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Psychodynamic Perspectives on Eating Disorders

by Robert C. Lane and Matthew D. Tolman

348 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #07-1553; ISBN 1-4251-3872-1; US$40.00, C$46.00, EUR31.19, £20.67

This book offers valuable insight from a psychodynamic perspective into the complex etiology of eating disorders and a broad understanding of the underlying conflicts, symptom functions, and implications to treatment.

About the Book

Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate among mental illnesses and are some of the most difficult disorders to treat. Perhaps some of the difficulty in treating eating disorders is the result of a lack of understanding of the complex issues that contribute to the development and maintenance of the pathological symptoms and behavior. This book offers a comprehensive look at eating disorders from a psychodynamic perspective. There are three chapters dedicated to Bulimia, five chapters dedicated to Anorexia, and several chapters devoted to related issues and case presentations. The etiology, dynamics, and symptomology of eating disorders are considered in the context of faulty ego-functioning, separation-individuation issues, disturbed object relations, and underlying anger that results from traumatic early experiences and traumatic relationships with parental figures. The close relationship between eating disorders and self-mutilation is explored in detail. As the mothers of anorexics have been described as controlling and rejecting while the fathers have been described as absent and emotionally unavailable, their role in the development of anorexia is also discussed. Three final chapters contain case discussions that illustrate the typical patient presentation, transference and countertransference barriers, and the themes that arise in the lives of the patient and in treatment. The book ends with a summary from the editors and commentary on the pertinent issues related to treatment.

About the Author

Dr. Lane has been chief psychologist, coordinator of training, dean, and director of psychology at a number of New York psychological organizations, and consultant to a number of hospitals. He spent 4 years in military service in WWII as a psychologist and 6 years in the VA, and 5 years as Chief Psychologist of the Psychiatric Section of the Psychology Department at Kingsbridge (Bronx) VAH.

Dr. Lane has been an APA member since 1944 and was the first graduate of the Psychoanalytic Training Institute of the New York Freudian Society (1963), President of the Society for Psychoanalytic Training (1975-78,1980-82), Director of the Long Island Division of the New York Center for Psychoanalytic Training (1972-92), Treasurer of the New York Freudian Society, and a founding father of the Adelphi University Postdoctorate Psychoanalytic Program. Additionally, Dr. Lane was President of the Nassau County Psychological Association, President of the Clinical Division of NYSPA, served on the APA Council, and was recognized as a Distinguished Psychologist in 1984 by the National Academy of Practice.

Dr. Lane has published 3 books, has well over 100 publications and serves on the Editorial Board of 6 journals. He has received the Distinguished Writer Award from the Society for Psychoanalytic Training and the New York Center for Psychoanalytic Training for "Outstanding Publications Relevant to Psychoanalytic Theory and/or Practice."

Presently he lives in Ft. Lauderdale and works at Nova Southeastern University where he is Psychoanalytic Scholar in Residence, Program Director of the Intensive Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Center, and Coordinator of the Psychodynamic Concentration.

About the Editor

Matthew Tolman attended the University of Rochester, where he was inducted into the Psi Chi Honor Society. He graduated in 1998 with a bachelor's degree, majoring in psychology and minoring in the Spanish language. After college, Matt worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings serving a wide range of patients including individuals with severe mental illness, substance abuse problems, and eating disorders. Matt also volunteered and worked as a research assistant at Children's Hospital in Boston.

Matthew came to Nova Southeastern University in 2003, earned his M.S. in 2005, and is currently entering the final year of the doctoral program in clinical psychology. He participated in the Psychodynamic Concentration and has worked closely with Dr. Lane for several years. The final version of Matthew's directed study entitled, "The Role of the Mother on the Development of Restricting Anorexia," is included in this book. As part of his clinical training, Matthew spent a year providing individual and group therapy to incarcerated juvenile sex offenders. He also worked at the Intensive Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Center (IPPC) at Nova Southeastern University, providing long term psychodynamic psychotherapy to adult outpatients. In 2007, Matthew was awarded the Max Hutt scholarship, which is given to the outstanding student in the Psychodynamic Concentration. He belongs to the APA, Division 39, and is a board member of the Southeast Florida Association of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy (SEFAPP). In August, Matthew will begin his predoctoral internship at the Institute for Child and Family Health Inc. in Miami, Florida.