A range of specific activities have been included in the program. For
example, cross-generational interviewing, in which parents are interviewed
in the role of their adolescent to enhance empathy and show validation of
the adolescent’s predicament. “Foster families,” where a young person is
paired with the parent(s) from other families, are used frequently in the program.
This allows for families to develop new narratives and draw on more
resources in managing their difficulties. In the context of families with high
levels of negative emotion, it enables the discussion of emotionally charged
topics, such as the possibility of parents helping young people to practice
some coping skills to exit binge/purge cycles. The use of this technique is
based on the hypothesis that it is easier for young people to discuss difficult
issues with an empathic, well-meaning, non-related, neutral adult than within
the emotionally charged relationship with their own parent. At the same time,
parents witness feedback from their own child and talk issues through with
another child. Together, this allows for better sharing of information and the
opening of conversations within each family.