Eating disorders are but one of many specific pathological responses to
the pressures of the modern world. In group therapy, patients battling
bulimia nervosa can learn from one another how to heal the emotional
wounds that have put their health in jeopardy. Group therapy addresses
the four etiologies of eating disorders by teaching the sociocultural
context, discussing both the psychological and familial constellation of
each member, and providing a forum to address the physiological aspects
of the disorder by discussing the benefits of or disappointments in
medications.
The only eating-disorder treatment manual for group application
available, this book presents an integrative treatment model bringing
together psychoeducational, cognitive behavioral, relational,
experiential, and interpersonal methods. The introduction begins with a
detailed discussion of bulimia's cultural roots as well as its
epidemiology and etiology, moves to a survey of available treatments,
and concludes with a rationale for use of the integrative group method.
Following chapters provide instructions for leading a time-limited
therapy group for bulimic patients, including a discussion of screening
procedures for prospective members and a guide for processing group
dynamics. These precede the core of the book: step-by-step descriptions
of the twelve structured therapy sessions. Interspersed throughout are
group reading assignments and reflective essays.
