Bulimia nervosa is part of a group of mental health conditions known as eating disorders. Other forms of eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder and EDNOS. Treatment for all of these disorders usually involves a therapeutic approach, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) or cognitive analytical therapy (CAT).
In recent years, a variety of approaches to the treatment of bulimia have been introduced including enhanced CBT, emotion-focused therapy and integrative cognitive-affective therapy.
What is Integrative Cognitive-Affective Therapy?
Integrative cognitive-affective therapy, commonly known as ICAT, involves a combination of approaches, hence the term "integrative." This form of therapy draws on effective areas of other therapies, such as CBT based treatments and interventions which focus strongly upon emotions.
Bulimia Treatment and Integrative Cognitive-Affective Therapy
ICAT involves several key aspects for helping those suffering from the eating disorder bulimia including: motivation enhancement interventions, exposure therapy to body image and weight issues, meal plan system of eating and strategies to identify interpersonal and self-directed behaviour. The latter intervention is crucial to helping eating disorder patients to cease avoiding underlying painful or negative feelings which serve to keep the eating disorder cycle going round.
ICAT Treatment Phases and Bulimia Recovery
ICAT is recognised as a short-term form of psychotherapy intervention for patients affected by bulimia which typically involves the sufferer attending 20 individual weekly therapy sessions. There are four phases of treatment included in ICAT. Phase one includes the first two therapy sessions and is used to introduce the approach and focuses on explaining the significance of both emotional responding and enhancement of motivation.
During therapy sessions three to eight, phase two is specifically aimed at supporting the patient in restoring healthy nutrition with emphasis placed on using a meal plan and various coping strategies. Phase three (sessions nine to 18) primarily focuses on how emotions impact upon one's behaviour while phase four (sessions nineteen to twenty) covers the essential area of relapse prevention and skills required for maintaining healthy recovery.
Core Skills in ICAT Bulimia Treatment
In addition to the four phases of ICAT treatment for bulimia, there are also five core skills introduced as a core element of effective therapy. These core skills include the following: ability to identify different emotions, arranging regular intake through meal planning, assertiveness, self-regulation and impulse control.
As ICAT treatment is still in its early stages, there is clearly limited research available into its effectiveness for bulimia. However, signs do indicate that this represents a promising approach for helping eating disorder sufferers both achieve and maintain physical and psychological recovery.
Source:
Grilo, C. & Mitchell, J. (2010) The Treatment of Eating Disorders New York: Guilford Press
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
Join the Conversation