ABSTRACT
In this chapter, R4R therapists receive instruction on how t o complete the discussion about strategies for connection from Session 7 (reviewing strategies employed and a handout) and move into review of implicit and explicit rules associated with the eating disorder, recovery, and relationships. The chapter provides language for how to define the nature and origin of implicit and explicit rules. Examples of these rules, along with a vignette that illustrates an implicit rule related to relationships, are noted. Chapter 12 shows how the R4R therapists facilitate discussion of anorexia nervosa’s (AN) negative impact on individual and family development and its efforts to obstruct the natural evolution of explicit and implicit rules accompanying development. A clinical vignette shows how the R4R therapist helps a newly married husband and wife (patient) identify rules that can strengthen their relationship and recovery, instead of allowing AN to use their rules to hurt their relationship and maintain itself. The R4R therapists are instructed on how to conduct small and large group discussion of the rules. They assist members to evaluate one of their rules for whether it helps them embrace or avoid being “different-in-connection” and emphasize altering or discarding rules that hurt relationships and recovery. The chapter concludes with an outline of Session 8 main goals, materials, and handouts.
