Butterfly Referral Database Individual Practitioner Application
Thank you for your interest in joining the Butterfly Referral Database.

About the Butterfly National Helpline
Our National Helpline is a free and confidential service run by trained professionals. We provide information, counselling, treatment referrals, online support groups and education programs to anyone experiencing an eating disorder, their carers, family and friends. The Helpline also serves practitioners and community workers seeking professional guidance. Learn more…

About the Butterfly Referral Database

Our Referral Database is an important resource for people experiencing an eating disorder, as well as for health professionals seeking referrals for clients.

Practitioners listed on our Database have indicated they specialise in eating disorders and have demonstrated a basic level of familiarity and competence in working with this community.

We refer Helpline contacts to practitioners and services based on the contact’s location and preferences. We make clear that Butterfly does not recommend or endorse specific practitioners but all professionals on our database have been screened by us.

How to apply

  1. Complete the Application Form and click SUBMIT: If you have questions, feel free to contact us via butterflydatabase@butterfly.org.au.
  2. Phone Questionnaire: We will call you within four weeks of receiving your application with a phone questionnaire to assess your level of familiarity and competence in working with eating disorders, disordered eating and body image issues. In addition, we may ask for additional information that may be helpful to Helpline contacts. Please allow approximately 20 minutes to complete this phone interview.
  3. Decision: We will contact you via email within two weeks after the phone questionnaire to advise if you are listed on the Butterfly Referral Database.
  4. Review: If you have not been placed on the Butterfly Referral Database you are welcome to reapply 6 months after your first application. At that time we will provide you with details about the appeal process.

Important considerations

  • If your details are listed on the Database, Butterfly may, but not necessarily, offer your details to consumers if they are relevant to them. Referrals are generally based on factors such as location, practitioner speciality, and consumer requests.
  • Listing on the Database does not entitle you to claim that Butterfly Foundation has endorsed or is affiliated with your practice or service in any way.
  • We value transparency and aim to be as transparent as possible in the application process. However, we reserve the right to exclude practitioners and services from the Database for undisclosed reasons. Further, we reserve the right to remove practitioner and service details from the database without notice or reason.
  • We periodically contact practitioners and services on the Database to update their details, however it is the responsibility of every practitioner or service to notify us of any changes to their listing, such as a change of address or not being available to take on new clients.
  • Please note your details will be published on Butterfly’s Profession Database for access by our community (if approved).

Kind regards,


Butterfly Referral Database team