Natasha Files’s research while affiliated with University of British Columbia and other places

Given the mortality, chronicity, and treatment drop-out rates observed among individuals with eating disorders (EDs), innovative approaches are needed. Ayahuasca, a psychedelic plant medicine from the Amazon, is currently being investigated. This study expands on prior exploratory research by describing the perspectives of ayahuasca ceremony leaders regarding their conceptualizations of EDs and the potential therapeutic mechanisms of action of ayahuasca for individuals with EDs. Qualitative content analysis of interviews with 15 ayahuasca ceremony leaders produced two main categories, with relevant subcategories. The first category encompassed the leaders' theories of EDs from a shamanic perspective, including that EDs are symptomatic of an underlying concern, serve a function and affect health in multiple domains. The second category described leaders' perspectives on the potential mechanisms of action of ayahuasca for EDs, including that ayahuasca facilitates "energetic healing"; helps identify, process, and integrate the "root" of the ED; promotes holistic healing; and enhances and/or reorganizes relationships. From the perspectives of ceremony leaders and consistent with previous exploratory research, ceremonial ayahuasca use may offer a potentially useful, novel and complementary intervention for EDs.

Objective: This study investigated treatment-engagement fears, self-efficacy, and accommodating and enabling in mothers and fathers of adolescent and adult children with eating disorders. Methods: This study involved a secondary analysis of pre-treatment data from a subsample of 143 parents (95 mothers; 48 fathers) from a Canada-wide multi-site study. Parents completed the Caregiver Traps Scale, Parents Versus Anorexia Scale, and the Accommodation and Enabling Scale for Eating Disorders. Data were analysed using factorial Multivariate Analysis of Variance and mediation via multiple regression. Results: Mothers reported higher levels of treatment-engagement fears than fathers. Among mothers, higher fear predicted lower self-efficacy and more accommodating and enabling behaviours. Among fathers, neither fear nor self-efficacy predicted accommodating and enabling. No differences in treatment-engagement fear or self-efficacy between parents of adolescent child and adult children were found at pre-treatment. Conclusions: Mothers' and fathers' experience different levels of fear related to their involvement in their ill-child's treatment at pre-treatment, and that fear is uniquely related to variables that impact treatment outcomes. There is a need to support parents even when their child is an adult. This study can inform family-based treatments vis-a-vis tailoring interventions for mothers and fathers and providing support to parents of children with eating disorders across the lifespan.

Eating disorders (EDs) are associated with a wide array of comorbid psychological symptoms and conditions. They can have a serious impact on quality of life, as well as contributing to high morbidity and premature mortality. EDs are also among the most challenging mental disorders to treat, and long-term outcome studies show high rates of relapse. For these reasons, new treatments must be explored. This chapter will explore the potential for ayahuasca as a healing tool for EDs via qualitative study of the experiences of participants with both a history of an ED and ceremonial ayahuasca use in various contexts. Positive outcomes will be presented through a biopsychosocial-spiritual lens, as will data from a subset of participants who also engaged in conventional ED treatment in North America. Perceived risks associated with ayahuasca-assisted therapy and recommendations for the integration of ayahuasca in a Western context will also be presented.

Purpose Ayahuasca is a traditional Amazonian medicine that is currently being researched for its potential in treating a variety of mental disorders. This article reports on exploratory qualitative research relating to participant experiences with ceremonial ayahuasca drinking and conventional treatment for eating disorders (EDs). It also explores the potential for ayahuasca as an adjunctive ED treatment. Methods Thirteen individuals previously diagnosed with an ED participated in a semi-structured interview contrasting their experiences with conventional ED treatment with experiences from ceremonial ayahuasca. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Participant reports were organized with key themes including that ayahuasca: led to rapid reductions in ED thoughts and symptoms; allowed for the healing of the perceived root of the ED; helped to process painful feelings and memories; supported the internalization of greater self-love and self-acceptance; and catalyzed spiritual elements of healing. Conclusions The results suggest that ayahuasca may have potential as a valuable therapeutic tool, and further research—including carefully controlled clinical trials—is warranted. Level of evidence Level V, qualitative descriptive study.

Eating disorders (EDs) are serious health conditions that are among the most difficult to treat. Innovative treatments are needed and modalities from across cultures must be considered. Ayahuasca is a psychoactive plant-based tea originally used by Amazonian indigenous groups. A growing body of research points to its promise in the healing of various mental health issues. This study explored the potential therapeutic value of ayahuasca in the context of EDs, including the perceived impact of the preparatory diet and the ayahuasca purge. Sixteen individuals previously diagnosed with an ED participated in a semi-structured interview relating to their experiences with ceremonial ayahuasca drinking. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Themes presented relate to the reduction or cessation of ED and mental health symptoms, shifts in body perception, and the importance of a ceremonial setting and after-care. For some, the preparatory diet resulted in familiar patterns of concern; however, none felt triggered by the purge in ayahuasca. Ceremonial ayahuasca drinking shows promise in the healing of EDs and warrants further research.

A process model was tested whereby parental fear and self-blame were targeted in order to enhance parental self-efficacy and supportive efforts in the context of emotion-focused family therapy (EFFT) for eating disorders (ED). A 2-day EFFT group intervention was delivered to parents of adolescent and adult children with ED. Data were collected from eight treatment sites (N = 124). Data were analyzed using t-tests, regression analyses and structural equation modeling. The findings supported the proposed process model. Through the processing of parents’ maladaptive fear and self-blame, parents felt more empowered to support their child’s recovery. This increase in self-efficacy led to an increase in parents’ intentions to engage in recovery-focused behaviors. This study is the first to test a method for clinicians to increase supportive efforts by targeting and enhancing caregiver self-efficacy via the processing of emotion.

Carers often feel disempowered and engage in behaviours that inadvertently enable their loved one's ED symptoms and yet little is known regarding these processes. This study examined the relationships among fear, self-blame, self-efficacy, and accommodating and enabling behaviours in 137 carers of adolescents and adults with ED. The results revealed that fear and self-blame predicted low carer self-efficacy in supporting their loved one's recovery as well as the extent to which carers reported engaging in recovery-interfering behaviours. The relevance of these findings are discussed in the context of family-oriented ED therapies and highlight the importance for clinicians to attend to and help to process strong emotions in carers, in order to improve their supportive efforts and, ultimately, ED outcomes.