Butterfly: Let's Talk

Butterfly Foundation

This is the Butterfly Podcast from the Butterfly Foundation, your national voice for people living with body image issues and eating disorders.

  • 30 minutes 11 seconds
    It's not about the body: the hidden story behind your body image

    Meet our new host, Beth Shelton, a counselling psychologist with thirty years of experience working with people affected by eating disorders, including their loved ones. In addition to her own practice, Beth has shaped services, trained clinicians, and held national leadership roles across the sector. She brings professional wisdom and genuine warmth to all that she does.

    In her inaugural episode, Beth is joined by Dr Natasha Hepworth, a psychologist who challenges the idea that an improved body image is simply a matter of changing our thinking.

    Most of us already know we should feel better about how we look. But knowing it and living it are worlds apart.

    Natasha's work starts with a different question: not what's wrong with how you see your body, but what is your body image protecting you from?

    She sees negative body image not as a flaw to be fixed, but as a coping strategy, one that often has roots in real lived experience, including unprocessed trauma and shame. Her work invites us to explore what our bodies have been holding, and how we can heal in a way that genuinely lasts.

    If you've ever felt like body acceptance was always just out of reach, this episode may just make the difference.

    Resources:

    Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram here

    Production Team:

    • Produced by Beth Shelton and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler
    • Executive Producer: Camilla Becket
    • Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation

    For more information about this episode, visit www.butterfly.org.au/podcast and click through to this episode.

    If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the Butterfly National Helpline or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Recovery is possible with the right support.

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    31 March 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 34 seconds
    Problematic relationship with your body and food? Here's what to do.

    In this episode Yvie is joined by Natalie Spicer, Butterfly's Head of Clinical Services, to talk through taking the all-important first steps toward recovery from an eating disorder.

    If you or a loved one are struggling with eating, exercise, or body image and don't know where to begin — this one's for you.

    What we cover:

    Preparing for a GP appointment and what to expect in that first meeting

    Accessing Medicare-subsidised eating disorder treatment plans

    Bulk-billed and low-cost care options

    Alternative treatment pathways and telehealth options

    How carers, loved ones and other allies can offer safe, meaningful support

    When a helpline, support group or other support services can make a real difference

    Where you may find more resources, including in your own state.

    No matter where you're at, this episode is about giving you a plan that fits your life — practical, compassionate, and actionable. You can do it your way with some guidance and tools.

    This is the final episode hosted by Yvie Jones and Butterfly will forever be grateful for the work she has done in this space. We'll be introducing our new host in April! :-)

    Resources:

    Follow Yvie Jones on Instagram here

    Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram here

    Production Team:

    • Produced by Yvie Jones and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler
    • Executive Producer: Camilla Becket
    • Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation

    For more information about this episode, visit www.butterfly.org.au/podcast and click through to this episode.

    If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the Butterfly National Helpline or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Recovery is possible with the right support.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    3 March 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 50 minutes
    The medicine and the message: Unpacking the chatter around GLP-1s

    On this week’s episode of Let's Talk In this episode, we're talking about GLP-1 medications, the drugs originally developed for diabetes that are now used more widely for weight loss.

    We've all seen how these medications have been changing bodies, but they're also raising some questions: What about medical ethics, implications of new identities, and the impacts on body image and eating disorders? Also, who's really benefitting from this medical breakthrough?

    There's no question the significance of GLP-1s, both personally and culturally, is complex and nuanced. For this reason, we've invited two experts with professional insight and personal experience to share their insights. Chevese Turner is a long-time advocate for body liberation who uses a GLP-1 medication for diabetes while also navigating their recovery from an eating disorder. Kathryn MacKay is the Program Director and Senior Lecturer in Bioethics at the University of Sydney, whose work focuses on body image, health, gender, and the cultural forces that shape how we understand "wellness" and worth.

    We're talking about how these drugs intersect with diet culture, capitalism, medical gatekeeping, and social belonging, and why the hype around rapid weight loss can come with some costs.

    More importantly, Chevese and Kathryn, without judgement, share their views on safeguards and when honest conversations are needed, especially as these medications become more accessible and more visible in everyday life.

     

    Resources:

    Follow Yvie Jones on Instagram here

    Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram here

    Production Team:

    • Produced by Yvie Jones and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler
    • Executive Producer: Camilla Becket
    • Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation

    For more information about this episode, visit www.butterfly.org.au/podcast and click through to this episode.

    If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the Butterfly National Helpline or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Recovery is possible with the right support.

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    3 February 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 33 minutes 4 seconds
    Why it's time to stop blaming our bodies: How weight stigma harms us

    In this episode of Let’s Talk we’re diving into the mind-blowing world of weight stigma with two very authentic and vocal fat activists.

    You may also laugh out loud and decide you want these women as your new best friends.

    Demi Lynch is a researcher and journalist from Kaleidoscope News. April Helene-Horton, aka The Bodzilla, is a body diversity advocate and well-known content creator. They’ll be sharing their no-holds-barred views on stigma and stereotyping, dating and relationships, the disconnect between health and health care, and what it really means for a person to take up space.

