Founders

Our endED House of Hope resides in Woombye, Sunshine Coast where we respectfully live, gather and work on Kabi Kabi and Jinibara land. 

We come by this space with

Parent/Carer Lived Experience. 

Our hope is to increase understanding, compassion and allyship. We dedicate our involvement to meeting individuals and their loved ones 'where they are at in the world' and move forward together.

We act as a voice of advocacy across adjunct services, actively participating in generating a discourse of progression in the continual development of our services. We would like to acknowledge that we both work on a full time voluntary basis. All support goes directly to expanding our offerings and supporting our wonderful team.

Senior Practitioner & Practice Coordinator

CCI Eating Disorder Recovery Coach

Laura comes to this role with Lived Experience. Laura completed her two year training through the Carolyn Costin Institute, attaining her qualification as a Recovery Coach.

Laura provides one/one support as part of individuals care team, providing person centered support and guidance in a myriad of ways through their journey of Recovery.

Laura is responsible for; co-facilitating our Community Connection Space, our Volunteer Connection Space, Intake & Assessment & is involved with Outreach & Engagement with the wider community.

she/her

Operations Support & Intake and assessment

Masters in Creative Arts Therapy: Community Arts & Health [MIECAT]

Mental Health First Aid Accreditation [MHFA Australia]

GradDip Senior Edu [QUT]

BA Creative Industries [USQ].

Registered Creative Arts Therapist (AThR)

Cass completed her Masters at the Melbourne Institute for Experiential and Creative Arts Therapy. Cass' prior work has been guided by social justice, advocacy, inclusivity, access and strengthening sense of belonging.

Cass comes by this space with Lived Experience. She is led by compassion, understanding and encouragement for individuals unique journey through recovery. Cass is a proud member of the LGBTQI+ community and feels encircled by a team and community of allies. Cass feels fortunate to work with a community organisation that values co-design and reflective practice, continually striving to create meaningful spaces and services for all.

In her role with the Intake & Assessment team, Cass works closely with our wonderful Care Navigator, connecting with individuals exploring endED's offerings. Cass also plays a vital role supporting our internal operations and systems development to enhance the organisation’s efficiency and effectiveness.

Care Navigator & Allied Health Coordinator

Kath calls the Sunshine Coast home, having relocated with her family in 2007. With over 20 years’ experience as a registered nurse engaging in care coordination (in hospital & community settings), Kath appreciates the value of providing an integrated approach to care coordination to enhance recovery.

Kath's journey with endED began 6 years ago through her former roles as Care Navigator, and later also Manager, of the Sunshine Coast Eating Disorder Access Trial (SCEDAT).

At endED Kath allows curiosity and compassion to shape her connections as she works in the community, supporting individuals, and loved ones as they explore eating disorder (ED) treatments & recovery supports to meet each person’s unique circumstances.

In her role as Care Navigator, Kath enjoys creating space to:

Listen and learn - what makes ‘you’, ‘you.' Connect with your story - what has been helpful so far. Together unpack and explore - what treatment & recovery supports look like and are available. Support loved ones - share resources & links with services that support & empower you.

Kath’s other role of Allied Health Coordinator uniquely positions her to build connections with a wide range of allied health practitioners, both within endED and the wider community. Kath feels thankful for opportunities to connect individuals and loved ones with clinicians and mental health organisations providing hope through evidence-based &/or holistic offerings.

Kath’s desire to bring hope stems from her own Lived Experience as well as supporting a loved one with an eating disorder. It also opened the way for her to become a Peer Mentor and a Speaker with Eating Disorder Queensland.

In her down time Kath can be found exploring local markets, cafes, and restaurants, relaxing with family & friends, enjoying a movie, or reading a good book. Kath finds joy in nature, Papa God’s presence, kayaking, volunteering, and snuggling with her pampered cat, ‘fur baby,’ Leo.

Counsellor & Group Counselling Facilitator

Bachelor of Applied Social Science (Counselling)

Diploma of Counselling and Communication

Georgie was first welcomed into the endED space in 2020 as a counselling placement student whilst completing her degree. She comes to this role from lived-experience and has previously cared for a family member with an eating disorder.

Her former roles have encompassed various support work, mentoring, and community development across the Sunshine Coast. Georgie was awarded a 'New Colombo Plan' scholarship in 2021 through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, offering an opportunity to represent Australia and promote mental health support across the Indo-Pacific region.

Georgie is one of our LivED Experience Counsellors and is also involved with our Volunteer Community and our Community Connection Space. Georgie hosts a warm, holistic & person-centred approach within an empathetic, non-judgemental and confidential space.

When not spending time at the lovely House of Hope, Georgie is either at the beach with her dog, chasing a sunset or exploring fusion restaurants around the Coast.

Community connect facilitator

Tayla comes to this space with Lived Experience, which she finds assists in been able to hold hope, express compassion and offer a listening ear, regardless of where an individual is within their journey.

Tayla is a part of the Allied Health Team as a Dietitian and is responsible for co-facilitating the Community Connection Group. Tayla eagerly joined the endED team early 2024 due to her strong alignment with endED values and resonating the Lived Experience component of the team. She is enthusiastic about being part of a supportive team who are dedicated to such an important cause.

