ACT as treatment of a disorder of excessive control: Anorexia Original Research Article

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a conceptually driven approach to treatment that is directed at undermining the experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion that are assumed to produce restrictive and damaging behavioral patterns. ACT has recently been applied to the treatment of a number of behavioral problems. The current paper explores how an ACT perspective might guide the treatment of disordered eating based on the presentation of an adolescent female. Particularly, methods focused on addressing the treatment-resistant nature of anorexia, working with the complex control issues related to both eating and private events, facilitating the differentiation of the patientʹs sense of self from her private events and physical being, and assisting the client in refocusing on her valued directions are described. An ACT approach to treating anorexia seems strongly indicated, and further research is needed to assess the efficacy of ACT for this difficult problem.