Health at Every Size® Healthcare Provider Listing
Laura Smolcic, BEd, MPsych (Clin)
(she/her)
Clinical Psychologist
The Psychology and Therapy clinic
Sydenham,
Victoria,
Australia
Contact Me:
Make an Appointment:
Waitlist Available
Specialties & Areas of Focus:
- Eating disorder credentialled clinican
Modalities & Theoretical Lenses:
- Schema therapy
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT & CBT E)
- Some Acceptance and Committment Therapy (ACT)
Age Groups Served:
- Adults (18 years old and up)
- Adults (18 years old and up)
Additional Populations Served & Allied Groups:
- Perfectionists
- People Pleasers
Languages Services Offered In:
- English
- English
My Philosophy of Care
I am a clinical psychologist who works with an array of mental health conditions and disorders, for nearly 20 years. Based in a small Private Practice, I have worked with people who are experiencing Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar, Substance use issues, Eating disorders, Trauma, anger issues, work stressors, chronic pain and relationship issues.
I work with a range of clients with different abilities (some of my clients are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, some are neurodiverse)- all of my clients are treated equally, with respect and care. I work with evidence based practices, to assist people with mental health issues.
As a credentialled Eating disorder clinician, I am passionate about assisting people through this disorder, using a HAES perspective. A lot of the therapy I offer is often trauma informed therapy, such as Schema therapy . I also incorporate a range of other therapies as required, such as CBT (CBTE), some Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and skills from Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT). Self compassion is often used in my therapy, as well as a lot of Psych- Education.
Being a HAES provider means, I am weight inclusive, I am a non- dieting clinician, and I psych-educate my clients about the problems of diet culture. I believe HAES is a kind and compassionate way of working with people of all sizes, it is critical in the area of eating disorders. I have practiced the HAES approach for several years, and it is in line with my Values as a psychologist.
About Me & My Practice
I was a secondary school teacher before being a psychologist & noticed the significant impact of body image disatisfaction for many teenaged girls. This influenced my journey in becoming a psychologist.
My first HAES workshop was in 2012 & called "If fat doesn't kill you worrying about it certainly will!: A positive & HAES approach to eating disorders, body image disatisfaction and 'fear of fat' ". It was powerful.
For many years I have used a HAES framework of care- weight loss is never our goal of therapy as clients learn the problems of dieting. I work with helping people enhance their mental health, and assist people how to manage their experience of weight stigma and weight bias from others (including those in medical professions). After working with clients to overcome the acute stage of their eating disorder, clients are encouraged to learn about intuitive eating, and work towards joyful movement. Clients are given many resources to learn about the non -diet approach of living life, without dieting, without having to lose weight- and they will be given information about the weight science. Although I am not directly involved in research, I have an array of resources I offer my clients to learn the reality about food, weight loss and the diet culture.
I am very passionate in helping people outside of my small private practice, to learn about how to stop hating their bodies, to learn about the reality of diet culture, using a HAES lens. So I also offer online programs.
Accessibility Considerations
I have set up both of our offices in our clinic that include appropriate furniture for people of different sizes- both have couches and ample room for movement. The office is located in a hospital- run clinic, that has wheelchair accessibility and waiting areas with adequate seating. Our administration staff are aware of my work as an eating disorder clinican, and hence are welcoming and inclusive of all sizes. I do not practice with scales. I also encourage my clients to be linked in with GPs, Dietitans, etc., who understand and/or work in a non -dieting approach, (if possible) being HAES informed.