Transcript Il vento della crisi

Il vento della crisi
Per un pugno di riso
Ho perso la calma
E il sorriso
Le reti degli interventi
• Think big
• And act locally
• Il senso del contesto e la singolarità
dell’evento
• Il mito dell’intervento perfetto
• The quest for grahal
Dai progetti
all’intervento
• Il master planning e il lavoro di team
• Il team diffuso e il team confuso
• Il team convivente e il team
ricomposto
• Il team efficace e il team efficiente
Il sistema cliente
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La persona e i suoi attributi
La coppia
La famiglia
Il gruppo
Sistemi allargati
Il sistema osservante
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Il cliente e il terapeuta
I clienti e i terapeuti
Il coupling strutturale
La forma e la struttura del processo
terapeutico
Il sintomo che costruisce
il team
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No symptom no party!
so thin so big!
so fat so small
No anorexia no team
Building teams around
Il significato relazionale
La spiegazione
psicodinamica
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B
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D
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La spiegazione sistemica
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La spiegazione cognitivo
comportamentale
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Il trattamento
• Biologico
• Psicologico
• Sociale
Gli obbiettivi
• Stabilizzazione
• Comprensione
• Cambiamento
Gli schemi
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Obbiettivi a breve
Obbiettivi medi
Obbiettivi strategici
Strumenti terapeutici correlati agli
obbiettivi
Le nuove narrative
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Ascolto
Decostruzione
ancoraggio
ricostruzione
Stili di vita
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Dicotomie
Ambienti
Correlazioni
Da pensiero monopolare a
Pensiero dicotomico
A pensiero complesso
Emozioni e sentimenti
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Ascolto emozionale
Nominare le emozioni
Riconoscere le emozioni
Narrare le emozioni
Le emozioni triadiche
I sentimenti triadici
La diagnosi
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Lineare
Relazionale
La meta-gnosi
La sun-gnosi
La crisi
• Ascolto
• Contenimento
• ridefinizione
Cura relazionale
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Mutuo aiuto
Psicoeducazione sistemica
Terapia gruppale
Terapia familiare
Terapia individuale
Counselling
mediazione
I fogli informativi della
Mayo Clinic
Per la cura dei disturbi alimentari
Psychotherapy: An overview
of the types of therapy
• Many types of psychotherapy are available.
Some focus on changing current behavior
patterns and others focus on understanding
past issues.
• Psychotherapy is a general term for a way of
treating mental and emotional disorders by talking
about your condition and related issues with a
mental health professional.
Through psychotherapy
sessions, you may:
• Learn about the causes of your condition so you can better
understand it.
• Learn how to identify and change behaviors or thoughts
that adversely affect your life.
• Explore relationships and experiences.
• Find better ways to cope and solve problems.
• Learn to set realistic goals for your life.
• Psychotherapy can help alleviate symptoms caused by
mental illness, such as hopelessness and anger, so that you
can regain a sense of happiness, enjoyment and control in
your life.
Psychotherapy can be
short-term
• with just a couple of sessions, or it can
involve many sessions over several years.
• It can take place in individual, couples,
family or group sessions.
• Sometimes psychotherapy is combined
with other types of treatment, such as
medication
Art therapy
• Art therapy, also called creative art therapy, uses
the creative process to help people who might
have difficulty expressing their thoughts and
feelings. Creative arts can help you increase selfawareness, cope with symptoms and traumatic
experiences, and foster positive changes. Creative
art therapy includes music, dance and movement,
drama, drawing, painting and even poetry.
Behavior therapy
• Behavior therapy focuses on changing unwanted or
unhealthy behaviors, typically using a system of
rewards, reinforcements of positive behavior and
desensitization.
• Desensitization is a process of confronting
something that causes anxiety, fear or discomfort
and overcoming those responses. If you have a
fear of germs that triggers you to excessively
wash your hands, for instance, you might be
taught techniques to stop your excessive washing.
