Imagery Rescripting and Eating Disorders

Imagery rescripting is a treatment adjunct that seeks to reconstruct or update a negative memory or mental image to reduce the current negative emotional impact of that memory. Research suggests that imagery rescripting can be helpful in reducing adverse symptoms across a variety of psychiatric disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder. Research on the use of imagery rescripting in treating disordered eating has started to emerge. This chapter summarizes the current literature related to the efficacy of using imagery rescripting for individuals with disordered eating. The rationale of, and protocol for, providing imagery rescripting for individuals with disordered eating are provided. Case studies of rescripting a body-specific memory and a general negative memory are also presented. Evidence suggests that imagery rescripting has promise in reducing disordered eating and enhancing self-compassion (a protective factor for disordered eating) among those at risk of disordered eating. More research is needed to examine the effectiveness of imagery rescripting as a treatment adjunct in a clinical setting especially for people with anorexia nervosa.