About Brigid
Hello,
Over twenty years ago, I left university eager to help people eat better and improve their health. It was implied that simply teaching people what to eat would lead to healthier eating habits and, hence, better health.
If only it were that simple …
It became apparent that simply educating people often wasn’t enough to help them change their behaviour. Clients often said, “I know what to do, I just don’t seem to be able to do it.”
Behaviour change is hard.
In 2017 I considered starting a private practice, but felt disillusioned by our health system’s focus on weight, knowing that dieting is often ineffective and can be harmful.
This made me question my profession until I discovered the community of size-inclusive health professionals and the non-diet approach.
Spending the past eight years in private practice, adopting an inclusive and empathetic approach, has been the most rewarding aspect of my career.
It has taught me to work collaboratively with my clients, empowering them to move towards their goals and live the life they desire.
Brigid Horan, (ADP, CEDC)
“I encourage people to stop focusing on eating less and start eating well”
My approach
Inclusive - Creating a safe and welcoming space through training in size-inclusive care, weight stigma, and gender-affirming care.
Expertise - Combining the knowledge of a health professional with the client's understanding of their body and past experiences.
Curious - Exploring the how and why around eating and always asking, “What’s the third option?”
Evidence-Based - Combining an evidence-based approach with each client’s own knowledge of what has and hasn’t worked for them.
Compassionate - Providing a supportive, non-judgemental space where clients feel heard and valued.
Body-Centred - Helping clients learn to work with their bodies rather than against them.
My Education
Brigid is an Accredited Practising Dieititian (APD) and a Certified Eating Disorder Clinician (CEDC)
Qualification - Bachelor of Health Science (Nutrition and Dietetics) Honours 2003
Professional Memberships
2002 – current Dietitians Australia (DA)
2019 – current Australia & New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZAED)
2019 – current Size Inclusive Health Australia
Further training since 2017
2024 RAVES Model for eating disorder treatment by Shane Jeffreys
2024 Confidence in the Menopause Course by Louise Newson
2024 Gender Affirming Care Course by The Mindful Dietitian
2023 Practical Applications of DBT in Dietetic Practice Workshop by Anjanette Casey and Claire Toohey
2021 Binge Eating Disorder training for Dietitians with Fiona Sutherland and Aaron Flores
2020 Body Image training for Dietitians by Fiona Sutherland and Marci Evans
2019 Managing PCOS with nutrition course with Terrille Bruer
2019 Family Based Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa training
2019 Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor Course with Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
2018 Unpacking Weight Science Course by Fiona Willer
2018 CEDD Centre for Eating and Dieting Disorders training
2017 Motivational Interviewing for Dietitians training by Tara McGregor
2017 The Non-diet Approach 2-day training by Fiona Willer and Fiona Sutherland