Using Narrative Therapy to Treat Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified

Abstract

Eating disorders have proved resistant to therapy with high relapse rates. Enhanced cognitive behavior therapy (CBT-E) is the favored treatment of choice but has been criticized for placing a similar emphasis on controlling eating behavior as the psychopathology it seeks to counter. In contrast, narrative therapy focuses on the development of an anti-eating disorder lifestyle and values. Evidence for this approach primarily consists of informal case study material. This case study describes a 28-year-old woman with a recurring history of anorexia nervosa, who self-referred to a university psychology clinic, due to fears of imminent relapse. The client received 10 sessions of narrative therapy and made significant progress in externalizing her eating disorder, in lessening her adherence to the ascetic values underpinning it, and in developing/expressing her non-eating disorder character and values. This case study provides evidence of the potential effectiveness of narrative therapy and contains valuable learning for clinicians regarding its implementation.