About Dr. Atkins

Background

Dr. Linsey Atkins is a clinical psychologist who has specialised in child, adolescent and family therapy. In 2003 Dr.Atkins was awarded a Professional Doctorate in Child, Adolescent and Family Psychology from LaTrobe University, Victoria. Her doctorate thesis focused on building resilience and protective factors in early adolescence. Over the past 20 years Dr.Atkins has completed extensive national and international training in adolescent psychiatry. In 2010 Dr.Atkins was awarded an international clinician scholarship from the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. Dr.Atkins utilised the scholarship to train at the Maudsley Hospital, London and other specialised adolescent services in the USA.

 

Dr. Atkins regularly attends professional development sessions as well as national and international psychology conferences. Dr. Atkins is an accredited Family Based Treatment Therapist with the Institute of Training for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders in the USA. Dr.Atkins provides clinical supervision and workshops on family based treatment in private practice.   

 

Child and Adolescent Psychology

Dr.Atkins has gained extensive experience in assessment and treatment of child and adolescent mental health. Her areas of expertise include eating disorders, anxiety disorders, depression, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, resilience and self-esteem.

Dr.Atkins has held positions as a clinical psychologist and senior clinical psychologist at the Royal Children’s Hospital(RCH) Mental Health Service. During this time, Dr.Atkins provided parent therapy, child therapy, parenting groups, adolescent groups and parent-child therapy groups. A highlight of Dr.Atkins’ work at the service was the development of a group program for adolescents with anxiety and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Dr.Atkins has also worked as a child psychologist for philanthropic organisations providing therapy for children exposed to trauma and grief.

 

Eating Disorders Expertise

In 2007 Dr.Atkins joined a team of professionals at the Royal Children’s Hospital Eating Disorder Program to implement an outpatient Family Based Treatment (FBT) clinic for adolescent anorexia nervosa. FBT is now recognised as first line evidence based treatment for Anorexia Nervosa in young people under 19 years of age.

 

While working in this program, Dr.Atkins became the lead FBT therapist in a Randomised Controlled Trial investigating treatment of adolescent Anorexia Nervosa. She also received weekly supervision from Prof. Daniel LeGrange, an international expert in this treatment approach and the author of the treatment manuals ‘Treatment Manual for Anorexia Nervosa’ and ‘Treatment Manual for Bulimia Nervosa’. In 2009, Dr.Atkins became an accredited FBT therapist with the Institute of Training in Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders.


Since 2009 Dr.Atkins has also worked in private practice with a commitment to provide evidence based treatment for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Dr.Atkins is a passionate advocate for this treatment approach having successfully treated over 500 adolescents and young adults.

In 2011, Dr.Atkins also became the Co-ordinator of the Wellness and Recovery Centre and Butterfly Day Program, both specialist eating disorder programs at Monash Health, Melbourne. This experience provided Dr.Atkins with valuable skills providing group therapy and individualised care for young adults and families suffering from eating disorders.


In 2013, Dr.Atkins moved into private practice full time. She now runs a private clinic focusing on child, adolescent and family psychology. Dr.Atkins continues to provide FBT, adolescent and parent focused treatment (APT) as well as adolescent individual therapy and parent workshops for eating disorders. She is co-founder of an evidence-informed treatment called Adolescent and Parent Focused Treatement for eating disorders or APT. This treatment is unique in that it provides individual therapy for the adolescent as well as dietician input. More information on this innovative treatment can be found here.


In 2022, Dr.Atkins joined the adolescent in-patient medical unit at Monash Children's Hospital Clayton and trained clinicians in meal support therapy. She is available to provide this service to families as well as supervision in this area. Dr Atkins also spent 5 years on the executive committee of ANZAED, the Australian Academy for Eating Disorders and held the portfolio of professional development for eating disorder clinicians.


Dr.Atkins has co-authored two books for adolescents undergoing treatment called Unpack Your Eating Disorder and Letting Go Of ED - Embracing Me as well as co-developed ED Recovery therapy cards to support treatment. These can be viewed and purchased here.

 

Research, Supervision and Training

Dr.Atkins also provides clinical FBT and APT supervision and training within the public and private sector. She has presented scholarly papers at national and international eating disorders as well as being involved in post graduate research projects focusing on eating disorders. Dr. Atkins recently published an international journal article on APT which can be found here.

 

 

I am committed to providing the most effective treatment to young people and their families, no matter how difficult the situation may seem”

Publications

Ganci, M., Atkins, L., Roberts, M (2021). Exploring alternatives for adolescent anorexia nervosa: adolescent and parent treatment (APT) as a novel intervention prospect. Journal of Eating Disorders, 9, 67 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-021-00423-7

 

Hughes, L., LeGrange, D., Atkins, L., Court, A., Yeo, M., Campbell, S., Whitelaw, M. & Sawyer, S. (2014). Implementation of Family Based Treatment for Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa. Journal of Pediatric Health, Vol 28 (4), pp. 322-330.

 

Damiano, S., Reece, J., Atkins, L., & Reid, S.  (2014). Maladaptive Schemas in Adolescent Females with Anorexia Nervosa and Implications for Treatment. Eating Behaviors: The Journal of Prevention and Treatment.

 

Damiano, S., Reece, J.,  Reid, S., Atkins, L., & Patton, G. (2014). Empirically Derived Typologies of Adolescent Females with Anorexia Nervosa: Understanding General Psychopathology and Treatment Implications. Eating Behaviors: Journal of Prevention and Treatment.