Please know that the patients I see in a private practice are required to have a medical check before we work together. If anyone is at physical risk because of low weight or suffers from any kind of malfuction because of nutritional deprivation I refer them to in-patient treatment. Private practice is not equipped to work with people at medical risk. Such persons need to receive medical care, ongoing psychological treatment and, as you say, food. They need to be healthy enough to be able to work through the considerable cognitive and emotional challenges they would face in psychotherapy.
Eating disorders cover a broad range of physical experience. Not all eating disorder patients are deprived nutritionally. Not all eating disorder patients are underweight. And certainly, not all eating disorder patients are children. My patients, for example are adults ranging in ages from 26 - 76.
Also, patients rarely, in my clinical experience, accuse their parents of being responsible for their eating disorder. Often parents, spouses, boy friends or girlfriends are afraid that they will be the focus of criticism in private therapy sessions. The fact that the work is confidential allows fantasies to develop in the people who are excluded from the details of the work itself.
Yes, Erica, I agree with you on this point. The symptoms of an eating disorder are not the person. The true identity of the person unfolds and blossoms when she or he is free of the eating disorder and learns to function in the world as a competent and substantial adult.
I appreciate hearing your views. You bring up more of the topic that needs to be included in this discussion.
What is your position in this field, Erica? Are you parent or family member of someone with an eating disorder? Have you suffered from an eating disorder yourself? Is your connection something else?
Please feel free to write again and share some of your story.
Comment Reply
Dear Erica,
Thank you for contributing.
Please know that the patients I see in a private practice are required to have a medical check before we work together. If anyone is at physical risk because of low weight or suffers from any kind of malfuction because of nutritional deprivation I refer them to in-patient treatment. Private practice is not equipped to work with people at medical risk. Such persons need to receive medical care, ongoing psychological treatment and, as you say, food. They need to be healthy enough to be able to work through the considerable cognitive and emotional challenges they would face in psychotherapy.
Eating disorders cover a broad range of physical experience. Not all eating disorder patients are deprived nutritionally. Not all eating disorder patients are underweight. And certainly, not all eating disorder patients are children. My patients, for example are adults ranging in ages from 26 - 76.
Also, patients rarely, in my clinical experience, accuse their parents of being responsible for their eating disorder. Often parents, spouses, boy friends or girlfriends are afraid that they will be the focus of criticism in private therapy sessions. The fact that the work is confidential allows fantasies to develop in the people who are excluded from the details of the work itself.
Yes, Erica, I agree with you on this point. The symptoms of an eating disorder are not the person. The true identity of the person unfolds and blossoms when she or he is free of the eating disorder and learns to function in the world as a competent and substantial adult.
I appreciate hearing your views. You bring up more of the topic that needs to be included in this discussion.
What is your position in this field, Erica? Are you parent or family member of someone with an eating disorder? Have you suffered from an eating disorder yourself? Is your connection something else?
Please feel free to write again and share some of your story.
best regards,
Joanna
June 6, 2009 - 6:03pmThis Comment
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