All you need to know about the Butterfly National Helpline

Ayesha Khan: [00:00:00] We know that there’s a lot of shame and guilt and fear attached to an eating struggle and stigma, both if it, whether it’s internal or external, but it’s so important. I think this is what makes it especially important to talk to a professional, especially somebody who understands. how complex and multifaceted eating and body image related struggles can be.

Sam Ikin: At the end of every episode that we do, I put out the number for the Butterfly Helpline, 1 800 ED HOPE. It’s very easy to remember. And I tell you that’s the best place to go if you’re struggling or if you need any kind of support with body image concerns or eating disorders. It’s a free service, offers immediate, judgement free support or advice from a trained counsellor, and you don’t need an appointment or you don’t need to go anywhere, [00:01:00] all you need is a phone or a computer.

You don’t even need to tell them who you are. But despite all that, it can feel daunting or risky, especially if someone feels stigmatised or has feelings of shame about having the problem in the first place, and we know how common that can be in the eating disorder space. Ayesha Khan, who is the Clinical Operations Lead at the Helpline, and who spends hours on the phone supporting a diverse range of help seekers from all across Australia with all sorts of different experiences and needs, has kindly made time to pop into the studio to tell us what it’s like from behind the scenes at the Butterfly Helpline.

So Ayesha, thanks so much for being here. How did you get into this line of work?

Ayesha Khan: It’s probably been something that I knew I wanted to do from the very beginning. So with three sisters and my eldest sister is a was studying psychology at the time when I was still in school. And I just remember, borrowing her books and reading about [00:02:00] mental health. And I just knew, I feel like sometimes you have a calling for certain things in life.

Sam Ikin: And so tell us about the Helpline. What are the most important things that people need to know about it?

Ayesha Khan: It is a national support service for anyone in Australia impacted by eating disorders and body image concerns.
And we have a lovely team of counsellors and Helpline supervisors that I’m very fortunate to work alongside. And essentially, we are able to provide in the moment counselling support. And that could be some psychoeducation, it could be referral information, and this support is primarily provided by means of phone. And webchats and emails.

Sam Ikin: I tell everyone in almost every episode, you know, we put out the phone number and I encourage anybody who is, [00:03:00] whether they’re struggling at the moment or they just need some more information or they want to find a good clinician or something that’s the right place to go.
Hopefully I’m not directing people to you for things that you can’t help them with. But I think that’s a pretty important thing that we need to cover. What is it not what can you not help people with?

Ayesha Khan: That is such a good question. And an important one as well, I think As a support helpline we are not a crisis service. So if a person is in crisis, then another service like Lifeline or emergency services may be a more appropriate option for them.

Sam Ikin: A crisis can look different for different people, but it would be especially concerning if someone’s struggling with thoughts of self harm or suicidality. In those cases, Butterfly encourages you to contact Triple Zero.
Other specialized support services include Lifeline or Kids Helpline, and there are links for those in the show notes.

Ayesha Khan: We also do not provide ongoing care, so it’s important to probably note that [00:04:00] The helpline is not a replacement for therapy we can provide in the moment support, but we can certainly provide people information about how they can access more ongoing support.
And we also are not medically trained, so we cannot provide medical advice or make a diagnosis. And then again, we still would be able to share information. Referral or the pathway to get that support. And we also have a database actually, where people can search for health professionals who have training in this area.

Sam Ikin: It’s interesting. A lot of people might call up and say, do I have an eating disorder? This is happening. There are some really good screening tools, which also are not a diagnostic tool, but can indicate whether there is the presence of disordered eating or, the elements of an eating disorder in there.

Is that something that you that you utilize, or would you send somebody to see a GP if they’re worried about whether or not they do have an eating [00:05:00] disorder?

Ayesha Khan: It is a question that definitely comes up often, right? Many people sit in the space wondering if it is a problem whether something, or, they sit in the space and they think, I should be able to manage it on my own.
But we know that it’s not that simple. We know that it’s a lot more complex. It can affect people in so many different ways. So it is important that you are talking to somebody that understands such struggles and is able to provide the right information, the right guidance and the right support.

So we do have a screening tool on our butterfly website, which someone can use as well. We might talk to the person about how they can access supports. What would the next steps look like? Do I need to see a GP or a psychologist or a dietitian? We can definitely talk to a person just about the best pathway to get them the care and support they’re needing. And I think it’s really important to acknowledge that. [00:06:00] A multidisciplinary team is really important in the management of eating struggles. So we would certainly encourage connecting with the GP and other professionals.

