220 pg, (paper) '01

Two seasoned clinicians with years of experience in the treatment of eating disorders offer this practical tool and adjunct to one-on-one and group therapy. In a readable style and conversational tone, the authors take the reader on a journey toward better mental and physical health, as well as an important understanding of eating disorders. This workbook encourages self-paced learning and practice, and explores complicated issues that have a direct effect on eating disorders, including trauma, depression, abuse, and the media. Also available is the workbook Eating Disorders: Time for Change for the therapist.

CONTENTS:

1 – Guiding Your Journey: The Tree and the Web
2 – What You Need to Know About Eating Disorders
3 – Your Relationship with Food
4 – The Female Body: Spirituality and Religion
5 – The Female Body: History of Size and Thinness
6 – Body Image
7 – Your Relationship with Exercise
8 – Women’s Issues
9 – Men’s Issues
10 – Substance Abuse and eating Disorders
11 – Trauma and Abuse
12 – Special Circumstances: Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder, Depression, and Diabetes
13 – The Treatment Team
14 – Media Madness
15 – For Families, Friends, and Loved Ones

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Laura J. Goodman, M.Ed, LMHC, is a psychotherapist with Andover Mental Health Associates in Massachusetts Eating Disorders Association. Her many years in the field of treatment of eating disorders have focused on school and family counseling.

Mona Villapiano, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist with a specialty in the treatment of eating disorders. Dr. Villapiano has developed and directed hospital and evening treatment programs for over 15 years.

REVIEWS:

"This paired set of workbooks for clients and therapists adds to the growing literature of similarly paired workbooks already available. These contributions, written by two experienced psychotherapists, come from a welcome perspective, focusing on the client's motivation and stages of change, using the model that has been extensively applied to alcohol and substance abuse.

The client's book begins with images consisting of a tree of life, in which the eating disorder stems from roots and affects all the branches and the web of life. Next are discussions of set-point theory, dieting and emotions, and physical changes associated with weight. This presentation is thoughtful, but I wondered if some clients might be too easily put off by technical terms such as 'thermogenesis' and 'cognitions,' which are introduced without literal explanations. The therapists with whom these patients are working, reading through their own parallel volume, may need to explain these terms. The workbook nicely progresses through nutrition, assessing stage of change, relationships between spirituality and eating; body image; exercise; women's issues; men's issues for male patients; substance abuse; trauma and abuse; special circumstances such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression and diabetes; the treatment team; 'media madness,' a section for family and friends; and a final reprise, followed by resources.

Most chapters are filled with open-ended structured questions, closed-ended questionnaires, tables, stories, poems, illustrations and affirmations. I particularly liked the way the chapters on substance abuse and trauma and abuse dealt with their material. The psychopharmacology chapter includes questions assured to make clients better consumers-intelligent questions to ask physicians about medications and what to expect.

The therapist workbook doesn't exactly parallel the client workbook, which may prove confusing. To my mind, a book that more closely coincided with the client's version would have better served therapists. It could then be supplemented with additional material and discussion, as a sort of teacher's guide. Nevertheless, this volume does cover more or less the same ground as the client's workbook, focuses on motivation and stages of change, and contains much useful information and some worthwhile assessment tools.
— Eating Disorders Today Newsletter, Vol 1 - Issue 1, Spring 2002