In today’s article, we will discuss how to address complex issues like Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (APA, 2014) using the Single Session Therapy (SST) method.
Single Session Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Working on the problem by working on the resources: doing less to achieve more in Single-Session Therapy
Objective of this article is to explore how, in Single Session Therapy, each meeting is used from the very beginning to work on the person’s resources. From this perspective, the session is not so much aimed at understanding the causes of the problem as it is at enabling the person to become immediately more capable of dealing with it. In this sense, “doing less to achieve more” means intervening precisely in the present in order to produce concrete effects within each encounter.
Single Session Therapy for Eating Disorders
The goal of today’s article is to provide an overview of Eating Disorders, describing their characteristics, diagnostic classification according to the DSM-5, and how to intervene through Single Session Therapy.
What are Eating Disorders?
When we talk about Eating Disorders, we are referring to alterations in a person’s eating habits. These alterations, which often begin during adolescence, manifest as difficulties in maintaining a balanced relationship with food, leading to dysfunctional behaviors that affect the person’s well-being and various life domains.
Diagnostic Classification according to the DSM-5
The DSM-5 describes eight diagnostic categories used to classify Eating Disorders: Pica; Rumination Disorder; Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder; Anorexia Nervosa; Bulimia Nervosa; Binge Eating Disorder; Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder; Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorder.
Among these, the most common are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder.
What are their characteristics?
Anorexia Nervosa involves food intake restrictions, sometimes accompanied by purging behaviors. Consequently, the person shows a decrease in body weight, a preoccupation with and fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, and a distorted body image. Bulimia Nervosa, on the other hand, is characterized by recurring episodes of binge eating followed by inappropriate compensatory behaviors such as purging. Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by recurring episodes of binge eating without compensatory behaviors. Unlike the first two disorders, the person shows less concern about weight and body image (American Psychiatric Association, 2014).
How to intervene?
In a Single Session Therapy intervention, the professional focuses on defining the problem in operational terms to allow the person to restructure their perception of the issue, providing them with a new lens to see what is happening.
The next step is to define the goal, which must be determined together with the person.
The intervention will also focus on exploring the individual’s resources and exceptions to the problem, i.e., situations in which the person managed to address the issue differently (for example, managing to avoid purging after a binge).
Finally, dysfunctional behaviors, or “Tried Solutions,” that the person has implemented in an attempt to solve the problem but have made it worse, are identified.
What are the typical dysfunctional Tried Solutions for Eating Disorders?
Typical dysfunctional solutions adopted by individuals with eating problems include: forbidding themselves from consuming caloric foods, following long-term diets, binge eating, consuming more than what is needed, and engaging in compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, etc. (CannistrĂ F. & Piccirilli F, 2018).
Why request a quick therapy?
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, requests for treatment for Eating Disorders have increased considerably, and with them, waiting lists and wait times have quadrupled. In this context, the use of a therapy that involves only one session has been very positive.
Has Single Session Therapy been proven effective for Eating Disorders?
The results of a study by Schleider et al. (2023) highlighted a reduction in symptoms and decreased impairment in individuals with Eating Disorders treated with Single Session Therapy, although additional studies are needed to further investigate whether this therapeutic approach can lead to a reduction in drop-out rates and symptomatology. Furthermore, Schleider and colleagues suggested that combining Single Session Therapy with more traditional treatments may increase the intervention’s effectiveness (Linardon J. & Fuller-Tyszkiewicz M., 2023). They presented evidence from 60 clinical studies supporting the effectiveness of Single Session Therapy interventions for various mental health issues. However, further research is needed as studies on interventions for Eating Disorders are currently limited (Wade T., 2023).
Conclusion Eating Disorders are an increasingly widespread issue, and the demand for intervention is growing. This suggests the need to reduce waiting times. This could be addressed through the use of Single Session Therapy, whose effectiveness has been demonstrated through various studies and research, though further investigation is needed.
Sara Schippa Psychologist in training at the
Italian Center for Single Session Therapy
Bibliography
American Psychiatric Association (2014). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. DSM-5. Raffaello Cortina.
CannistrĂ F. & Piccirilli F (2018). Single Session Therapy: Principles and Practices. Giunti Editore.
Wade T. (2023). Developing the “single-session mindset” in eating disorder research: Commentary on Schleider et al., 2023 “Realizing the untapped promise of single-session interventions for eating disorders.” International Journal of Eating Disorders. 56:864–866.
Linardon J. & Fuller-Tyszkiewicz M. (2023). The promise of single session interventions for eating disorders: Lessons to be learned from research on digital mental health. Commentary on Schleider et al. (2023). International Journal of Eating Disorders. 56:867–870.
Single-Session Therapy in the Context of Forensic Psychology
In today’s article, we will exploratorily examine the possible application of the single-session mindset within the legal field.
Addressing performance anxiety with Single Session Therapy
In this article, we will explore how performance anxiety, a specific form of anxiety, can have a significant impact on a person’s life and how an approach based on Single Session Brief Therapy can provide effective help.
What is performance anxiety?
Performance anxiety is an intense and often debilitating concern that arises when a person is faced with a specific task that involves being evaluated on their abilities.
Those suffering from performance anxiety may fear judgment, not meeting expectations, or the possibility of failure. All of this can lead to excessive pressure, which in turn can interfere with the ability to perform the task to the best of one’s ability, creating a vicious cycle where the fear of failure actually leads to worse performance.
When Asking for Help Becomes Possible: The Role of Single-Session Therapy in Reducing Stigma
Today’s article was created with the aim of addressing the issue of accessibility to psychological support.
Burnout and Single Session Therapy
In today’s article, we will define how Single Session Therapy can be an important resource in the business world, especially if used as a strategy to prevent issues related to stress – specifically work-related stress, also known as burnout.
Increasingly, in the workplace, we are witnessing situations where people are overwhelmed by the high work stress generated by increasing responsibilities and workloads, causing them to leave their jobs, sometimes even without a ready alternative. This phenomenon is drawing more and more attention to the well-being and health of workers.
The Treatment of Anxiety Through Single-Session Therapy
The aim of today’s article is to illustrate how Single-Session Therapy (Cannistrà & Piccirilli, 2018) can represent a valuable tool for anxiety-related difficulties.
What is meant when talking about Single Session Therapy as a resource-based or strength-based approach?
In today’s article, we will discuss the impact that people’s strengths and resources have on overcoming their problems, and how, through Single Session Therapy (SST), this aspect is used to make the intervention even more effective.
Ten Years of Single Session Therapy and a New Chapter for the Blog
The year 2026 opens with an editorial that marks an important moment in the history of the Italian Center for Single Session Therapy blog.
Ten years of consistent commitment to dissemination, training, and the sharing of scientific knowledge deserve careful reflection and, above all, represent the launch of a new phase of this project