Case Report: An integrative approach to psychotherapy for the mother of a daughter with bulimia nervosa

Caregivers is a crucial factor in recovery and psychological intervention of individuals with eating disorders which are often-overlooked. This study explores the role of integrative therapy in promoting the psychological development of the mother of a daughter with bulimia nervosa, improving family structure, and facilitating the patient’s recovery. A 43-month, 54-session intervention was conducted with the mother of a woman with eating disorder using an integrative therapy approach primarily based on Bowen family systems therapy, drawing, and narrative therapy. The mother demonstrated improvements in emotional expressiveness, psychological distress, caregiving burden, and family structure, while her daughter experienced a reduction in eating disorder symptoms, improvement in the mother-daughter relationship, and restoration of social functioning, enabling the establishment of personal intimate relationships. In this context, the therapeutic value of integrative therapy deserves further attention. Meanwhile, the issue of mental health management is also reflected in this paper.