I work with adults, most often women, who have spent years battling their weight and feeling confused, frustrated, or ashamed about their relationship with food. Many of the people I see have tried countless diets with limited or short-lived success and may now be considering medical weight-management options such as GLP-1 agonists (Mounjaro, Wegovy, or Ozempic) or bariatric surgery. At the same time, they are deeply worried that unless something truly changes underneath, their relationship with food will continue to unravel and all their efforts will fall apart. My role is to help you make sense of this mess, not just what you eat, but why this pattern keeps repeating.
You may have seen psychologists before and done important work around trauma, anxiety, relationships, or postnatal mental health, yet no one has really helped you understand what is going on with your eating. You might not see yourself as someone with an “eating disorder” and may even feel unsure about seeing an eating disorder psychologist because you do not fit the stereotype. Many eating disorders involve feeling out of control around food. This can include over-eating in secret, hiding wrappers, feeling disconnected while eating, and being left with deep confusion about why you keep doing the same things despite wanting change. Shame and stigma mean many people do not realise that effective, evidence-based treatment exists for these patterns.
Some people I work with also wonder whether neurodivergence, such as ADHD or autistic traits, might play a role, but dismiss it because they do not match outdated stereotypes. You are not a hyperactive young boy. You might be a woman juggling work, family, and perimenopause or menopause, and suddenly finding that the systems that once kept you functioning are no longer working. Organisation feels harder, overwhelm is constant, emotions feel louder, and your eating and weight feel increasingly out of control. At the same time, you do not want another quick fix or another diet that only addresses the surface issues and ultimately fails.
I am not here to promote medical weight-loss interventions, but I am here to support you if that is something you are considering. For some people these approaches can be helpful, while for others they can be ineffective or psychologically harmful. My role is to provide clear, honest information. I want to help you understand how your brain, body, emotions, and history interact, and guide you so you can make informed decisions that genuinely support your long-term health and wellbeing.
I am deeply curious and committed to understanding complexity. I attend medical conferences, work closely with multidisciplinary teams, and do not shy away from areas that other psychologists may avoid. You can bring all of this into therapy, including the confusion, the shame, the ambivalence, the fear, and the hope. I will not judge you or tell you what to do. I will help you develop clarity and work out the steps that lead to meaningful and values-aligned life which considers all aspects of wellbeing.
Hi, I’m Dr. Rachel Gold, and I’ve been dedicated to helping people with disordered eating and weight management challenges for over 15 years. have a Bachelor’s of Behavioural Science (with Honours) and a Doctorate of Clinical Psychology. I also have extensive experience working in this field, I understand how complex and deeply personal your relationship with food and your body can be.
I am a registered Clinical Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA). I am a credentialled psychologist endorsed by the Australia & New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZAED). The ANZAED Eating Disorder Credential is formal recognition of qualifications, knowledge, training, and professional development activities needed to meet minimum standards for the delivery of safe and effective eating disorders treatment.
2025 I was invited to present at the annual Metabolic Bariatric Surgery Conference in Canberra in 2025 “Supporting people who have Body Image Distress post-surgery”.
2024 I was invited to present at the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) on the topic “Psychological Strategies to Support Patients Post Metabolic Bariatric Surgery”
2024 I was one of the experienced psychologists who delivered the innovative new treatment for people with binge eating disorder who live in a larger body (live with obesity) ‘Schema Therapy for Binge Eating Disorder’ in an international trial lead by the University of Canberra
2017 Opened Gold Psychology
2016 Senior Clinician at the Centre for Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED) which is a state-wide organisation that provides training and case-consultation to public mental health clinicians in the treatment of eating disorders.
2004-2013 I completed a Bachelor’s of Behavioural Science (with Honours) and a Doctorate of Clinical Psychology from La Trobe University (alongside my clinical placement & coursework, my thesis explored knowledge & stigmatising beliefs about eating disorders in adolescents)
Binge eating disorder is a serious eating disorder characterised by recurrent episodes of consuming large quantities of food in a short period, often to the point of discomfort and loss of control. It differs from occasional overeating as it involves a sense of distress and lack of control over the eating behaviour.
Emotional or comfort eating refers to the act of consuming food as a response to emotional distress, stress, boredom, or other negative feelings rather than in response to physical hunger. It is a coping mechanism used to soothe emotions and seek comfort, often leading to overeating and a temporary relief from emotional discomfort.
Food and body image concerns in people who are planning to undergo or have already undergone Weight-Loss Surgery.
Body image concerns refer to a person's preoccupation with their physical appearance, often leading to feelings of dissatisfaction, self-consciousness, or a distorted view of their body. These concerns can have a significant impact on one's self-esteem, mental well-being, and may contribute to the development of eating disorders or other psychological issues.
Bulimia, also known as bulimia nervosa, is an eating disorder characterised by a recurring cycle of binge-eating, followed by purging or other compensatory behaviours such as excessive exercise or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Individuals with bulimia often experience a sense of loss of control during binge episodes and may engage in these compensatory behaviours to manage their weight and emotions.
Other Specified Eating or Feeding Disorders is a category in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) that includes eating or feeding-related issues that do not meet the specific criteria for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder. OSFED encompasses a range of eating behaviours and patterns, such as atypical anorexia nervosa, purging disorder, and night eating syndrome, allowing for the diagnosis of individuals experiencing significant eating-related challenges that do not fit into the standard classifications of other eating disorders.
I welcome folks from the LGBTIQA+ community, living with disability and/or identify as neurodivergent. I provide a culturally-sensitive practice.
I offer empathy and a safe therapeutic environment to overcome personal struggles with your food and body.
I prioritise research-backed therapies, delivering quality care.
I respect and cater for individual choices and preferences in therapy including how you define health and wellness for yourself.
I support collaboration in treatment and recovery. I aim to provide my clients with the tools to self-manage and live fulfilling lives.
Healing your relationship with food, your body-image and weight can feel like an overwhelming task. One stuck point which I see exacerbates many clients suffering,
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What is the Binge-Eating Gremlin? Do you find yourself frustrated that most of the time you’re trying to ‘eat well’ or avoid binging, but then
