In the last 15 years, effective treatment interventions for
bulimia nervosa have been developed and validated in specialized
treatment centers. Both cognitive behavior therapy and
antidepressant medication have been established as useful
interventions for this serious mental health problem (1, 2).
Cognitive behavior therapy is an effective treatment approach
for patients with bulimia, but there are limitations to its
widespread implementation. Cognitive behavior therapy is ideally
delivered by a specially trained mental health professional with
an advanced degree (i.e., Ph.D. or M.D.), and there is a
shortage of qualified therapists to provide treatment.
Additionally, cognitive behavior therapy can be impracticable,
with a recommended course of treatment of twenty 50-minute
sessions over 4 to 5 months. To make this approach more widely
available, self-help programs based on cognitive behavior
therapy principles have been developed and published in the form
of books targeted at a lay audience. These books desc