    It may be tough to hear, but if you don’t know what it’s like to live in a larger body, this conversation will help you to get it. If you do live in a larger body, Demi and April are here to let you know you’re not alone in your experience — and with them in your corner, there are things you can do to keep going with hope.

    Resources:

    Follow Yvie Jones on Instagram here

    Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram here

    Production Team:

    • Produced by Yvie Jones and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler
    • Executive Producer: Camilla Becket
    • Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation

    For more information about this episode, visit www.butterfly.org.au/podcast and click through to this episode.

    If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the Butterfly National Helpline or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Recovery is possible with the right support.

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    6 January 2026, 2:00 pm
  • 20 minutes 9 seconds
    Preparing your teen for life after the social media ban

    On this week’s episode of Let's Talk we're diving into a topic that will impact young people and any adults who love, work with, or educate them: We're talking about the incoming social media age restrictions, otherwise known as "the social media ban".

    There's been a lot of discussion and even confusion about what these changes mean, why they're happening, and how they might affect the wellbeing of teens as they navigate a world increasingly shaped by online connection. Australia is leading the world in this space, and the whole world is watching.

    Joining Yvie today is Danni Rowlands, the Director of Education Initiatives at Butterfly, who has spent nearly two decades working with young people, their families, sports clubs and schools. Danni brings a deep understanding of how digital environments shape identity, mental health, and the ways young people relate to their bodies. The ban was initiated, in part, because of the negative impact social media can have on their body image.

    Danni will explain how body image, mental health, and online safety more broadly, is not only about the platforms or algorithms. It's about people, community, belonging, and the pressures young people face as they grow up in a world that is constantly asking them to compare, perform, and keep up.

    More importantly, she'll share how adults can support the next generation through this major transition.

    Resources:

    Follow Yvie Jones on Instagram here

    Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram here

    Production Team:

    • Produced by Yvie Jones and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler
    • Executive Producer: Camilla Becket
    • Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation

    For more information about this episode, visit www.butterfly.org.au/podcast and click through to this episode.

    If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the Butterfly National Helpline or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Recovery is possible with the right support.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    2 December 2025, 7:00 pm
  • 31 minutes 55 seconds
    When recovery isn’t linear: Hope for your longstanding eating disorder

    In this episode of Let’s Talk  we are diving into the realities of living with, and managing, a longstanding eating disorder. So many of us live in that space between acute illness and full recovery, we wanted to know what that means for our lives.

    Yvie is joined by Mallary Tenore Tarpley, author of "Slip, Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery”. Mallary shares her own lived experience with a long-term eating disorder, her ongoing recovery full of slips and setbacks and advice on what others can do when they encounter similar circumstances.

    Also joining Yvie is Dr Jennifer Gaudiani, an expert in treating complex eating disorders and author of "Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders" .

    She’ll be sharing how clinicians can create a sense of unified purpose with their clients in order to support long-term health and wellbeing.

    Recovery isn't about perfection, it's about progress, patience, and self-compassion.

    Resources:

    Follow Yvie Jones on Instagram here

    Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram here

    Production Team:

    • Produced by Yvie Jones and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler
    • Executive Producer: Camilla Becket
    • Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation

    For more information about this episode, visit www.butterfly.org.au/podcast and click through to this episode.

    If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the Butterfly National Helpline or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Recovery is possible with the right support.

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    4 November 2025, 7:00 pm
  • 31 minutes 25 seconds
    Can't Sleep? It may be impacting your mental health

    This episode of Let’s Talk dives into one of the most important parts of mental health and wellbeing: sleep.

    Yvie is joined by Dr Sumedha Verma, a sleep psychologist dedicated to helping people understand and improve their sleep in holistic, person-centred ways.

    Sleep problems affect around two-thirds of people in Australia. Sleep isn’t just a biological process – it’s also shaped by social and societal pressures, human connections, and personal experiences.

    Dr Verma explains how good sleep strengthens mental and physical health, and supports your relationship with yourself, your body, and your external environment.

    She and Yvie also discuss why sleep health is highly personal, and how cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a proven but often overlooked treatment.

    In this episode, you’ll discover why holistic, individualised support for sleep matters so much, especially for people living with mental health, eating, or body image concerns.

    Resources:

    Follow Yvie Jones on Instagram here

    Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram here

    Production Team:

    • Produced by Yvie Jones and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler
    • Executive Producer: Camilla Becket
    • Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation

    For more information about this episode, visit www.butterfly.org.au/podcast and click through to this episode.

    If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the Butterfly National Helpline or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Recovery is possible with the right support.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    30 September 2025, 8:00 pm
  • 28 minutes 41 seconds
    Discover how art therapy can support recovery from an eating disorder

    This episode of Let’s Talk explores how art therapy can be a powerful recovery tool for people with eating disorders. Yvie speaks with clinician Serena Hill about the healing potential of this approach, including how creative expression can provide a safe space to explore emotions and support mental health.