Cognitive therapy
• Cognitive therapy is designed to help you identify and
change distorted thought (cognitive) patterns that can lead
to feelings and behaviors that are troublesome, selfdefeating or self-destructive. It's based on the premise
that how you interpret your experiences in life determines
the way you feel and behave. If you have depression, for
instance, you might see yourself and your experiences in
negative ways, which worsens the symptoms of depression.
Like behavior therapy, cognitive therapy focuses on your
current problem, rather than addressing underlying or past
issues or conflicts. Unlike behavior therapy, however, your
experiences are an important part of the cognitive therapy
process.
Cognitive-behavior
therapy
• Cognitive-behavior therapy combines features of
both cognitive and behavior therapies to identify
unhealthy, negative beliefs and behaviors and
replace them with healthy, positive ones.
• It's based on the idea that your own thoughts —
not other people or situations — determine how
you behave. Even if an unwanted situation doesn't
change, you can change the way you think and
behave in a positive way.
Dialectical behavior
therapy
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of
cognitive-behavior therapy. Its primary objective
is to teach behavioral skills to help you tolerate
stress, regulate your emotions and improve your
relationships with others. It was originally
designed for people with borderline personality
disorder, who often have suicidal behavior. But
DBT has been adapted for people with other
conditions, too, including eating disorders and
substance abuse.
Dialectical behavior
therapy
• is derived, in part, from a philosophical
process called dialectics, in which
seemingly contradictory facts or ideas are
weighed against each other to come up
with a resolution or balance. For instance,
you might learn about accepting who you
are while at the same time making changes
in your thoughts and behaviors.
Exposure therapy
• Exposure therapy is a form of behavior therapy
that deliberately exposes you to the very thing
that you find upsetting or disturbing.
• It's especially useful for people with obsessivecompulsive disorder or post-traumatic stress
disorder. Under controlled circumstances,
exposure to the event or things that trigger your
obsessive thoughts or traumatic reactions can
help you learn to cope with them effectively.
Interpersonal therapy
• Interpersonal therapy focuses on your
current relationships with other people.
The goal is to improve your interpersonal
skills — how you relate to others, including
family, friends and colleagues.
• You learn how to evaluate the way you
interact with others and develop
strategies for dealing with relationship
and communication problems.
Play therapy
• Play therapy is geared mainly for young children
at specific developmental levels. It makes use of a
variety of techniques, including playing with dolls
or toys, painting or other activities.
• These techniques allow children to more easily
express emotions and feelings if they lack the
cognitive development to express themselves with
words.
Psychoanalysis
• In psychoanalysis, you examine memories, events
and feelings from the past to understand current
feelings and behavior. It's based on the theory
that childhood events and biological urges create
an unconscious mind that drives how you think,
feel and behave. In this type of therapy, you
explore those unconscious motivations to help
make changes to improve your life. You might also
do dream analysis and free association — talking
about whatever happens to come to mind.
Psychoanalysis
• is a long-term, intensive therapy that
often involves several sessions a
week with a psychoanalyst for
several years. In formal
psychoanalysis, you lie on a couch and
the therapist sits unseen behind you.
The practice evolved out of theories
developed by Sigmund Freud.
Psychodynamic
psychotherapy
• Psychodynamic psychotherapy, based on the
theories of psychoanalysis, focuses on increasing
your awareness of unconscious thoughts and
behaviors, developing new insights into your
motivations, and resolving conflicts to live a
happier life.
• It's one of the most common types of
psychotherapy. It's less intense than
psychoanalysis and is usually done sitting face to
face with a therapist.
• It's also less frequent — usually once a week —
and is shorter term, usually a year or less.
Psychodynamic
psychotherapy
• includes a variety of therapeutic techniques, such
as exploring your past, confronting your beliefs
and actions, offering support, and interpreting
your thoughts and behavior.
• That process allows you to become aware of and
acknowledge the link between a feeling, thought,
symptom or behavior and an unconscious meaning
or motivator.
