The Anorexia Workbook: How to Accept Yourself, Heal Your Suffering, and Reclaim Your Life (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook)

Excellent resource for treating eating disorders of nearly any type. This is an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy workbook that is focused on eating disorders, but the concepts of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are widely used to treat numerous mental health conditions.As a therapist, I've been using ACT to treat clients/patients for years. I've found it difficult to find a good workbook to recommend to people I work with. This workbook is outstanding. It is not overly wordy, and thus a reasonable length. The concepts are taught in a succinct way that impressed me. I love the way ACT is taught in this workbook. I wish the author would write additional workbooks specifically for depression and anxiety disorders.This workbook is best utilized in conjunction with professional help, but it is not absolutely necessary to be in treatment to benefit from it. I've used it with clients where they complete a set number of pages, or a chapter, and then we review their response the next visit. The surveys and questionnaires are excellent. The book really helps normalize a client's struggle with weight and body image.If I were to recommend one book for someone struggling with an eating disorder, this would be it. If you are thinking of getting help, but maybe aren't ready to make the call, start with this book. It will instill hope and teach real skills you can apply to live healthier and learn to be more accepting of yourself.

This book has honestly changed my life. I am 20 years old and I have suffered from anorexia for years. I started reading this book when I weighted 86lbs. It allowed to me to see that I wasn't alone and it taught me a whole new way of looking at my thoughts and body. It doesn't keep repeating the same old lectures that you hear from everyone else. I would recommend this book to everyone including teenagers because honestly the "Tombstone" exerise finally makes anorexia real, it makes you think about what your doing to your body.

I gave this workbook to my friend to show my support. She says it has great info in it and applies it to everyday life. So glad she can utilize this in her recovery.

Fair tools

Not really a workbook as much as a learning tool. It would be good for family and friends of those suffering from anorexia.

I am a therapist and found this book very helpful to use with my clients. It came to me exactly as was expected. I have no complaints.

Still using this and find it pretty helpful

This book is the most common sense effective treatment that I've come across in the 30 yrs that I've had an eating disorder. I still have a lot of work to do but this book offers amazing hope and sucess for overcoming Anorexia.

This is the best practical book on anorexia I have read to date. It gives an excellent insight into the psychological aspect of the condition. At the same time it offers a treatment programme based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). ACT is a "mindfulness" based approach. Mindfulness based approaches are easier for individuals with anorexia to undertake, particularly with regard to their tired and weakened disposition.

A good workbook, gets you thinking about feelings etc. It is good to do on your own, but would probably be better done in conjunction with some professional help. It is only a tool to help with your understanding of your illness, it is not going to offer you a magic cure. Definitely one of the better books available though.

If you are searching for this type of help, this is really good. You need to committ to reading it, but now I am better I can see how much it helped and always have it on stand by for any wobbly days.

Great workbook for getting to the control aspect of anorexia. Highly recommend, for people with ED or for parents/carers or professionals.

Ich habe das Buch in einer Phase gekauft, in der ich selbst einen leichten Rückfall in die Essstörung hatte. Leider hat mir das Buch nicht wirklich weiterhelfen können, denn die Ansätze und Aufgaben, die hier gestellt werden, waren mir größtenteils durch andere Bücher oder Therapieansätze bereits bekannt. Das Buch gibt außerdem keinerlei Hinweise oder Anwendungsaufgaben im Bezug auf das Essen. Wer also eine Anleitung zum "richtigen Essen" sucht, sollte die Finger von diesem Werk lassen.Zum konkreten Inhalt: Stellenweise fand ich die Ausführungen, warum man seine Gedanken vorurteilslos wahrnehmen und nicht beurteilen solle, etwas langatmig und auch nicht immer überzeugend.Der Ansatz, den das Buch vertritt, ist dass man wahrnehmen soll ohne zu urteilen und eher am eigenen Verhalten als an den Gedanken und Gefühlen ansetzen soll. Die Idee finde ich grundsätzlich nicht schlecht, bloß beißt sie sich mit der Theorie, dass Gedanken Gefühle hervorrufen oder zumindest beeinflussen. Ändere ich also nichts aktiv an meinen Gedanken, ändert sich auch meine Gefühlswelt nicht und ich muss immer wieder unter Zwang mein Verhalten verändern. Das sehe ich als große Schwachstelle an dem ACT-Ansatz.Dennoch ist das Buch v.a. für all jene, die noch keine Therapie-Erfahrung gemacht haben, durchaus wertvoll und empfehlenswert, da es erste Krankheitseinsichten vermittelt und hilft, dem Teufelskreis der Essstörung zu entfliehen.