Face to face support groups

Michelle Sperling is the National Manager, Treatment and Support.

She is a registered Clinical Social Worker and Psychotherapist. A highly-experienced eating disorder clinician.Michelle has worked in a wide range of settings including individual counselling, Butterfly’s Intensive Outpatient Program, Recovery and Carer support groups and programs.

Michelle is trained in evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Narrative Therapy. Michelle has a holistic approach to treatment and advocates that recovery is 100% possible. She is passionate about working with those experiencing and caring for someone eating disorder.

Jessica facilitates Sydney recovery support groups.

Jessica has been a counsellor on the Butterfly National Helpline for over two years and has more recently taken on the additional role as a support group facilitator.

With a Graduate Diploma in Counselling, Jessica understands the complex nature of eating disorders and uses her counselling skills to guide people with lived experiences.

Dedicated and passionate about working with eating disorders, Jessica is guided by her compassionate and curious nature to support those in need.

Jessica works to help you connect to your inner “healthy-self” and realise your full potential, one that she believes is deserved.

Through her work she hopes to increase understanding and available support for people experiencing eating disorder.

Archana facilitates Sydney carer support groups.

Archana facilitates the carer support group and has also facilitated the recovery support group.  In addition to working on Butterfly’s National Helpline Archana is completing a Masters in Psychotherapy and Counselling, and holds a Bachelor of Counselling.

She recently co-facilitated a six-week workshop “Understanding Eating Disorder Recovery for Carers”, helping carers to develop practical skills to help their loved one through recovery.

As a mother of two girls, Archana feels passionate about empowering carers in supporting their loved one through their recovery.

Caitlin facilitates Hobart recovery and carer support groups.

Caitlin has been co-facilitating the Butterfly support groups since 2016 and has lived experience as a young carer of her two younger sisters who experienced eating disorders.

She is able to relate to this perspective as a sibling in the support groups, and both her siblings are now recovered, young adults.

Caitlin is currently completing a Masters in Clinical Psychology and additionally has experience as a Lifeline crisis support volunteer.

As Tasmanian’s eating disorder coordinator, she provides support and general information about eating disorders. She also provides guidance to individuals who are experiencing eating disorders and their carers and families.

She wholeheartedly believes that recovery is possible and she joined as a facilitator to spread this message and provide hope to people experiencing eating disorders and their families and carers.

Hobart support groups are supported by the Crown, through the Tasmanian Department of Health. 

Rebecca facilitates Hobart carer support groups.

Rebecca has lived experience as a carer for her daughter who developed an eating disorder at 19.  Both Rebecca and her ex-husband work in the medical field, but they became frustrated at the difficulties of finding the right care for their daughter.

Rebecca and her daughter relocated to Sydney for 10 months following her daughters’ hospitalisation and participated in Butterfly’s Intensive Outpatient Program. Rebecca’s daughter is now 22, traveling the recovery road and doing well.

Despite the move to Sydney helping Rebecca and her daughter it was isolating to be far from home. This has led Rebecca to join as a support group facilitator because she is passionate about improving the availability of care to Tasmanian’s experiencing eating disorders.  She brings compassion and understanding to the support groups by providing experience-based support to carers.

Hobart support groups are supported by the Crown, through the Tasmanian Department of Health