• With that new understanding, you can modify
unwanted behavior or thoughts.
Psychoeducation
• Psychoeducation focuses on teaching you — and
sometimes family and friends — about your
illness.
• Psychoeducation explores possible treatments,
coping strategies and problem-solving skills for
your condition. You might learn about resources in
your community, such as support groups or housing
options. You can also learn about symptoms that
might indicate a potential relapse so that you can
take steps to get appropriate treatment.
Psychoeducation can be especially useful for
people with chronic or severe illnesses, such as
schizophrenia.
•
Family therapy: Healing
family conflicts
• Families can be torn apart by
illness, divorce or other problems
that create conflict and stress.
Family therapy can help families
identify and resolve problems.
Your family can be your
greatest source
• of support, comfort and love. But it
can also be your greatest source of
pain and grief. A health crisis, mental
illness, work problems or teenage
rebellion may threaten to tear your
family apart.
Family therapy can help
• your family weather such storms. Family
therapy can help patch strained
relationships, teach new coping skills and
improve how your family works together.
Whether it's you, your partner, a child or
even a sibling or parent who's in crisis,
family therapy can help all of you
communicate better and learn to get along.
What is family therapy?
• Family therapy is a type of psychotherapy. It
helps families or individuals within a family
understand and improve the way family members
interact with each other and resolve conflicts.
• Family therapy is often short term. You usually
attend one session a week, typically for three to
five months. In some cases, though, families may
need more intensive treatment. The treatment
plan will depend on your family's specific
situation.
Family therapy
• is usually provided by therapists known as
marriage and family therapists. These therapists
provide the same mental health services as other
therapists, simply with a specific focus — family
relationships.
• Family therapy is often short term. You usually
attend one session a week, typically for three to
five months. In some cases, though, families may
need more intensive treatment. The treatment
plan will depend on your family's specific
situation.
Who can benefit from
family therapy?
• In general, anyone who wants to improve troubled
relationships can benefit from family therapy.
Family therapy can help with such issues as:
• Marital problems
• Divorce
• Eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia
• Substance abuse
Who can benefit from
family therapy?
• Depression or bipolar disorder
• Chronic health problems, such as asthma
or cancer
• Grief, loss and trauma
• Work stress
• Parenting skills
• Emotional abuse or violence
• Financial problems
Your family may do
family therapy
• along with other types of mental health
treatment, especially if one of you has a serious
mental illness that also requires intense individual
therapy. Family therapy isn't a substitute for
other necessary treatments. For instance, family
therapy can help family members cope if a
relative has schizophrenia. But the person with
schizophrenia should continue with his or her
individualized treatment plan, such as medication
and possibly hospitalization.
Your family may do
family therapy
.
• In some cases, family therapy may be
ordered by the legal system. Adolescents
in trouble with the law may be ordered
into family therapy rather than serving jail
time, for instance. Violent or abusive
parents are sometimes spared jail if they
enter family therapy. Divorcing couples
may also be required to attend family
therapy.
How does family
therapy work?
• Family therapy often brings entire families
together in therapy sessions. However,
family members may also see a family
therapist individually. Family therapy can
even include nonfamily members, such as
teachers, other health care providers or
representatives of social services
agencies.
Working with a family
therapist
• , you and your family will examine your
family's ability to solve problems and
express thoughts and emotions. You may
explore family roles, rules and behavior
patterns in order to spot issues that
contribute to conflict. Family therapy may
help you identify your family's strengths,
such as caring for one another, and
weaknesses, such as an inability to confide
in one other.
For example
• , say that your adult son has depression.
Your family may not understand the roots
of his depression or how best to offer
help. Although you're worried about your
son's health, you have such deep-seated
family conflicts that conversations
ultimately erupt into arguments. You're
left with hurt feelings, decisions go
unmade, and the rift grows wider.
