Eating With Your Anorexic

The Maudsley Approach

        The Family-Based "Maudsley approach" to eating disorders is the informal term for a treatment approach that was developed in the 80's at the Maudsley Hospital in London. Several research clinics in the U.S. now use the approach, and a group of leading proponents has published treatment manuals for clinicians and a book for parents: Help Your Teenager Beat An Eating Disorder (The Guilford Press, 2005).

        Simply put, the approach assumes that the first priority in anorexia is regaining physical stability and health through re-feeding. With bulimia, the binging and purging cycle must be stopped. This re-feeding and healing process is led by the parents with the support of a family therapist. Emotional and other developmental issues are addressed after the patient's physical health is restored.

        In this approach, the therapist is "agnostic" on the cause of the disease and families are considered the best and most appropriate resource in supporting recovery.

        For more information on the Maudsley approach please see:

• Washington Post, February 2009.
• F.E.A.S.T. Maudsley page and list of providers
• Overview of Maudsley by Dr. Lock at Stanford.
• Chicago Magazine describing Dr. le Grange at the University of Chicago.
• New research on bulimia and FBT on MSNBC, Forbes, WebMD.
• APA article describing the Maudsley Approach.
• University of Chicago Magazine article on Maudsley.
• "One Spoonful at a Time" November 26, New York Times Magazine essay by Harriet Brown
• Recent research on outcomes with FBT Maudsley approach.
• The Maudsley Parents web site (Laura was a co-founder)
• Recommendations by the APA, AAP, NIMH, NICE.