Gemma Sharp finalist for Bupa Emerging Health Researcher Award

Dr Gemma Sharp is a tireless community advocate,
and is also a co-host for 3RRR "Radiotherapy"

Congratulations to Dr Gemma Sharp who is an NHMRC Early Career Fellow and clinical psychologist in the Central Clinical School's Department of Psychiatry. She was one of only five national finalists for the Bupa Emerging Health Researcher Award. 

Dr Sharp was nominated by her supervisor and Head of Psychiatry, Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, for her significant contribution to the field of body image and eating disorder clinical research in her short career. 

Body image issues loom large: Gemma Sharp gives three top KIT tips

Dr Gemma Sharp prepping for the documentary

When a distorted sense of yourself becomes pathological, you could have body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). BDD is getting more common and more extreme. Why?

Dr Gemma Sharp was one of the experts interviewed in Channel 10's recently broadcast (8-9 September 2021) documentary "Mirror, Mirror" by Todd Sampson to answer that question. She also participated in the Facebook Live chat after the screening. See below for some of the questions asked. 

Dr Sharp has also won a grant from the Australian Psychological Society (APS) of Clinical Psychologists 2021 Research Grant Award for futher development of her team's world-first body image chatbot "KIT", which helps people experiencing body image concerns while they are on social media. The grant will be used to improve KIT's conversational abilities, with KIT having spoken with more than 20,000 people already! 

KIT body image chatbot even more chatty

More than one million Australians are living with an eating disorder, but less than one in four of them will seek help. Dr Gemma Sharp and the team which have created the KIT body image chatbot have a new campaign launched today as part of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

Dr Sharp says, "Owing to the popularity of KIT's coping skills conversations, we've added even more skills! These are new mindfulness strategies which we know are helpful for a range of mental health issues including eating disorders. Come and chat to KIT today!"

Hear more from Gemma about her research & the KIT chatbot here: youtu.be/PuGZi6gF-Sk

Link: butterfly.org.au/chattokit/

Bad Body Image Day? The KIT chatbot can help

KIT the chatbot

KIT, the world's first positive body image chatbot, is helping thousands of people since its launch mid November 2020. Psychology Today has published an essay by Dr Charlotte Markey on KIT, "Bad body image day? It's possible that a chatbot could make a difference".

Dr Gemma Sharp said that KIT "has had a wonderful first two months of life since launching on the Butterfly Foundation's website".

What has KIT been up to? 

Meet KIT: World First Body Image Chatbot

Check out the KIT body image chatbot

Body image issues is an epidemic of its own. With over 30 per cent of Australia’s young people extremely concerned about their body image, a chatbot called KIT has been designed to educate and provide information for those seeking help.