Family therapy
• can help you pinpoint your specific concerns and
assess how your family is handling them. Guided
by your therapist, you'll learn new ways to
interact and overcome old problems.
• You'll set individual and family goals and work on
ways to achieve them. In the end, your son may be
better equipped to cope with his depression, you'll
understand his needs better, and you, your
partner and your son may all get along better.
What questions should you ask
when choosing a family
therapist?
• Before choosing a family therapist, you can ask
lots of questions to see if he or she is the right
fit for your family. Consider asking questions like
these:
• Are you a clinical member of the AAMFT or
licensed by the state, or both?
• What is your educational and training
background?
• What is your experience with my type of
problem?
• How much do you charge?
Are your services covered
by my health insurance?
• How long is each session?
• How often are sessions scheduled?
• How many sessions should I expect to
have?
• What is your policy on canceled sessions?
• How can I contact you if I have an
emergency?
Starting therapy
• with a family therapist can be one of the
best things you do when your family is torn
apart. You can heal emotional wounds, come
to understand one another better and
restore a sense of harmony you may not
have felt for a long time.
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Consigli alla spettabile clientela da parte
del Dipartimento USA per la salute
mentale
There are over 400
schools of psychotherapy
• , each claiming a distinct theory and set of
treatment technique. Psychodynamic and
cognitive-behavioral therapies probably represent
the most widely used.
There is no one definitive form of therapy
recommended for eating disorders. Often the
therapist will evaluate where the patient is. For
some individuals, they may be very knowledgeable
and have had experience with some intervention.
For others, it is a totally new experience.
Most often a supportive
psycho-educational
• format launches the process. Most therapists will either
combine or progress to a cognitive-behavioral or
psychodynamic approach. A variety of professionals may
collaborate to make sure that medical, dental, and
nutritional components are addressed. If this sounds pretty
complex, you are correct. Now just to add confusion to the
entire picture, assume all these therapies can be done in
individual, group, family, couples, and maybe even the
Internet! Don't panic. That's why there are professionals
out there to help sort out what will work for you.
But who gets what and
why?
• There are several treatments that hold promise and should
be strongly considered. Many therapists will take an
eclectic approach and combine different forms of therapy
in order to develop your treatment plan. Some will work
together with a treatment team with professionals
providing an area of specialization, such as medication,
nutritional counseling, family, or group therapy. Your
therapist, however, may have a certain philosophy or be
trained in a specific approach. Make sure you ask and
understand the goals in treatment. Remember your
treatment should always be individualized to meet your
needs.
the therapeutic alliance
• Above all, one of the most important things in
therapy is what we callthe therapeutic alliance.
It's the key to any successful therapy. Some
studies have suggested that this therapeutic
relationship maybe as important, if not more so,
than the specific technique in determining
outcome. People get well in many ways but one
thing for sure; the relationship of trust and
mutual respect serves as a foundation for
treatment. You be the judge!
What happens in therapy
•
Often individuals have an image in their mind
regarding what happens in therapy. Below is a
partial list of terms and some additional
comments that might be helpful in understanding
the various approaches. This list is by no means
complete or comprehensive, but it may help you be
a more informed consumer in order to select an
approach that fits you.
It works?
• It is important to note that formal psychotherapy
may be ineffective with starving patients and
should not be used alone to treat severely
malnourished patients. It may help the patient to
become motivated and gain weight, but medical,
nutritional, and supportive treatment should be
initiated during this stage. Once malnutrition has
been corrected and weight gain is starting to
occur and the patient no longer acutely medically
compromised, various forms of psychotherapy can
be very helpful
Understanding the
Language
•
The Bio-psycho-social model: Since the causes of
eating disorders seem multiple, this philosophy
approaches eating disorders as an interactive
process which involves: genetic and biological
factors, psychological factors androecia-cultural
and family factors. This might seem like a shot
gun approach- and it is. Eating disordered
patients are complex, and often have serious and
chronic conditions that require various
treatments at different stages.
