by Tammie Ronen and Ayelet (Author)
Ayelet spent six years of her adolescence in and out of hospital, having been diagnosed as suffering from a severe anorexia disorder. She is now a special needs teacher. In the first part of this book Ayelet describes her personal experiences of the illness, the repeated hospitalisations and her ultimate recovery, illustrated with examples of her drawing and writing from when she was ill. Tammie Ronen, her therapist, outlines the step-by-step progress of the therapy from the professional angle, describing in detail the decision-making and treatment considerations specific to Ayelet's life and context. She also includes comprehensive overviews of contemporary research into anorexia and of cognitive constructivist methods. This interweaving of theory, practice and personal experience offers the reader unique insight into the reality of the illness and demonstrates the effectiveness of integrative and creative methods, and the central importance of a good relationship between the client and the therapist. The book is a rich source of inspiration and guidance for therapists and other professionals, as well as for people with eating disorders and their families.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 288
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Published: 15 Jul 2001
ISBN 10: 1853029904
ISBN 13: 9781853029905
Book Overview: Personal description of the illness with step-by-step progress from a professional angle.
`There are many good things here. We have an account of behavioural, cognitive and constructivist approaches to therapy, which is all the richer for the demonstration of theories in action in this complex case.' - European Eating Disorders Review
`A detailed and compelling account of a young woman's struggle with anorexia nervosa. Certainly, the professional will learn from these insights, perhaps understanding better their patients' experiences and language. They are likely to benefit, too, from thinking about Ronen's patient-centred, individualised and creative approach'
-- Young Minds`One of the striking things about this story is Tammie's ability to speak her client's language. Through adapting a variety of therapeutic techniques into Ayelet's language of metaphors, imagery and art, Tammie not only enhanced the effectiveness of these techniques but established a therapeutic alliance based on collaboration and openness. Although one cannot dispute the importance of the therapeutic relationship as a vehicle for change, the subsequent friendship that blossomed between them during the course of writing the book did leave me wondering where the boundaries between professional and personal relationships lie.
Although aimed towards a range of professionals as well as those suffering from anorexia, I thought this book would be of particular benefit to those working in the eating disorders field as it not only provides a detailed of a theoretically grounded intervention, but also highlights a number of wider issues. These include the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist, and the benefits of multiple interventions, all of which require ongoing debate within eating disorder teams as well as within the field as a whole. A valuable asset to any eating disorder service library.'
-- British Journal of Clinical Psychology