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Bringing families to the table: meaningful inclusion of families/significant others in adult eating disorder programmes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2019

S. Boland ,
A. Byrne ,
C. De Jongh ,
W. Hackett  and
S. O’Neill
S. Boland*
Affiliation:
Family Therapy Team, Irish Council of Psychotherapy, Family Therapy Association of Ireland, St Canice’s Hospital, MHS, Old Dublin Road, Carlow Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Kilkenny, Ireland
A. Byrne
Affiliation:
Nursing and Midwifery Board, Family Therapy Team, Acute Day Hospital, St Canice’s Hospital, MHS, St Canice’s Complex, Old Dublin Road, Carlow Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Kilkenny, Ireland
C. De Jongh
Affiliation:
Family Therapy Association of Ireland, Irish Council of Psychotherapy, Clanwilliam Institute, 18, Clanwilliam Terrace, Grand Canal Quey, Dublin 2, Ireland
W. Hackett
Affiliation:
Nursing and Midwifery Board, Family Therapy Team, Acute Day Hospital, St Dymphna’s Hospital, MHS, Carlow Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Carlow, Ireland
S. O’Neill
Affiliation:
Family Therapy Team, Irish Council of Psychotherapy, St Dymphna’s Hospital, MHS, Carlow Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Carlow, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: S. Boland, Family Therapy Team, Irish Council of Psychotherapy, Family Therapy Association of Ireland, St Canice’s Hospital, MHS, Old Dublin Road, Carlow Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Kilkenny R95 P231, Ireland. (Email: Sean.Boland@hse.ie)
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Abstract

In Ireland, traditionally, most public Adult Mental Health Services (AMHSs) had a small cohort of service users with eating disorders (EDs) in their service. However, over the last 5 years, the National Clinical Programmes have been encouraging Mental Health Services to develop ED programmes in each catchment area. This has culminated in a model of care for EDs for children and adults. It appears that in relation to AMHSs, meaningful inclusion of families/significant other(s) in ED programmes is somewhat inconsistent. This paper will discuss the possible impact of excluding or minimising family/significant other(s)’ inclusion. It will also outline a suggested approach of including families/significant other(s) in a meaningful way in an out-patient ED programme.

Keywords

Eating disordersfamilies/significant other(s)consentsystemic family therapy

Information

Type
Perspective Piece
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 39 , Issue 1 , March 2022 , pp. 89 - 96
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2019. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

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