EMDR in the treatment of eating disorders: A jewel in the crown?

Different opportunities for integrating EMDR in the treatment of adolescents and adults with an eating disorder will be clarified and demonstrated. A transdiagnostic approach on eating disorders was introduced by Fairburn (2003), resulting in a program of CBT-E(nhanced), which has been validated empirically and proved to be more successful than other widely used forms of treatment, both for adults as for adolescents (Byrne et al, 2011; Dalle Grave et al, 2013; Fairburn et al, 2015). Based on this transdiagnostic model Beer & Tobias (2011) published a CBT protocol for adolescents. Clinical practice has demonstrated that EMDR fits smoothly in a CBT-E program and yields good results. EMDR seems effective for the treatment of core symptoms of the disorder (like fear of eating or struggling with the urge to binge) as well as maintaining factors (like negative self-esteem, negative body-image, fear of anticipated future body image and its supposed consequences). Members of the Dutch Special Interest group in EMDR and eating disorders are experimenting with the application of EMDR for different aspects of eating disorders using different types of targets, integrating EMDR in a multisciplinairy treatment according to international guidelines. By demonstrating clinical work we will clarify how case conceptualisation can help clinicians in finding relevant targets. We will raise some research-questions, that are relevant for clinical practice. Over the years several presentations about EMDR with eating disorders have taken place in conferences of EMDR Europe, but empirical or experimental research to underpin clinical results is limited so far.

Conference

English

Renee Beer
Ankie Roedelof

Beer, R., & Roedelof, A. (2016, June). EMDR in the treatment of eating disorders: A jewel in the crown?  Presentation at the at the 17th EMDR Europe Association Conference, The Hague