The B.P.S.
•
This approach often allows the therapist
to bring a variety of different theories
and approaches to treatment. Within this
broad model, however, treatment can still
vary widely. Ask if the therapist has a
specific approach and whether there has
been training using this approach with
eating disorders.
Medical Model
Mood disturbances and anxiety states
are quite common in eating disorders.
The need for nutritionally and
medically stabilizing individuals is
seen as important first steps.
In anorexia
the assessment for antidepressant medication is
often done following weight gain since starvation
itself can worsen the symptoms of depression. In
addition, there is some evidence that medication
should be considered for prevention of relapse
for patients who have restored their weight or
who continue to show signs of depression or
obsessive compulsive problems.
In bulimia nervosa
antidepressant medications are effective for many
patients as one component of the initial treatment
in combination with therapy. They appear to help
with some of the psychological symptoms and also
directly to decrease the binge/purge cycle. There
are a number of other medications that may be
useful in the treatment of eating disorders. One
should not rely on the treatment of eating
disorders solely with medication.
Cognitive Behavior
Therapy (CBT):
• CBT has been used increasingly in recent years. It
is a very directive and time limited therapy. The
therapist and patient work together to identify
irrational beliefs and illogical thinking patterns
associated with body image, weight, food, and
perfectionism. There is a focus on the behavioral
components of the illness such as binge eating,
purging, dieting, and ritualistic exercise. Outcome
studies show that it compares favorably with
antidepressant medication and is often considered
the treatment of choice for bulimics. Its shortterm structure with the availability of manuals
has made it a useful resource.
Psychodynamic Therapy
This is based on the idea that people can achieve
greater understanding of the psychological forces
that motivate their actions. Insight through
psychological exploration then opens up the
possibility for change in personality and behavior.
The assumption is that the present is shaped and
governed by the past. This approach is frequently
used for eating disorders when the person is at
the appropriate stage to benefit from this type
of intervention.
Feminist Psychodynamic
Psychotherapy
• : The feminists model is based on the assumption
that social conditioning of women results in
repression of certain needs and aspects. The
therapist engages the patient in dialogue that
encourages her to find her own truths and have
one's own voice. The importance of interpersonal
relationships and intimacy are a focus. The
therapist acts as a resource and doesn’t claim to
know all the answers and encourages the open
exchange of ideas and fosters the development of
self.
Interpersonal Therapy
• :This is a short-term therapy that was initially
used to treat depression and modified to treat
eating disorders. Individuals are taught to
evaluate their interactions with others with an
understanding that interpersonal conflicts may
not have caused the eating disorder per se but
may indeed maintain the disorder. Problem areas,
other than the eating disorder, are identified and
a treatment contract is formulated. The focus is
here and now with less attention paid to the
eating disorder behavior and symptoms.
Interpersonal 2
• If a patient replied in therapy that her eating was
terrible, the therapist would not focus on the
details of the disturbed eating behavior but
rather the importance of understanding why this
had happened. The patient would be asked if it
could be related to one of the identified
interpersonal problem areas. The expectation is
that as one improves interpersonal function, there
is improvement of the eating disorder.
Family Therapy/Marital
Therapy
•
There are a variety of approaches to family
therapy. Some will view therapy as treatment
WITH the family, others as treatment OF the
family. Certainly family therapy should be
considered whenever possible, especially for:
adolescents who still live with their parents,
patients still with ongoing conflicts or marital
discord. Some have suggested the younger the
patient the more significant the use of family
therapy. In addition, if the eating disorder
patient is a mother, special help should be paid to
mothering skills to decrease the risk of
transmitting an eating disorder.
Psychoanalysis:
• In its true form this is the couch therapy.
Sessions are usually held 4-5 times a week, and a
completed analysis may take 3-5 years. The focus
is aimed on self-understanding and correction of
developmental lags so that there can be
reorganization of the personality. Free
association and dream analysis occur in this type
of therapy. Analysis is not for everyone, being
more suitable for individuals at the healthier end
of the spectrum.
