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Overcoming Your Eating Disorder: Workbook

Overcoming Eating Disorders comes in two volumes. This page is for the Client Workbook. Click on the following link to access the accompanying Therapist Guide

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for eating disorders including bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. It is recommended by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Overcoming Eating Disorders is written by W. Stewart Agras (Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine) and Robin F. Apple (Clinical Psychologist and previously Associate Clinical Professor at Stanford University), and provides therapists with all the tools they need to deliver effective, evidence-based psychological treatment for bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. Part of the Treatments That Work™ series, it provides step-by-step instructions for teaching clients the skills to improve their eating habits and overcome their food-related difficulties.

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Notice: The 'Fillable PDF' format has been retired. For resources with form elements, both the 'Professional' and 'Client' versions are now available as fillable PDFs by default.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Binge Eating and Purging

Chapter 3: Health Effects of Binge Eating and Purging

Chapter 4: Treatments for Binge Eating and Purging

Chapter 5: Evidence for the Effectiveness of Guided Self-Help

Chapter 6: An Assessment of Your Eating Problems: Is It Time to Begin Treatment?

Chapter 7: Understanding and Applying the CBT Model

Chapter 8: Using Daily Food Records to Monitor Eating

Chapter 9: Establishing a Regular Pattern of Eating Plus Weekly Weighing

Chapter 10: Feared and Problem Foods

Chapter 11: Body-Image Concerns

Chapter 12: Handling Intense Moods and Emotions

Chapter 13: Working Through Problem Situations and Thoughts

Chapter 14: Handling Challenging People

Chapter 15: Preventing Relapse and Maintaining Change

About the Authors

Front Matter

Forms & Worksheets: Fillable PDF

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  • English (GB)
  • English (US)

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Introduction & Theoretical Background

Eating disorders are serious difficulties that can affect anyone. It is estimated that 0.3% and 0.9% of people will experience bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder respectively at some point in their lives. Symptoms of include recurrent episodes of binge eating (i.e., eating in a way that feels uncontrolled and distressing), preoccupation with one’s shape and weight, and the use of compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, laxative use, strenuous exercise, and restriction (note that use of compensatory behaviors applies only to bulimia nervosa). Overcoming Eating Disorders is a comprehensive program to assist clinicians in delivering effective CBT for bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. The program includes two books:

  • Overcoming Eating Disorders: Therapist Guide details the step-by-step cognitive behavioural treatment of bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder.
  • Overcoming Your Eating Disorder: Workbook is the companion to this therapist guide. It will help your patients to become active participants in their

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Therapist Guidance

Each Treatments That Work® title is published in two volumes:

  • Clients use the Workbooks which contain elements of psychoeducation, skills development, self-assessment quizzes, homework exercises, and record forms.
  • Therapists use the Therapist Guides which contain step-by-step instructions for teaching clients’ skills, overcoming common difficulties.

Although written for the client, the exercises in the workbook are intended to be carried out under the supervision of a mental health professional. The authors suggest that the most effective implementation of these exercises requires an understanding of the principles underlying the different procedures, and that mental health professionals should be familiar with both the Overcoming Eating Disorders: Therapist Guide as well as this client workbook. 

Therapists with an active subscription to a Psychology Tools ‘Complete’ plan are licensed to use Treatments That Work® titles, and to download and share chapters with their clients.

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References And Further Reading

  • Fairburn, C. G., Cooper, Z., & Shafran, R. (2003). Cognitive behaviour therapy for eating disorders: A “transdiagnostic” theory and treatment. Behaviour research and therapy41(5), 509-528.
  • Linardon, J., Wade, T. D., De la Piedad Garcia, X., & Brennan, L. (2017). The efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for eating disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 85, 1080-1094.
  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2017). Eating Disorders: Recognition and Treatment. NICE Guideline 69. London.
  • Yager, J., Devlin, M. J., Halmi, K. A., Herzog, D. B., Mitchell, J. E. III, Powers, P., Zerbe, K. J. (2014). Guideline watch (August 2012): Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with eating disorders. Focus, 12, 416

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