Family Based Therapy
Maudsley FBT is a specific form of family therapy which is designed for the treatment of anorexia nervosa in adolescents, and is the single most effective treatment for anorexia nervosa in this age group, in terms of both symptom reduction and relapse prevention. Maudsley FBT is built around the principle that parents themselves are the best people to bring their child back to full health, given their unparalleled expertise of their child, and their dedication to their child’s wellbeing. The notion that the family is in some way to blame for the development of the anorexia is strongly opposed, and to the contrary, the family is seen as the strongest resource in bringing children back to full health.
The treatment aims to help restore the child’s weight back to normal level, hand the control over eating back to the adolescent, and subsequently encourage normal adolescent development free of anorexia nervosa. This is brought about by empowering parents to use all of their expertise and knowledge to bring their child back to full health and take full control of the anorexia nervosa for their child, whilst the therapist’s role is akin to a support system for the parents.
Treatment Components
The treatment is divided into three core phases:
Phase I:The Re-feeding phase: Given the highly dangerous nature of anorexia nervosa, the first part of treatment aims to bring about medical stability as quickly as possible, through helping the child return to their normal weight. In many instances, a child afflicted with anorexia nervosa experiences great difficulty around food choices, and food decisions and meal times typically become entangled with the anorexia nervosa, and the re-feeding phase helps parents in taking full control of all areas of the child’s life which may be influenced by the anorexia nervosa, helping to liberate their child from the restrictive shackles of this illness.
Phase II: Returning control over eating to the adolescent: The second part of treatment commences when the parents have taken full control of all of the sneaky behaviours associated with the anorexia nervosa, and their child’s weight has been restored. This phase of treatment involves encouraging the child to gradually take more control over their eating, initiating a gradual transition of control back from the parents to the adolescent, although any behavioural features of the anorexia are still central to family meetings. We encourage parents in using all of their expertise in negotiating a level of independence and control which is appropriate for their child’s age, gradually returning them to normal functioning without the presence of the illness.
Phase III: Establishing healthy adolescent identity: Phase III is initiated when the adolescent is able to maintain healthy weight on their own and self-starvation has completely ceased.Treatment focuses on the healthy development of identity, and returning the family back to their normal cycle prior to the presence of the illness. This phase adolescence includes supporting increased personal autonomy for the adolescent, the development of appropriate parental boundaries, as well as parent’s lives returning to normal.
We recognise that Family Based Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa can at times be very difficult for families. In response to this The Redleaf Practice is set to begin running support groups for families undergoing this treatment.
There are also a series of videos relating to Maudsley Family Based Therapy on our video page
The treatment aims to help restore the child’s weight back to normal level, hand the control over eating back to the adolescent, and subsequently encourage normal adolescent development free of anorexia nervosa. This is brought about by empowering parents to use all of their expertise and knowledge to bring their child back to full health and take full control of the anorexia nervosa for their child, whilst the therapist’s role is akin to a support system for the parents.
Treatment Components
The treatment is divided into three core phases:
Phase I:The Re-feeding phase: Given the highly dangerous nature of anorexia nervosa, the first part of treatment aims to bring about medical stability as quickly as possible, through helping the child return to their normal weight. In many instances, a child afflicted with anorexia nervosa experiences great difficulty around food choices, and food decisions and meal times typically become entangled with the anorexia nervosa, and the re-feeding phase helps parents in taking full control of all areas of the child’s life which may be influenced by the anorexia nervosa, helping to liberate their child from the restrictive shackles of this illness.
Phase II: Returning control over eating to the adolescent: The second part of treatment commences when the parents have taken full control of all of the sneaky behaviours associated with the anorexia nervosa, and their child’s weight has been restored. This phase of treatment involves encouraging the child to gradually take more control over their eating, initiating a gradual transition of control back from the parents to the adolescent, although any behavioural features of the anorexia are still central to family meetings. We encourage parents in using all of their expertise in negotiating a level of independence and control which is appropriate for their child’s age, gradually returning them to normal functioning without the presence of the illness.
Phase III: Establishing healthy adolescent identity: Phase III is initiated when the adolescent is able to maintain healthy weight on their own and self-starvation has completely ceased.Treatment focuses on the healthy development of identity, and returning the family back to their normal cycle prior to the presence of the illness. This phase adolescence includes supporting increased personal autonomy for the adolescent, the development of appropriate parental boundaries, as well as parent’s lives returning to normal.
We recognise that Family Based Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa can at times be very difficult for families. In response to this The Redleaf Practice is set to begin running support groups for families undergoing this treatment.
There are also a series of videos relating to Maudsley Family Based Therapy on our video page