Sam Ikin: Of course. Yeah. And I think that’s what we always say that the GP is always a good place to go at the helpline I think is a lot of people’s first port of call who’s eligible to contact the helpline. Can anybody call?

Ayesha Khan: Absolutely. So Butterfly’s Helpline is there for anyone, anywhere in Australia. So everyone is welcome to contact us with any questions or concerns they might have around eating and body image struggles. And so typically we have people who are experiencing an eating struggle contacting us, but it could also be they’re, uh, family members, carers. We also have parents and partners or siblings and friends. And at times we might also have other professionals, other health [00:07:00] professionals who contact us as well.

Sam Ikin: It’s an interesting concept. So my first call when I thought that I had a problem was to Butterfly Helpline, I did all, all of the research online and, but I Like an imposter when I called because I’m like, I don’t think that people, anyone is going to believe I have an eating disorder, even though I was suspecting that I did is stigma, an issue that might stop somebody from calling who is perfectly eligible. And really should be using that service?

Ayesha Khan: We know that there’s a lot of shame and guilt and fear attached to an eating struggle and stigma both, if it, whether it’s internal or external surrounding an eating disorder struggle and, help seeking for mental health issues can really further push a person into isolation. So you can definitely see that as a big barrier. There’s this fear of [00:08:00] being misunderstood, fear of not being taken seriously, fear of maybe control being taken away. So these are all real serious barriers that can hold a person back from being able to get the help that they need, but it’s, So important.
I think this is what makes it especially important to talk to a professional, especially somebody who understands how complex and multifaceted eating and body image related struggles can be.

Sam Ikin: Yeah. And so tell us about the counselors when you call in and someone picks up, and I know this has been you for a long time and you are extremely easy to talk to. And it would be, I think, I don’t think many people would have any problems. Telling you all of their problems, but who are the other people? I’m guessing you’re probably needed elsewhere these days rather than answering the phone. So who can we expect to talk to?

Ayesha Khan: That is right. We have a lovely team, Sam. It’s an absolute pleasure to work with people who are [00:09:00] so passionate and so driven to work in this area. I think it would The helpline would be nothing without the staff that we have, who is really so dedicated and all our team members, so the counselors and the supervisors are allied health professionals we have counselors, we have psychologists, we have social workers, and and we do make sure that, you know, Everyone on our team has a really thorough onboarding and training so that we’re really equipped to provide the support the community is needing.

Sam Ikin: When somebody calls up, typically what is the process that you go through? And I know you’ve probably got calls that are, it’s always gonna be different. I guess in general, what’s your best case scenario?
Ayesha Khan: Anyone looking for support can contact us by calling into the helpline. So you can call the EDHOP 1 800 334 673 [00:10:00] number to speak with one of our counsellors. We also have a web chat service, which can be accessed via the Butterfly website. So people who have an, people can have an online chat. With our counselors, just by using their mobile phones or their computer. And as soon as you connect with us you’ll be in the queue to chat with one of our counsellors.

Sam Ikin: From there, is it likely that people are referred on to a third party?
Ayesha Khan: That’s right. So it is pretty much as simple and straightforward as that. As soon as you contact us, either by calling into the helpline or connecting with us by web chat, you’re straight away connected with a counselor who is trained and experienced and would be able to provide you with in the moment support or information that you’re needing.

Sam Ikin: A lot of people are a bit thrown also when they have to start providing all their personal details. I’ve said it before that people can remain [00:11:00] completely anonymous, but do you are there any details that people need to hand over when they talk to you?

Ayesha Khan: that is a good question. Asking demographic questions is usually quite standard practice for most healthcare and wellbeing services. It helps us understand the person. It helps us, provide more tailored support and, referral options. If we have that information.

Sam Ikin: What are some of the more common queries that you receive? Are there any, standard calls that you hear quite a lot?

Ayesha Khan: Firstly, I’d like to just acknowledge that every issue, question or concern is valid. People can really connect with us and share anything regarding their eating and body image concerns. And oftentimes taking the first step, as we discussed earlier, it can feel quite daunting. A helpline can be just that point of contact to start that conversation. Do I have a problem? How do I get help? Where do I get [00:12:00] started? They’re all valid reasons to, to connect with us. And I feel like a lot of the times people. are trying to share their experience, but also get support for some of these queries or questions that they might be sitting with.

Sam Ikin: So are you able to give us any examples of things that people would, that, that you would often hear?

