ABSTRACT
In this chapter, a social worker describes her own teenage experience of developing bulimia as a way of coping with the emotional pain of grueling racism and social exclusion. She reflects on her own recovery and shares her observations about the keys to successful treatment: the therapist’s ability to acknowledge the oppressions that had triggered the problem behaviors while simultaneously inviting the client to seek less destructive remedies for that pain. The author urges readers to take the time to inquire about and understand clients’ experiences with racism, classism, homophobia, and gender identity.
