Background: The emotional world of the eating disordered, traumatized client poses particular challenges to professionals. This challenge is experienced directly through the therapeutic relationship. This workshop presents a model of treatment that provides a guide for organizing the therapeutic relationship which assists the client to manage difficult emotional experiences.
Introduction and Experiential exercise
The Therapeutic Lynchpin:
- The relationship in process
- the lynchpin – characteristics, impacts
- keys to success – relationship, alliance, skills and techniques
- The emotions – envy, hatred, fear, despair, grief
- Integration into the relationship
- Arousal management
- Eating disorders – the role, function and management of the emotions in recovery
- Self-Regulation – the Structural Process Model
- Empowerment
- Practice Points and Case Presentations
- Open discussion
The emotional world of the eating disordered client who presents with self-injury and/or symptoms related to trauma pose particular challenges to professionals. This challenge is experienced directly through the therapeutic relationship which must be viewed and understood as the “lynchpin” for all interventions. This is especially true for those clients who struggle with the more difficult negative emotional states and self-destructive behaviors. This workshop presents a model of treatment based on self-regulation that provides a guide for organizing the therapeutic relationship and through specific aspects of the alliance be able to assist the client to manage difficult emotional experiences and behaviors. Specific Practice Points will be presented throughout the workshop to assist clinicians in designing and modifying their treatment.
Dr. Levitt has more than 35 years of experience working with eating disorders, self-injury, trauma, and complex patients. He has been an active participant in the field of eating disorders as a clinician, program developer, supervisor/trainer, and presenter. He has taught widely, co-authored one book, co-edited three other books, and has numerous publications. Dr. Levitt has presented nationally and internationally on the topics of eating disorders, trauma, self-injury, complex symptomatology, assessment and intervention.