Ayesha Khan: I think a lot of the times it really depends on where a person is at. It depends on, on, sometimes it might be an aha moment where, I’ve not really been able to understand my relationship with food and eating and maybe something has triggered that awareness. And that’s where people are starting to figure out if, they need some support and help for their struggles at times, it might be to get the in, get some in the moment support, right? What’s important to recognize is that recovery is not always linear and.[00:13:00]
People may still need some support with understanding their journey, recovery journey, or just a space to share the difficult thoughts that they’re sitting with, that the voice in the head can get too loud.

Sam Ikin: It’s very nice to know that there’s somebody who’s there. to to take those calls because it’s, it’s, it can feel really isolating. I think when you’re in that position are you able to share any more unusual issues that people might call in with and how, your counselors are equipped to deal with those?

Ayesha Khan: I feel when you fall back on or when you suggest that there are no silly questions or questions. Or, unusual presentations as such every concern is valid. And I think our counsellors, our team are able to just provide that in the moment support. And we can, if we’re not sure about something we would be, we would definitely be able to guide the person to a more [00:14:00] fitting service or support option.

Sam Ikin: Can you tell us why someone might not feel that way? comfortable reaching out. And I think I asked you the question about stigma earlier. Is that the only reason?

Ayesha Khan: So many reasons. I know stigma is a big one around seeking help, but at the same time, there’s this, oftentimes people might also have reached out for support in some way. They might’ve started a conversation with, let’s say family members, or they might’ve tried to approach somebody and talk about their issues. And at times, despite coming from a good place, what can happen is. The response they get for being brave enough to share something. Can feel a bit dismissive or can, further push them into isolation. So I think it’s important to connect with somebody, a professional for that matter, that [00:15:00] understands how serious the struggle can be and connecting with the right supports can really help overcome all of those heavy feelings that we discussed earlier, right? The shame, the guilt, the isolation that which we know are so common with eating disorders. And we are here to listen as a helpline. We’re here to provide guidance and we’re here to support anyone that may be needing that help.

Sam Ikin: The thing that I like to say about the helpline as well, is that it offers judgment free, a safe space for anyone to ask questions. any question really about eating disorders or any concerns anyone might have about body image or things like that. I find that very comforting that you guys are there and that’s something that people are able to feel comfortable about. But what happens if you call and you can’t get in touch with someone right away?

Ayesha Khan: With the call function, so when you call into the Butterfly helpline [00:16:00] and you will be on hold until a counsellor is able to pick up your call, we also have an option where a person can request to keep their spot in the queue and request for a call back.

So that is one way that someone might be able to get some support. And apart from that, I think it’s also. Important to maybe acknowledge that we do have times of higher volumes, but we do our best to service the community.

Sam Ikin: Why should somebody with concerns about their eating or body image contact the Butterfly Helpline in the first place?

Ayesha Khan: It is a real mental health struggle and help is available and early help seeking is important in reducing the severity of the struggle. We are here as a helpline to provide clarification, guide individuals towards accurate information and the best next steps for [00:17:00] support. Every person is worthy of a quality, healthy and fulfilling life.

Sam Ikin: So lastly, what are some things that you have discovered about yourself or about people in general, since you started working with the helpline that perhaps you didn’t know beforehand?

Ayesha Khan: It’s actually been quite a remarkable journey working for Butterfly. And I feel like it has. Really opened me up to become a lot more sensitive and aware of how our daily language can impact the world.
People around us, I think just being mindful of the messages that people might be receiving from social media or from, movies or television or different platforms. I think, look, we’re here to We’re here to support the community and I think if anyone is looking for support and even if you’re not sure and you’d like to understand how you can build a [00:18:00] better, develop a better relationship with your food, eating and the body you’re welcome to reach out and connect with the Butterfly Helpline. We are here, we can provide you with, um, information, referral options, self help resources and any guidance that might be helpful.

Sam Ikin: Awesome, Aisha. Thank you so much for your time and for just sharing a little bit of what you do every day with us. We really appreciate it.

Ayesha Khan: Thank you, Sam. It’s been a pleasure.

Sam Ikin: That number, if you have any question about eating disorders or body image concerns, is 1 800 ED HOPE. That’s 1 800 334 673. When you call, you’ll be connected with one of Ayesha’s counsellors. It’s open seven days a week from 8:00 AM until midnight. You can also access the helpline chat service through the Butterfly website. That’s butterfly.org.au, or you can email your question or concern to support@butterfly.org.au. [00:19:00] I’d like to give a massive thank you to Waratah Education Foundation for supporting our podcast. This show is produced by Ikin Media for Butterfly Foundation. Our executive producer is Camilla Becket. Lived experience support comes from Kate Mulray.

And if you’d like to support us, the best thing you can do is leave us a rating or a review wherever you’re listening to this podcast. Until next time, I’m Sam Ikin