Pastoral counselling of youth with eating disorders as a result of sexual abuse

Abstract

Living in a world where there is a cost attached to everything, it is without a shadow of a doubt true that exposure to traumatic events such as sexual abuse also comes at a cost. Those who have been victims of such abuse often find themselves battling a range of psychosocial and behavioural challenges that emerge because of emotional dysregulation following trauma and as an ongoing attempt to cope with painful emotional experiences. This study explores the complex relationship that exists between exposure to sexual abuse and the subsequent development of eating disorders that often arise because of such trauma. Attention is given to how these experiences influence an individual's sense of mental well-being, identity, view of sexuality and spiritual life. This is achieved by drawing a fine balance between scientific knowledge and personal narrative allowing both empirical understanding and lived experience to inform the process of healing. The study explores treatment methodologies for working with youth with eating disorders as a result of sexual abuse from a multidisciplinary background, as the complexity of the topic paves the way for multi-disciplinary collaboration. Based on these findings, the study suggests a list of pastoral guidelines and strategies which can be utilized when working with these individuals.