Focal psychoanalytic
psychotherapy
•
This is a short-term approach where the
therapist takes a non-directive approach.
No advice is given regarding the eating
behavior, symptoms or problems. The
focus is on the meaning of the symptoms in
terms of the patient's history and
experiences with their family.
Dialectic Therapy (DBT):
• Although DBT is a cognitive behavioral treatment,
it differs from standard CBT. There is a focus on
helping patients to observe and label their
emotional reactions to trauma, validation and
acquiring a balance between acceptance and
change. This is a fairly new type of approach
which’s being modified for the treatment of
bulimia and binge eating disorder. It holds
promise especially for those who have
experienced post-traumatic stress or exhibit
chronic or severe suicidal behavior because of
lack of basic skills for self-regulation
Supportive
Psychotherapy
•
Most forms of therapy will have a
supportive component. It is different from
exploratory work because the goal is not
insight- it is lessening of anxiety. Usually
this is done through reassurance, advice,
bolstering the individual's personal
strengths and encouraging more adaptive
defenses.
Nutritional Therapy
•
Nutritional rehabilitation and counseling often
will help patients gain weight and stabilize their
eating patterns. Depending on the level of
training, interest, and expectations by the
treatment team, the dietitian often deals with
body image, education about nutrition, risk
regarding the eating disorder, concerns about
weight and irrational fears related to the eating
disorder. Some dietitians will shop, help prepare,
and eat meals with patients and their families.
Psycho-educational
Therapy
• Usually this is included in most treatment
so that there is understanding of the
definition of the illness, why individuals
develop the illness, what predisposes them
and what might precipitate the illness.
Aspects of nutrition, medical issues, sociocultural issues such as the drive for
thinness in our society, etc. are often
covered.
Addiction Model
• There is a high prevalence of substance
abuse among persons with eating disorders
and the likelihood that either condition
may precipitate the other. There is much
debate as to whether eating disorders are
true addictions. There is also a great deal
of variability from chapter to chapter and
sponsor to sponsor.
Substance abuse
• The presence of a currently active
substance abuse does have implications for
treatment. Ideally, treatment which
focuses concurrently on both the eating
disorder and the substance disorder
should be attempted in a setting where
the staff is competent to treat both.
Substance and anorexia
•
For patients with anorexia nervosa, treatment
which focuses only on a narrow and zealous
application of the 12 step, or other approaches
which exclusively call for the need for abstinence
without addressing nutritional, cognitive, or
behavioral problems are of concern when used as
the sole approach. Many addiction programs,
however, will attempt to offer a blended model
incorporating the medical model and cognitive
behavior.
“no single treatment approach
works for everyone
• Although an old adage in the eating disorders field warns,,”
an interesting new treatment worth considering is
developing in the eating disorders field. While traditional
treatment of eating disorders has concentrated on
individual psychotherapy, Christopher Dare and Ivan Eisler
at Maudsley Hospital in London have developed an original
family-centered approach. Instead of being criticized as a
dysfunctional social unit, the family of the sufferer
assumes responsibility for making the patient eat. No one is
blamed for having triggered the illness; rather, the illness
is treated as a medical condition and the family must care
for the sick child.
Maudsley
• This family-centered treatment
progresses in three distinct phases,
in which power shifts from the family
back to the patient after she/he
reaches an acceptable weight. The
first phase focuses on empowerment
and eating.
A therapeutic bind
• The family separates the patient from
her/his illness and learns strategies to
successfully battle the disease. Placed in
the position of a “therapeutic bind,” the
family is urged to take immediate action,
which provokes anxiety; yet this anxiety is
balanced by the therapist’s acceptance and
expertise.
Maudsley Method
• Food functions as medicine in the Maudsley
method, and the parents act as doctors who
administer the feared remedy. For this method of
re-feeding to succeed, the parents must establish
an alliance and agree to enforce consistent food
rules. In order for the patient not to feel like an
enemy of the food-wielding parents, she is
encouraged to turn to siblings for support.
