ABSTRACT

Therapeutic writing is an important component of our individual work with people with eating disorders (Schmidt et al., 2002; Treasure & Schmidt, 2008; Wade & Schmidt, 2009). We have used this approach with families in order to help us understand how eating disorders impact on family life and also as a reflective tool to examine processes of interaction. In this chapter we discuss how to use this writing as part of the therapeutic process. The parents’ writings presented here were generated within a treatment trial of anorexia nervosa; however, many of the themes would equally arise or be applicable to other eating disorders as would some of the therapeutic considerations outlined. We deconstruct the content of the writing to analyse carers’ attributions about the illness and their emotional reaction. The themes that arise inform the cognitive behavioural conceptualisation relating to the interpersonal element of anorexia nervosa. Later on, Chapter 12 expands on the process further by describing the use of written exercises in an intensive day-care context.