Multi-family Therapy of Patients Suffering from Mental Anorexia in the Center for Therapy of Eating Disorders

Overview

Compared to other therapeutic approaches, family therapy proves to be a successful treatment in eating disorders. It is also an important part of relapse prevention. The multifamily therapy program represents a comprehensive approach implemented in the complex treatment program for eating disorders. The therapy focuses on restructuring and optimizing the family structure and dynamics, especially verbal and emotional interactions and communication patterns. It is necessary to define the role and the meaning of the eating disorder for the concrete family and support the changes with the aim of full remission. The program, developed in Great Britain (1991) and Germany (1990), was in 2004 organized for the first time in Prague, in the Center for the treatment of eating disorders. With regard to the success of the first two cycles, the aim of the therapists is to make the multifamily therapy a part of the treatment program and make it accessible to a larger number of families, where one of their members suffers from an eating disorder.

Key words:
family therapy, eating disorders, system of complex therapy, mental anorexia.