Work

The Use of Team Treatment Reviews in Eating Disorder‐Focused Family Therapy: Why, When and How?

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT This article explores the use of team treatment reviews in eating disorder‐focused family therapy. It examines how this approach may enhance therapeutic engagement, relational understanding and change processes, especially when progress in treatment feels stalled or ‘stuck’. Drawing on systemic, dialogical and relational theories, team treatment review sessions are conceptualised as a way of understanding and addressing dominant problem narratives, disrupted engagement and therapeutic ruptures, amplifying multiple perspectives, and softening entrenched interactional patterns commonly observed in eating disorder‐focused family therapy. The article outlines core principles for the use of team treatment reviews, including careful attention to safety, containment, power dynamics and the emotional impact of treatment both on the family and on the treating systems. Consideration is given to the use of review meetings in working with adolescents, where issues of shame, secrecy and control are often prominent. The article concludes by discussing potential risks, ethical considerations and areas for future development. Team treatment reviews are proposed as a flexible and potentially powerful addition to eating disorder‐focused family therapy when used thoughtfully and reflexively.

Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy

DOI: 10.1002/anzf.70101

Authors: Julian Baudinet, Stamatoula Voulgari, Gladys Ellis, Esther Blessitt, Stella Giatra, Mima Simic

Institutions: King's College London, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Maudsley Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,900