Anna Oldershaw

Transforming Emotional Pain and Rediscovering the Self in Anorexia Nervosa

This book presents the SPEAKS approach, an innovative treatment model for Anorexia Nervosa that primarily combines aspects of Emotion Focused Therapy and Schema Therapy to target struggles with emotion expressed as a “Lost Emotional Self.” An important development for eating disorder treatment models over the last decade is the recognition of difficulties with emotions. This book offers a clear rationale for why emotion is critical in the understanding of Anorexia, the blocks to emotional experiencing, as well as how this plays out in regard the development and experience of Anorexia. Structured around five core phases, the treatment framework equips clinicians with practical tools and core therapy tasks designed to help clients reconnect with their emotions. By empowering individuals to articulate their emotional needs, this guide fosters healthier relationships with food and self, ultimately reducing reliance on maladaptive behaviours associated with Anorexia. Transforming Emotional Pain and Rediscovering the Self in Anorexia Nervosa is an essential resource for helping any clinician working in the eating disorder field guide their clients toward emotional healing and self-acceptance.