The Secret Language of Eating Disorders: The Revolutionary New Approach to Understanding and Curing Anorexia and Bulimia - Hardcover

Claude-Pierre, Peggy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0385408560 ISBN 13: 9780385408561

Publisher: Doubleday, 1998

Synopsis

Peggy Claude-Pierre runs an eating-disorders clinic in Canada which takes only those patients who are desperately ill and close to death. Her attitude is to refuse to accept that anyone suffering from anorexia needs to die, and her methods have had a 100% success rate in curing her patients. After bringing her two daughters back from a similar state, Peggy has treated and cured hundreds of children and adults, developing a programme based upon unconditional love and positive reinforcement which is the basis of this book. Having become convinced that eating disorders stem from a complex negative mindset, often established at birth and which causes an overwhelming sense of worthlessness, the author aims to show how this mindset can be reversed, and thus ultimately cure the eating disorder affecting the patient.

About this title

Review

Advised to prepare for the death of her two daughters from anorexia, Peggy-Claude Pierre refused to accept there was nothing more to be done for them. And so began a crusade against the ruthless illnesses of anorexia and bulimia.

Beginning with an emotional account of her experience of caring for two daughters with anorexia, Claude-Pierre offers an honest and intriguing insight into the minds of sufferers.

Surprisingly, she dismisses the notion that anorexia is primarily about weight or body image and also refuses to blame media images of wafer-thin models for the increase in the disease.

The author attributes eating disorders to "Confirmed Negativity Condition"--or basically a low self- image. The victims will often show signs of this from an early age as they strive to be the best at everything but are never satisfied with their achievements. Claude-Pierre, now a therapist running the Montreux Clinic in Canada and counselling children as young as three, challenges the idea that sufferers are selfish, but believes instead they are often sensitive individuals who are eager to please and tend to take responsibility for others.

Her psychology background is evident and many of her theories of unconditional love, respect and support follow traditional counselling methods.

The basis of her treatment is to boost the victims' self image and gradually steer them away from the path of self-destruction. Her daughters' recoveries were brought about by her stubborn refusal to accept that anorexia was incurable and this is bound to offer hope and inspiration to those in a similar position. The accounts and artwork of sufferers portrayed here could hardly fail to tug at the heartstrings and they provide greater understanding of a condition surrounded by myths. --Carole Butterworth

About the Author

Peggy Claude-Pierre opened her outpatient practice specializing in eating disorders in 1988; the Montreaux Clinic began its residential inpatient program in 1993. Millions have been introduced to Claude-Pierre's gentle yet positive approach to the treatment of anorexia and bulimia, thanks to her appearances on 20/20 (the first show on her work won a Peabody Award for excellance) and Oprah. She consults with health professionals and government representatives in North and South America, Western and Eastern Europe, as well as Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. She has been nominated for the Kiwanis World Service Medal and the Institute of Noetic Sciences Altruism Award. She is currently working with the Montreaux staff to create a teaching clinic to offer professional training to others who wish to use the Montyreaux approach. She lives and works in Victoria, Canada.

From the Hardcover edition.

Edition details

• Publisher: Doubleday
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0385408560
• ISBN 13: 9780385408561
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288