Helping People with Eating Disorders

Book excerpt: Most trainees and practitioners in clinical psychology, psychiatry, nursing, dietetics, and counselling will welcome this concise, comprehensive and practical guide to understanding eating disorders and to helping patients with these difficult disorders. The author is a renowned clinician and trainer in the field, with wide experience of research and treatment in anorexia, bulimia and related disorders. The chapters deal with the nature and incidence of eating disorders, and how current conceptual models can help to understand them; assessment and treatment, including unusual and complex cases, and also the organisation of services. Key features of the book include: -A clear, direct approach to understanding eating disorders and what causes them -A review of the evidence for treatment methods and their outcomes -The authors pragmatic, realistic approach to treatment which is employs evidence based methods and clinical experience, as appropriate -Guidance on difficult cases and on situations when treatment seems to go wrong Bob Palmer has provided here an accessible, up to date and practice based guide to dealing with eating disorders which will inform, guide, and help to build essential clinical confidence in, all those involved with helping patients. "An outstanding book that deserves to be widely read. It provides a comprehensive and balanced account of current knowledge about eating disorders together with clear guidelines regarding their management. This book is well-written and lucid. It is testimony to the author's extensive experience helping people with eating disorders and his considerable clinical wisdom." Christopher Fairburn, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK Paperback 0471 986 47x