    Through her work as an art therapist, including at Wandi Nerida Residential Treatment Centre in Queensland, Serena combines her background in mental health nursing, her lived experience of an eating disorder, and her passion for creativity. Art therapy is a surprisingly effective way for people to express and understand themselves.

    Yvie and Serena discuss the importance of compassionate, skilled support in mental health treatment, and how art therapy complements traditional approaches, especially when talk therapy isn’t enough.

    Whether you're struggling with body image or eating yourself, or supporting a loved one, this conversation offers hope and insight into recovery through creative means.

    Resources:

    Follow Yvie Jones on Instagram here

    Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram here

    Production Team:

    • Produced by Yvie Jones and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler
    • Executive Producer: Camilla Becket
    • Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation

    For more information about this episode, visit www.butterfly.org.au/podcast and click through to this episode.

    If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the Butterfly National Helpline or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Recovery is possible with the right support.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    2 September 2025, 8:00 pm
  • 14 minutes 51 seconds
    Matildas star Katrina Gorry shares her tips on being kind to your body

    In this heartfelt episode of Let's Talk, Yvie Jones is joined by Matildas star and Butterfly Foundation ambassador Katrina Gorry, who opens up about her personal journey with developing an eating disorder, and how she learned to treat her body with compassion, care and respect, even when it felt hard. Katrina shares how a period of personal turmoil led her to seek control of her life by controlling her food, and how that struggle affected her career as an athlete.

    With honesty and insight, Katrina also discusses how becoming a mother transformed her relationship with her body and what daily practices now help her to treat it with kindness and respect.

    This is a story about recovery, resilience, and rewriting the way we think, act and speak about bodies, both for ourselves and for others.

    Resources:

    Follow Yvie Jones on Instagram here

    Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram here

    Production Team:

    • Produced by Yvie Jones and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler
    • Executive Producer: Camilla Becket
    • Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation

    For more information about this episode, visit www.butterfly.org.au/podcast and click through to this episode.

    If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the Butterfly National Helpline or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Recovery is possible with the right support.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    5 August 2025, 8:00 pm
  • 38 minutes 48 seconds
    How disability can impact one's body image - and what you can do

    In this episode of Let's Talk, Yvie Jones explores an often-overlooked topic: the experience of body image in people living with disabilities.

    To help us understand, Yvie is joined by Juliette McAleer, a writer, researcher and disability advocate from regional Queensland.

    Juliette shares how she navigates the complexities of living with physical and psychosocial disabilities, all while recovering from an eating disorder.

    Yvie and Juliette discuss how ongoing medical issues, the system of care, and prejudice around difference can impact body image. Juliette shares how she learned to challenge societal standards and cultivate body kindness even when feeling good about her body was especially challenging. She also talks through how allies can better support disabled bodies with genuine inclusivity, understanding, and respect.

    Resources:

    Follow Yvie Jones on Instagram here.

    Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram here.

    Production Team:

    • Produced by Yvie Jones and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler
    • Executive Producer: Camilla Becket
    • Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation

    For more information about this episode, visit www.butterfly.org.au/podcast and click through to this episode.

    If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the Butterfly National Helpline or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Remember, it’s OK to seek a second opinion. Recovery is possible with the right support.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1 July 2025, 8:00 pm
  • 33 minutes 40 seconds
    Essential conversations with LGBTIQA+ youth about their body image

    In this episode of Let's Talk, Evie Jones explores the complex realities of body image among young people, with a focus on the LGBTQIA+ community.

    Featuring insightful conversations with Finn Sterling, a trans youth advocate; Jeanette Chan, a young, queer lived experience researcher; and Francesca Beilharz, a clinical psychologist, the episode delves into societal pressures, media influences, and personal identities that can shape body perceptions.

    The guests discuss the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ youth, including issues of dysphoria, access to affirming care, and community influences. They emphasise the importance of inclusive, affirming support and systemic change to foster acceptance, safety, and empowerment for all bodies. Plus, Finn shares how social media can both support and challenge body acceptance.

    This episode offers vital insights and compassionate advice for anyone navigating body image struggles, especially within traditionally marginalised communities.

    Resources:

    • Butterfly National Helpline: 1800 33 4673 (1800 ED HOPE)
    • Chat online
    • For information about Butterfly’s Body Kind Youth Survey that includes findings with LGBTQIA+ youth see here.
    • For resources for the LGBTIQA+ community, including young people, see
    • If you are professional working the LGBTQIA+ youth, there’s a tip sheet for you here.

    Connect:

    Follow Yvie Jones on Instagram here

    Follow Butterfly Foundation on Instagram here

    Production Team:

    • Produced by Yvie Jones and Sam Blacker from The Podcast Butler
    • Executive Producer: Camilla Becket
    • Supported by the Waratah Education Foundation

    For more information about this episode, visit www.butterfly.org.au/podcast and click through to this episode.

    If you're concerned about an eating disorder for yourself or someone you care about, please reach out to the Butterfly National Helpline or chat online with one of their specialist counsellors. Remember, it's okay to seek a second opinion if you feel misunderstood. Recovery is possible with the right support.

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    10 June 2025, 8:00 pm
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