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Eating Disorders: A Practitioner's Guide to Psychological Care

$31.77  Paperback
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Vivienne Lewis Australian author

  • Eating Disorders
  • Eating Disorders
    Evidence based guide to support mental health practitioners working with eating disorders

177 pages
2023
ISBN: 9781925644678

Eating disorders involve complex psychological processes linked to self-worth that may challenge many mental health and allied practitioners, no matter how experienced. It is a topic little taught in clinical practice, and much of the information on the subject can seem contradictory or even inaccurate. Yet it is vital when working with such a client to have a solid understanding of what helps people improve their relationship with food and feel good about their bodies and themselves.

Based on extensive clinical experience and the latest evidence base, this new work from noted eating disorder specialist Dr Vivienne Lewis supports mental health practitioners who may be unsure how best to deal with the issue in their daily practice. Throughout the book, clients' voices shine through in numerous brief real-life stories, illustrating the personal and practical impacts of eating disorders and successful recovery.

This is a must-read for any psychologists, counsellors, nurses, youth workers, psychiatrists, doctors, dieticians or trainees who may encounter clients with eating issues. It includes sections on:

  • Understanding complex client presentations
  • Challenging common myths about eating disorders
  • Structuring therapeutic sessions
  • Motivating clients to change
  • The importance of supervision.

Clinical psychologist Dr Vivienne Lewis has spent more than 15 years in private practice and academia, specialising in treating people with eating disorders and training other health professionals. Her knowledge, skills and compassion have helped children, young people, and adults face and defeat the destructive mental and physical effects of eating disorders and improve body image. Vivienne knows the professional challenges of working with these clients well but also understands the reward for practitioners is seeing someone who is very unwell go on to live a healthy and fulfilling life.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: What is an Eating Disorder

  • Anorexia Nervosa
  • Bulimia Nervosa
  • Binge Eating Disorder
  • Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders
  • Orthorexia
  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder
  • Comorbidity
  • Rumination Syndrome
  • What is disordered eating?
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 2: Helping People With Eating Disorders

  • Why don’t professionals want to work with people with eating disorders?
  • Why I love working within the area of eating disorders
  • How do I become competent in treating people with eating disorders?
  • The Importance of Supervision
  • What if I have an eating disorder myself?
  • Does being underweight or overweight make me unsuitable to work with people with eating disorders?
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 3: The Dangers of Eating Disorders

  • Impact on the Heart
  • Impact on the Gut
  • Neurological Effects
  • Endocrine System Effects
  • Effects on the Liver
  • Bulimia is Dangerous
  • Overexercising
  • Treatment for Overexercising
  • Talking about the Benefits of not Engaging in Eating-disordered Behaviour
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 4: Who develops eating and body image issues and why?

  • What causes someone to develop an eating disorder?
  • Being Teased for Appearance
  • The Role of the Family
  • The Media
  • Sports
  • As a health provider, what do I do about these risk factors?
  • The Impact of Covid-19 and Social Isolation on Eating
  • Risk Factors for the LGBTQIA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) Community
  • Eating Disorders and Indigenous Australians
  • Treatment and Your Own Experience
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 5: Professionals Issues of Awareness and Treatment

  • Signs
  • The Role of the Dentist
  • The Role of Teachers
  • Suicidal Adolescents and Working with Parents
  • Private Treatment Centres
  • Inpatient Treatment
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 6: Eating Disorder Assessment

  • What do clients and patients talk about that might indicate they have an eating disorder?
  • Taking a History and Case Formulation
  • An Example of a Case Formulation
  • Males with Eating Disorders
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 7: Guiding Parents Through Their Child’s Eating Disorder

  • Anger and Eating Disorders
  • Parents Need Respite — What’s it really like as a carer?
  • Mealtime Tips for Parents and Carers
  • Siblings Need Respite
  • The Importance of School
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 8: Therapeutic Treatment Session Breakdown

  • Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-E)
  • Stage One: The First Session and Initial Interview
  • Stage 2: Beginning Sessions Two to Six (or a few more)
  • Stage Three: Behaviour and Thinking Change
  • Stage Four: Keeping Progress Going and Planning for Relapses
  • Stage Five: Spacing Out Sessions and Ending Therapy
  • Some General Points to Consider About Treatment
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 9: Cognitive Behavioural Strategies for Increasing Body Satisfaction

  • Changing Behaviour to Change Feelings
  • Dealing With Body Distress and Anxiety
  • Changing Thinking
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 10: Feeding and Sleeping

  • Why do we need calories and food?
  • Re-feeding Dangers
  • You’ve got to Have a Team
  • The Importance of Sleep in Recovery
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 11: Raving About RAVES

  • Step 1: Regularity
  • Step 2: Adequacy
  • Step 3: Variety
  • Stage 4. Eating Socially
  • Step 5: Spontaneity
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 12: Helping Clients Socially

  • Sex Avoidance and Hormones
  • The use of language
  • Chapter Summary
  • Chapter 12: Recovery
  • Stages of Change
  • Ready for Action
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 14: Your Language and the Client’s Language

  • ‘You look healthy.’
  • Feeling Fat
  • ‘You don’t look like you have an eating disorder.’
  • Feeling Worthy of Treatment
  • ‘I look ugly in that photo.’
  • ‘Everyone diets.’
  • ‘You’ve got a big appetite.’
  • ‘I’m body positive.’
  • Dealing with Compliments
  • What you Should Never say to Someone with an Eating Disorder
  • A Word About Health Professional’s Session Notes
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 15: Special Topics

  • Weddings
  • Having a Baby
  • Working with Couples
  • Food is not a Moral Issue
  • Chapter Summary

Chapter 16: Binging and Distress Tolerance

  • Strategies for Dealing with Binge Eating and Emotions
  • Learning about Hunger
  • Helping Clients Cope with Distress
  • Chapter Summary

Some Helpful Resources

Bibliography