Despite these
remarkable outcomes
.there are still some crucial factors to examine.
Data from Maudsley studies indicates that this
treatment is less effective for older adolescents
and for adults, along with chronically ill patients,
and those who binge and purge. In addition, some
families may not be able to put in the enormous
time and effort that is required to supervise
meals and settle the accompanying food battles.
Another variable to consider is the enmeshed
parental relationships that eating disordered
patients are often involved in.
Maudsley treatment
• The highly involved parental
role in the Maudsley treatment may further
exacerbate these dysfunctional patterns. The
patient may also experience more difficulty in
gaining a sense of autonomy following treatment.
Despite these possible drawbacks, the Maudsley
therapy is now gaining popularity with researchers
in the United States. Currently, psychologists at
the University of Chicago, University of Michigan,
Columbia University and Stanford University are
testing this treatment
The second phase of
treatment
• starts when the patient complies with the
parents’ food guidelines and makes steady
weight gain . At this point, the parents
help their child assume increased
responsibility for eating. According to the
Maudsley model, once the patient
maintains a stable weight of near 95%
of his or her ideal weight without
substantial parental supervision, the
patient should begin individual therapy.
Maudsley
• At this point in their recovery, they can
focus on issues and anxieties surrounding
adolescence, a life phase that they have
avoided by having an eating disorder. They
can explore their identity and
independence and learn to construct
clearer family boundaries.
Maudsley
• Despite its unconventional approach of enlisting
the family as the primary player in the recovery
team, the Maudsley treatment offers some
definite benefits. Parents are more likely to
resist food manipulation by their child, since they
take on active roles in treatment and are
instructed by therapists not to tolerate
resistance. They are encouraged to offer
incentives and support for cooperation. Moreover,
since their child’s life is in imminent danger, they
will expend an enormous amount of energy to
successfully coax their child to eat and regain
health.
bulimia nervosa
•
For patients with bn, considerable controversy exists regarding
the role of the 12 step programs or other approaches that focus
exclusively on the need for abstinence when they’re the only
intervention and do not address nutritional, psychological, or
behavioral problems.
Self-Help: Self-help may be a valuable first step for treatment.
The major goal is to provide support and communication between
individuals who are at different stages of recovery. Sometimes
family and friends are invited or they may have their own support
group. Usually leaders are recovered or volunteer professionals
who offer their service at a no cost basis.
Self help
• This group becomes a safe place where you can learn about
the disorder, share feelings, find someone who has had
similar experience, and realize that recovery is possible.
With an informal structure, one can attend as needed. For
more information, please visit ANAD's section nonsupport
groups. In addition, there are now some self-help manuals,
on-line web sites, news groups, and chat rooms focusing on
the treatment of eating disorders. In the prevention area,
there is an on-going study of an on-line self help form that
may help students reduce the risk of developing an eating
disorder. While a substantial amount of worthwhile
information and support are available, it is important to
critique the content.
Expressive Therapy
• : The expression of oneself through the arts is
another form of therapy which is useful,
particularly when there is difficulty of putting
feelings into words. Whether it is dance,
movement, art, drama, drawing, painting, etc.,
these avenues allow the opportunity for
communication that might otherwise remain
repressed.
Light Therapy
• : Many individuals with SAD (seasonal
affective disorder) also have dysfunctional
eating. Recent studies have shown that
light therapy has improved mood and
decreased bingeing and purging. The
positive effects can last for about 4
weeks.
EMDR
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
(): EMDR is a unique form of psychotherapy. It
was originally developed in the 80s to help
patients with traumatic experiences, recovering
memories of past trauma and post-traumatic
stress. At present there is little efficacy that
this had been helpful with patients with eating
disorders and may even prevent or delay the use
of other types of therapy that may be effective.