Autism & Eating Disorders
Finty Royle
Finty, a 5th-year medical student, received an autism diagnosis at 16 after years of struggling with anorexia. This diagnosis proved pivotal in her recovery and she now recognises that many of the autistic traits that once posed challenges have ultimately contributed to her success.
Dr. Janina Brede
Janina is a Clinical Psychologist and researcher with a particular interest in the intersection of autism and eating disorders. She currently works within a NHS CAHMS eating disorder service. Prior to her clinical training, she completed a PhD as part of the Study of Eating Disorders in Autistic Females (SEDAF) research project at UCL. Her doctoral research focused on identifying factors that might contribute to the development and maintenance of restrictive eating difficulties for autistic people, as well as examining their experiences in healthcare services to inform improvements to support.