First, it can be difficult to motiv

First, it can be difficult to motivate adolescents to engage in therapy
that also involves their parents (Perkins et al., 2005). MFT-BN’s structure is
designed to address this through having the first two sessions as separate
young peoples’ and parents’ groups. The focus of these sessions for young
people is on increased motivation both for recovery and for communication
around support and disclosure. This is done alongside psychoeducation
around factors involved in the binge/purge cycle. Intervention in the parents’
group in these first sessions addresses the second difficulty, of high
levels of negativity and criticism. Space is made for expression of difficulties
and frustrations before teaching DBT validation skills. Thus, before the
young people join together with their parents in the multi-family setting,
their parents have started to learn and practice validation so that young
people’s experience of sharing what they have learned together in their
group about the binge/purge cycle receives a response which helps to further
motivate them to involve parents in treatment. These issues are further
addressed through the systemic elements of the multi-family approach, the
use of the family as a resource, the shared experience of families allowing
them opportunities to develop new perspectives, and exploration of new
ways of addressing difficulties.