Melinda is an exceptional speaker who is passionate about inspiring her audience to find true inner happiness. Her growing appeal to a diverse range of groups and organisations is testament to her ability to engage her audience in both light-hearted as well as serious issues.

To book Melinda for a speaking engagement call +0417 717 190

 

I have seen Melinda speaking to a large audience of professionals, a small group of patients, and 1 on 1 with colleagues and patients alike. In all circumstances she is warm, comfortable, sincere and passionate. She has a genuine commitment to providing important resources that help raise awareness of recovery from eating and other mental health issues.

Jeremy Freeman - Clinical Psychologist, Centre for Eating & Dieting Disorders, NSW Health Department

 

Melinda, on behalf of ACTATE (The ACT Association for the Teaching of English), we would like to thank you for your smooth, professional performance in executing your role as MC for our Awards night for the 2010 Litlinks Young Writers' Competition.

The night was a resounding success and you played a vital part in this. 

You came across as someone who genuinely cared about the proceedings and you engaged so well with all of our prominent young professional writers, who spoke. Not only that, but you infused your own intelligent insights into the subject matter, on which you are obviously well versed.

Thank you and please don't hesitate to use us as a reference to anyone who may wish to engage you as an MC for their function. You are highly recommended!

Suzanne Kiraly - Vice President ACTATE & Litlinks Coordinator

 

When Melinda Hutchings kindly agreed to be an Ambassador at our recent national day, Forget-me-knot Day, we were thrilled. A colleague has recommended her to us and we could not have been more delighted with Melinda’s pivotal role in our proceedings.

 Melinda was most generous with her time in leading up to the event, even offering to use her personal blog to help promote our work.  She was particular to ensure she was correctly briefed and that she was across the subject matter and organisation. Melinda was open to media contact and also gave an inspirational performance at a conference for adult survivors being held on Forget-me-knot Day by a sister organisation.

Melinda’s professionalism on the day, in performing the MC role, and ensuring that everything not only ran smoothly but was entirely appropriate to the occasion is to be greatly admired. I have no hesitation in recommending Melinda in terms of her speaking ability, MC capacity and her sheer humanity. She is indeed an inspiration for all


Dr Cathy Kezelman - CEO/Executive Director, Adults Surviving Child Abuse

 

 

I am teacher and a mum of two gorgeous girls 9 and 12. I just wanted  
to let you know how impressed I was with your presentation yesterday.  
I wanted to commend you on your courage to speak so openly about your  
personal story. It was excellent reminder of how I should care for my  
girls and the girls I teach.

Liz

 

Why Can’t I Look the Way I Want?

Audience: Teenagers

  • 25% of children diagnosed with anorexia nervosa are male.
  • Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any psychological illness
  • A Sydney study of adolescents aged 11 to 15 reported that 16% of the girls and 7% of the boys had engaged in at least 1 potentially dangerous method of weight reduction

As someone who recovered from anorexia, I am passionate about educating my audience in relation to the dangers of dieting, the prevalence of eating issues and the dark, lonely experience of living with an eating disorder. My aim is to inspire positive body image and encourage my audience to discover their inner beauty and live the life that is true to their hearts.

My presentation covers:

  • The dangers of dieting
  • What is positive body image?
  • What is negative body image?
  • My journey through anorexia
  • My turning point
  • What I learned
  • Inspirational message

 

Melinda was a key speaker at the Annual Youth Forums hosted by the Eating Disorders Foundation Inc. in 2003, 2004 and 2008, the largest of which was in the Sydney Town Hall and was attended by nearly 2000 high school students. Melinda is a very articulate, professional and engaging speaker and her presentations at the Eating Disorders Foundation Inc. functions have always been very well accepted by the audience. I would not hesitate to add that in this capacity she has managed to touch a number of young lives, and in so doing, made a real difference. Please note the Eating Disorders Foundation Inc. closed in 2009 and all services are now provided by the Butterfly Foundation.

Mary Orenstein - National Manager, Communications and Fundraising, The Butterfly Foundation

 

Melinda impressed me with her ability to enthral and hold the audience (which included high school students, health professionals, corporate executives and public figures), with her story of success in the face of adversity. Melinda is a very positive person and leaves her listeners feeling moved and inspired. Her success in both turning her life around under extremely difficult circumstances, and with the books she has authored, is a testament to her personal strength and impressive work ethic as well as her determination to make a difference through helping and inspiring others.

Selwa Anthony - Literary Agent



Positive Body Image and Your Child

Audience: Parents, Carers, Teachers, School Counsellors

  • 1 in 4 teens are experimenting with dangerous dieting behaviour
  • 68% of 15 year old females are on a diet
  • 25% of children diagnosed with anorexia are boys
  • 1 in 10 people diagnosed with anorexia are male

Eating issues are increasing and now more than ever it is so important to recognise the early warning signs because early intervention is crucial to reversing the destructive mindset. I am passionate about helping parents, carers and school counsellors recognise the warning signs so they can help children and teens rebuild their self esteem and develop a positive body image - or take the appropriate steps if a person is developing an eating disorder.

My presentation covers:

  • Early warning signs –  including the warning signs before the warning signs
  • The different types of eating disorders
  • The role of the media in influencing body image in children and teens
  • How to tell if your child has an eating issue
  • What to do if your child is developing an eating disorder

 

I was impressed and moved by Melinda’s inspiring address to the audience which included high school students, fellow authors and dignitaries. Melinda speaks eloquently and from the heart about her very personal struggle with anorexia and how she turned her life around to have a successful career and become a mother – a world away from the destructive ‘voices in her head’ of her youth. Just as Melinda’s books have motivated countless people to end their suffering, Melinda affects everyone who has the privilege of hearing her speak.

Jacinta Tynan - News Presenter, Author, Columnist

 

Body Image and Primary School Children

Audience: Parents, Carers, Teachers, School Counsellors

  • The incidence of eating disorders is increasing amongst primary school aged children
  • Two thirds of girls in year one believe that being thin would make them more popular
  • Research reviews show that up to half of primary school girls and about a third of boys say they are dieting to lose weight, and almost half of boys are trying to gain muscle
  • 25% of Australian children are either overweight or obese
  • Obese children are 63% more likely to be bullied, irrespective of sex, socioeconomic status, race, and type of school they attend.

From an early age children are susceptible to the messages they receive and begin to emulate the adults in their world. Increasing the awareness of how to engage them proactively and promote positive body image means healthy, happy children and a reduction in the alarming incidence of disordered eating.

My presentation covers:

  • What is body image?
  • Distorted body image and how this negatively affects self esteem, which can lead to an eating disorder
  • The different types of eating disorders; anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS, binge eating disorder, bigorexia
  • The early warning signs of an eating disorder – and the warning signs before the warning signs
  • Media influence and how to engage the children in your care with positive messages
  • The importance of role models and how, with your help, they can make a positive impact
  • How to promote confidence and stability in the children in your care
  • What to do and say if you suspect an eating issue