The Externalization of Anorexia Nervosa in Narrative Family Therapy with Adolescents

The purpose of this article is to describe and illustrate through a hypothetical case example how the narrative technique of externalization can be utilized in family therapy with an adolescent member struggling with anorexia. The authors propose this intervention in response to evidence of the effectiveness of family therapy with anorexia, of narrative family therapy with parent-child conflict, and of externalization in battling mental illness.