Concurrent Psychotherapy and Twelve-Step Recovery for Compulsive Overeating: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the situation when an individual is in psychotherapy and twelve-step recovery for compulsive overeating at the same time. Although both are common approaches, controversy exists concerning the relationship between compulsive overeating and addiction, the optimal treatment approaches for compulsive overeating, and the widespread use of twelve-step recovery by consumers and clinicians. This work describes issues related to the integration of psychotherapy and twelve-step programs in the treatment of compulsive overeating and establishes recommendations for psychotherapists who are treating compulsive overeaters who are making or may make use of twelve-step programs. This study utilizes interpretative phenomenological analysis, informed by conceptualizations from Jungian psychology, to analyze the interviews of eight participants in order to generate phenomenological description of the nature and elements of change when these two approaches are concurrent, and the ways in which the two approaches interact, making use of the participants’ understandings of their own experiences to inform clinical practice.