Julia Buckroyd is Professor of Counseling at the University of Hertfordshire and Director of the Obesity and Eating Disorders Research Unit. The Unit was established in 2005 and focuses on the development of psychological responses to disordered eating of all kinds. She trained first as a counsellor and then as a psychotherapist and has worked clinically in the field of eating disorders since 1984. Her interest in obesity grew out of her work with eating disordered young women and she has brought to it many of the psychological perspectives current in that field. She began carrying out research into the treatment obesity in 1999 and has developed an ongoing portofo9lio of research projects. She has co-authored, with Sharon Rother, Therapeutic Groups for Obese Women (2007).

Sharon Rother is a Lecturer in Counselling at the University of Hertfordshire and Research Coordinator for the Obesity and Eating Disorders research Unit. She completed an MA in Counselling Inquiry for which she investigated recovery in anorexics, She trained as a counsellor and currently continues a practice, specialising in working with eating disordered and obese people. She has worked in the field of obesity research with Julia Buckroyd since 2002. She has co-authored, with Julia Buckroyd, Therapeutic Groups for Obese Women (2007).