Power dynamics in the therapy of anorexia and bulimia: from constraint to resource?

Journal title TERAPIA FAMILIARE
Author/s Valeria Ugazio, Lisa Chiara Fellin
Publishing Year 2022 Issue 2022/128 Language Italian
Pages 24 P. 31-54 File size 664 KB
DOI 10.3280/TF2022-128003
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This article presents the alternating pathways, a systemic therapeutic strategy for adolescent anorexia and bulimia developed by Ugazio (2010; 2013; 2019). It is a planned therapeutic path, articulated in four phases, which alternate family formats with individual sessions with the patient. This approach is based on the family semantic polarities theory (Ugazio, 1998; 2012; 2018), according to which the semantic of power prevails in the conversation of and with these families. Through the discussion of a clinical case, we illustrate how this strategy helps to overcome the dilemmas, related to the dynamics of power, so characteristic of psychotherapies with eating disorders and also maximizes the therapeutic alliance with the family and especially with the patient.

Keywords: Eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, systemic family therapy individual, systmic therapy, therapeutic alliance.

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Valeria Ugazio, Lisa Chiara Fellin, Le dinamiche di potere nella terapia con anoressiche e bulimiche: da vincolo a risorsa? in "TERAPIA FAMILIARE" 128/2022, pp 31-54, DOI: 10.3280/TF2022-128003