For Psychotherapists and Counselors
The Unique Use of the Therapist’s Self in the Treatment of Eating Disorders
 

Eight goals and objectives qualifying this lecture for CEU status:

·          Understanding what eating disorders are and their full implications for individual and family.

·          Dispelling myths and misconceptions

·          Assuming diagnostic responsibility; recognizing an elusive diagnosis

·          The nutritionist’s unique use of self in the face of unique and complex disorders

·          The nutritionist's role as member of the out -patient treatment team; putting a team together

·          Including parents as recovery advocates for child patients

·          The Nuts and Bolts of eating disorder treatment; The Nutritionist’ Tool Box

·          Facilitating a committed recovery and aftercare

The most lethal of all the mental health disorders, eating disorders remain amongst the most highly misunderstood, under-diagnosed, and medically and psychologically mishandled diseases; the vast majority of otherwise competent health professionals have no idea how to recognize these diseases or approach their treatment.  The good news is that anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are curable in 80 percent of cases when recognized early and treated in a timely and effective manner.

Every eating disorder is as unique as a thumbprint, defined by the patient’s own heritable factors, personality structure, cognitive, social and emotional development, as well as the structure and quality of function of the family-based “holding” system in the case of the child patient. Every treatment plan must be uniquely custom-tailored to match the unique requirements of each case. The mastery of the strategies, skill sets, and protocols specific to eating disorders are clearly the cornerstone of effective treatment… though continually evolving research and discovery leaves the jury still out on what these are. In addition, outside the context of an effective therapeutic relationship, evidence-based factors by themselves are not sufficient to turn the tide on an eating disorder.

Successful outcomes lie in the effective and facile use of the therapeutic relationship, and of the practitioner’s self to inspire the patient to choose to heal… and then to discover the best way to

go about doing so. As role model, reality tester, limit setter, mentor and cheerleader, the practitioner creates a safe and stimulating learning environment, optimizing the patient’s capacity to change and grow through the quality of the healing connection. Even within a clinical setting where treatment is largely based on the application of scientific evidence-based protocols, there remains more than enough room for treatment as art.

Agenda Outline

                                                Psychotherapy Treatment Challenges

1. Understanding ED; what they are...and what they are not.
   1. Eating disorders are not primarily dysfunctions of eating or weight management

2. How the eating disorder works

3. Busting myths

4. Capturing an elusive diagnosis
   1. It is for nutritionists to diagnose what is often missed in the medical evaluation

5. A look at how the ED patient heals

6. The unique use of the nutritionist’s self
   1. Human connections heal.

7. What sets ED treatment apart? 
   1. The nutritionist’s roles
   2. The parent connection

8. The nutritionist's role as member of the out -patient treatment team; putting the team together and functioning within it.

9. ED Treatment Nuts and Bolts: Getting down and dirty in the trenches
   1. The Nutritionist’s “Tool Box”
   2. Healing through Action
   3. Doing what works

10. Facilitating Recovery and Aftercare
     

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