Doing What Works:
An Integrative System for the Treatment
of Eating Disorders from Diagnosis to
Recovery
Reader's testimonials
From a supervisor of social work
interns and practitioners in a school
setting
"I truly believe that this book should
become integrated as a mandatory reading
for ALL beginning therapists because in
their quest to use as many theoretical
models as possible from their classes in
daily practice, they often forget the
most important contributor to positive
outcomes in therapy... The integrative
use of self. I myself, am learning more
and more with every page I turn, and
feel inspired by having read this book."
…………………………………………………………
From the director of a social work
clinic, Ann Arbor Michigan
"Doing What Works is packed with
invaluable information about the complex
layers of eating disorder treatment,
making it an important contribution to
the eating disorder treatment field. It
is truly an invaluable guide for
therapists new to the field, and even
those with substantial experience will
find tools and resources they can add to
their repertoire.
The way you write is great---it seems
like part clinical wisdom and part
academic review, and most of the
references are current and scholarly.
You are so generous with what you have
learned over the years in providing such
important information and guidance for
readers …this is clearly a labor of
love."
…………………………………………………………
From Psychotherapists
"I am just getting into the field of
eating disorders and this book has been
a perfect introduction for me. It has
also gone further, going into great deal
about the various treatment options that
have proven effective with this
population. I think this book will
prevent a lot of reinventing the wheel
for clinicians working with eating
disorders. I would definitely recommend
it."
- By H. Mihaescu, San Francisco, via
Amazon.com
…………………………………………………………
"I have been counseling girls with
eating disorders for about a year, but I
feel extremely inadequate. I tend not to
treat the eating disorder, but rather to
just treat them as teenage girls with
problems. It is such a challenge to get
them to believe they should eat when
everything in them says food is the
enemy. I just want to say to them, "Eat
anyway. You're not thinking straight
right now and you're starving yourself
to death." Eventually, I can usually say
that, but I really need your book.
Thanks for writing it."
-Linda B.
…………………………………………………………
"It made me realize how proud I am to
be a therapist and how excited I am
about doing this work. The writing was
so personable, clear, and easy to
read…it was like sitting in the same
room with you and your patients, as if
you were speaking to me, personally."
…………………………………………………………
"This book has accomplished what the
eating disorder treatment field has been
needing… a workable meld of scientific
research and clinical practice. In
bridging this gap, it offers strategies
and applications that are practicable
and make sense not only to clinician son
the front lines of treatment, but to
their patients in recovery."
…………………………………………………………
"All too many of us doing this work
have been essentially on our own; we are
doing what we know how to do. It is
apparent that such efforts have not been
sufficient. It is high time that we have
access to a resource that offers clarity
in describing what aspects of this
treatment differ from general practice,
better preparing us to manage these
cases towards successful and timely
outcomes."
…………………………………………………………
From Nutritionists
"I wanted to let you know that I have
started reading Doing What Works and
love it so far. It is refreshing to read
your thoughts that healing occurs
partially through relationship, which
feels very inclusive for me as a
dietitian. A psychotherapist recently
accused me of working outside of my
scope of practice simply by taking on
patients with a mental illness, saying
that nutritionists do more harm than
good and have no business within eating
disorder treatment. It is helpful and
legitimizing to read in your book about
the importance of the nutritionist's
relationship with the eating disordered
client, and of fully understanding the
disorder and how it heals. I just wanted
to tell you how much I am enjoying your
book."
…………………………………………………………
"As a nutritionist working in the
field of eating disorders, I applaud
this greatly needed resource. Eating
disorders is a separate and challenging
specialty in the field of nutrition.
Often puzzling, frustrating and
ultimately so very rewarding, this is a
field that hasn't been thoroughly
explored in such a manner...until now.
The eating disorder nutritionist is more
than an educator of scientific and
nutritional facts. The emotional
component of these complicated disorders
requires a thorough understanding of the
underlying issues as well as an ability
to handle them as they impact the
individual's recovery process. As a
significant member of the eating
disorder team, the nutritionist
collaborates with other team members,
facilitating the exchange of information
to provide the most comprehensive
standard of care.
Treating eating disorders requires
unique education, training and
interpersonal skills which are often not
adequately taught in college or graduate
school. Therefore, the nutritionist is
often left to search for manuals,
methods, and mentors to hopefully fill
the gaps in education. The search is
over. This book has it all and more.
Doing What Works is filled with critical
information presented in a clear,
empathetic manner while also covering
all aspects of the integrative system
for the treatment of eating disorders.
It's a must read for any nutritionist
working in the field of eating disorders
because it finally is what really works.
Highly, Highly Recommended"
…………………………………………………………
From graduate students
"What a delightful surprise that a
professional book about treatment could
be so engaging and actually fun to read.
I found that it had such flow and was so
interestingly written that I didn't want
to put it down."
…………………………………………………………
"The information is
wonderful...clearly a never been written
addition to the field. I am engaged and
enlightened."
Psychotherapist Abigail H. Natenshon has
specialized in the treatment of eating
disorders with individuals, families,
and groups for the past 40 years. She is
the author of When Your Child Has An
Eating Disorder, A Step-by-Step Workbook
For Parents And Other Caregivers,
Doing What Works: An integrative system
for the treatment of eating disorders
from diagnosis to recovery. Based on
hundreds of successful outcomes, this
book shepherds concerned parents
step-by-step through the processes of
eating disorder recognition, confronting
the child, finding the most effective
treatment for patient and family, and
evaluating and insuring a timely
recovery. A guide to eating disorder
prevention, this book is useful to
parents, health professionals and school
personnel alike in countering the
pervasive epidemic of unhealthy eating
and body image concerns, and destructive
media and peer influences. Her work can
be reviewed further at
www.empoweredparents.com and
www.empoweredkidZ.com.