Tayla continues to spread hope, awareness and understanding within endED and within space outside of this, which includes speaking at schools and events on the horizon for Tayla.

Tayla feels that connection is a valuable part of an individuals recovery journey and enjoys seeing the power this connection can bring in an individuals world. Tayla is able to reflect and acknowledges the power of building connection and exploring herself outside of recovery, especially in the form of creativity, brought to her journey.

Alongside this, Tayla is also committed to ensuring everyone feels heard and has a voice within their journey, meaning she is there to support them every step of the way and work alongside them.

Outside time spent at House of Hope, you will likely find Tayla starting a new craft activity [and possibly not finishing it], going on mindful walks with friends or family and finding new cafes,

Community Connect Facilitator & Intake Coordinator

Current student of Bachelor of Dietetics (Honours) [UniSC]

Mental Health First Aid Accreditation [MHFA Australia]

Mairead first joined the endED team as volunteer in the Community Connection Group. Inspired by her own lived experience, she was drawn towards the nurturing space that endED has co-created and its values of community, compassion and connection.

Mairead has previously worked as a mentor in the EDQ’s Peer Mentor Program and currently co-facilitates the Connection Group space at endED, as well as welcoming new participants in the intake space. With a background in creative writing, Mairead uses her personal journey to inspire hope in those experiencing eating and body issues through her articles in endED’s Substack, “Holding Hope’.

Having recently returned to study a Bachelor of Dietetics (Honours), Mairead hopes to one day help others heal their relationship with food and deconstruct the damage of diet culture.

endED Patron

Claire is the founder of the Butterfly Foundation, and for many years was a Carolyn Costin Institute Certified Eating Disorder Recovery Coach, a Life Coach and an Internal Family Systems Therapy Practitioner.

Claire suffered from binge eating, bulimia and anorexia and was the carer for her two daughters who battled anorexia. Claire has been a dedicated passionate advocate for eating disorder treatment in Australia for many years.

In 2012, Claire received an Order of Australia Medal for her work with The Butterfly Foundation, as a significant agent for change in the way we prevent and treat eating disorders in Australia. 

She has a deep respect and admiration for endED and is incredibly proud to be an endED ambassador.

endED Patron

Federal Member for Fisher & Speaker of the House of Representatives

Andrew has been the Federal Member for Fisher since 2016, and currently serves as the 31st Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Prior to entering Parliament, he was a carpenter and joiner, a licensed builder and a small business owner, before retraining to become a construction barrister.

Andrew has advocated extensively for changes to policy and increased funding for mental health services since being elected, with a particular focus on eating disorder treatment. He has been a supporter of endED from the beginning and continues to champion the cause in and beyond Parliament.

endED Ambassador

The endED team are incredibly proud of our amazing ambassador Emily Seebohm who has triumphed over adversity to qualify for her fourth Olympic Games.

She is only the second Australian swimmer to have ever achieved this. Em, we want you to know that regardless of your amazing accolades you will always be a winner in our eyes.

Emily has shown immeasurable strength and tenacity in sharing her story and speaking her truth.

endED Ambassador

"I have had close friends with eating disorders. I have seen it through my work as a doctor in the emergency department. It is not an easy thing for anyone to go through.

What's more, eating disorders affect the people around those experiencing it. endED was founded through the passion and love of people so close to eating disorders.

For that reason, endED has a beating heart which truly has the potential to make an impact."

endED Ambassador

When my sister fell ill with Anorexia Nervosa, endEDs recovery coach, Millie Thomas, proved to be an invaluable resource. I wanted to give back, raise awareness and show compassion for the eating disorder community, so I organised a 24-hour row with a few friends. From this experience, I realised I wanted to help destigmatise and further understand eating disorders.

I’m an early career researcher at the InsideOut institute and an honours student at the Charles Perkins Centre. I study appetite hormones, in particular a new hormone called ‘Erusiolin’ which we believe suppresses appetite and may play a role in dysregulated eating. I’m investigating how our cells make Eursiolin, its final structure in the blood, which nutrients induce its section, and elucidate its role in health and disease. We research these hormones using blood plasma, and techniques in the field of proteomics, which is closely aligned with personalised medicine.

My passions include anything to do in or around the surf! I’m a member of the freshwater surf lifesaving club where I patrol, compete and pilot drones in the shark surveillance program. I also love reading, nonfiction and philosophy mostly but I am exploring more fiction.

endED Ambassador

Chelsea is passionate about sport especially football and plays professionally for Melbourne City and has represented Australia in the Young Matildas Team. Chelsea is very grateful to live her dream career especially growing up in a country town where playing professional soccer wasn’t a normal path to take. Chelsea has also become passionate in helping advocate for Eating Disorder Awareness as she is and continues to recover from her own lived experience with ED that she has carried through her adult life.

Chelsea is also determined to change the language surrounding EDs within her sport and to help take away the unnecessary shame, guilt and stigma so often attached to a person with an eating disorder.