EMDR in the Treatment of the Spectrum of Eating Disorders

Abstract This chapter describes the impact of painful life events (trauma), both large and small, on the development and entrenchment of eating disorders. This impact is personal, familial, biological, and cultural. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) treatment itself is organized according to a four-phase model of trauma treatment while emphasizing the necessity of a multimodal, inclusive approach that requires concomitant medical, nutritional, and psychotherapeutic attention. EMDR, a trauma-informed psychotherapy, is the cornerstone of the therapeutic component of treatment. Its procedural elements, as well as its effectiveness, are demonstrated through both a literature review and a case study.