Janet Lowndes
Founding Director and Principal Psychologist
(she/her)
Janet is currently accepting requests from colleagues for Professional Supervision, and has limited availability for new therapy clients.
Janet Lowndes is the Founding Director of Mind Body Well, which she formed in 2012 (previously ‘Janet Lowndes & Associates’). Janet has a history of working both independently and in various organisations in the mental health field, and she is a Psychologist with more than 30 years experience providing counselling, training, and consultation. Janet is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and Non-Executive Director of The Butterfly Foundation, Australia’s largest Eating Disorder charity.
Following university studies in Psychology and Philosophy Janet’s early professional experience was in the areas of youth, community, and women’s health, the prison system, and with young offenders. She then moved into private practice and continued to work with adolescents and adults, particularly those with eating disorders, body image concerns, and behavioural difficulties.
After 10 years practicing psychology Janet travelled to India to explore her personal studies of Yoga. While in India she spent time in a Yoga ashram, trekked in the Himalaya, and taught English to Buddhist monks. These experiences were life-changing, exposing Janet to philosophies of integrative wisdom which assist people to live in harmony with the world around them.
Today, Janet’s psychological practice is focused on working with people addressing mental health and wellbeing. This includes eating disorders, mood issues, relationship concerns, and life meaning and purpose. As a business owner, board director and senior manager, Janet has a personal understanding of the challenges involved in holding significant professional responsibility, and she enjoys providing counselling and supervision to other business owners and people in senior management and executive roles.
Janet’s approach treats the individual as a whole, rather than focusing purely on conditions or symptoms. Her approach is health-enhancing, aimed at promoting wellbeing in multiple life areas, and exploring life purpose and meaning.
Janet’s experience with Eating Disorders and the psychology of food and eating
Janet’s approach is one which emphasises wellbeing rather than weight, with a respect for individual autonomy and diversity. She is particularly passionate about providing a service to people with Eating Disorders who may not feel comfortable or welcome in mainstream services, and she strives to reach people with marginalised identities, including people across the weight spectrum, and adults of all ages.
Eating Disorders are significant conditions affecting physical and mental health. Janet’s focus is on working with the client to enhance health and wellbeing, enabling them to then feel more empowered to address the cognitive and behavioural changes required in the process of recovery from an Eating Disorder.
Janet’s Yoga background
Janet’s interest in Yoga began over 30 years ago as rehabilitation following a car accident. Interested to find out more about Yoga Janet travelled to India in 2000, where she completed a Yoga Teacher Training certificate at the Swami Vivekananda Ashram in India. On return from India Janet studied a further two year Yoga Teaching qualification at the Centre for Adult Education Melbourne, where she attained an Advanced Diploma in Yoga Teaching.
Janets life has been influenced by teachers such as Swami Vivekananda, Leigh Blashki, Richard Miller, Amy Weintraub, and AG and Indra Mohan. While she is no longer teaching Yoga, she has been a registered Yoga Teacher and a Certified Yoga Therapist, and those teaching still inform her today.
Professional affiliations include:
- Psychology Board of Australia (Member)
- Australian Association of Psychologists (Member)
- Psychology Board of Australia (Registered Supervisor)
- Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD)
- Australia and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZAED) (Member)
- ANZAED Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician
- Academy for Eating Disorders (Member)
- iRest Level 2 Teacher in Training
