to your personal circumstances, and ensure we are providing culturally safe services.
- bridge gaps in knowledge and equity of access in the healthcare sector for vulnerable groups.
Your privacy and confidentiality is important to us. We collect and store your IP address as well as any personal information you share during the webchat. Information collected from the webchat is stored securely. We do not share your information to anyone outside of the Butterfly Helpline team except when you or someone you know may be in immediate danger. In this case a counsellor may need to take steps to help keep you and others save.
If you contact us more than once, the counsellor may review your previous records. This can help us provide you with a better service. For more information please read our Privacy Policy.
If you provide a mobile phone number, you will receive a brief satisfaction survey following the webchat to help us enhance our service. You can also complete the form on our ‘Feedback’ page to send us your feedback, compliments or complaints.
Butterfly Helpline can only provide services to people in Australia. If you are currently living or travelling outside of Australia, we encourage you to seek support from a service located near you. Some options include:
UK – https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/
Ireland – https://www.bodywhys.ie/
USA – https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
Canada – http://nedic.ca/
New Zealand – https://www.ed.org.nz/
