The Third Party: Healing Eating Disorders Through a Task Model of Couples Therapy

Abstract

Couples therapy is often overlooked in the treatment of eating disorders yet provides a vital role in healing and recovery. In this article we propose a four-step-task model for couples therapy when the female partner has an eating disorder. This psychodynamic model includes narrative techniques to convey pertinent personal history, attachment work, parts work, and shared communication of emotion. The article describes the composite model and details the four steps.