A Starving Madness: Tales of Hunger, Hope, and Healing in Psychotherapy (Paperback)

by Ph.D. Judith Ruskay Rabinor (Author), Judith Ruskay Rabinor (Author) "I wonder if I will ever forget that sinking feeling in my stomach when I met Nina..." (more)
Key Phrases: starving madness, phone session, Professor Johnson, Bad Voice, San Diego

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Dr. Rabinor has a flair for storytelling and offers a ray of hope for girls, women, and an increasing number of boys and men who are dying to be thinner than ever."
— Ron Taffel, PhD, Author of The Second Family

"Judy Rabinor gives us a soulful glimpse into the hearts and minds of individuals who struggle with eating disorders."
— Kathryn J. Zerbe, MD, Author of The Body Betrayed

Product Description

Stories have the power to change lives. These compelling tales of seven women and one man are a revealing look at the complexity of eating disorders, the process of psychotherapy, and the healing power of the relationship between therapist and client. Sufferers, their loved ones, and caregivers will benefit from the insights provided by this beautifully written collection.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Gurze Books; 1 edition (January 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0936077417
• ISBN-13: 978-0936077413
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #113,041 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #86 in

  Books > Health, Mind & Body > Self-Help > Eating Disorders

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Did you ever wonder what your therapist was really thinking?, December 16, 2001

By	Dr. Marion A. Bilich (Hewlett, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I must confess. Judy Rabinor is an old friend, so I can't claim to write an unbiased review. However, I can tell you that, friendship aside, I have wanted Judy to write this book for years. She is a wonderful, compassionate therapist with a gift for telling stories of healing. She is insightful and brings a humanness and humor to her work that is inspiring. I am happy to say that Judy has brought all those qualities to her book--and more. I like that the book gives the reader a private glimpse into what really happens in therapy--the hopes, the struggles, the triumphs, and even the despair. More people should be writing about what really goes on in the therapy room and what the therapist is thinking about as she sits and listens to other people's stories. Judy's deep commitment to spirituality also comes through in this book. She has woven her stories into tapestries of growth in body, mind and spirit.
So, yes, I do know Judy, but that's the very reason I can so highly recommend her book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE Book to Read for Those with Eating Disorders, and Others, January 6, 2002

By	Rebekah Alpert, NPP, CS (North Merrick, NY USA) - See all my reviews

"A Starving Madness" is a showcase of how to heal and be healed in therapy. This book is of infinite value not only for those who struggle with eating disorders, and those therapists who treat them, but for anyone, professional or lay person, who wants to truly understand the collaborative process of doing psychotherapy. In her extraordinary book, Dr. Rabinor sensitively and intelligently shares with the reader the journeys she has taken with her patients in their quest for healing. Dr. Rabinor emerges as an extremely gifted and courageous therapist and human being.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "A Starving Madness" is a Nurturing and Inspirational Read, January 6, 2002

By	Rebekah Alpert, NPP, CS (North Merrick, NY USA) - See all my reviews

Dr. Judith Rabinor has accomplished something extremely rare in the psychotherapy literature: she has written a book that reaches deep into the reader's intellectual and emotional being in a powerfully nurturing and hope-inspiring way. I believe this statement is equally true whether the reader is a fellow professional or an eating-disordered person or any other human being whose psychic pain has remained unrecognized and unacknowledged. In 8 chapters, each telling a fascinating and engaging story of Dr. Rabinor's very real and human work with a very real and human patient, the process of therapy is captured beautifully and sensitively, as a collaborative process suffused with the humanity of both participants. As she expresses herself in her writing, Dr. Rabinor clearly emerges as an extremely talented psychotherapist, but she also shares herself in very personal ways: her self-doubts, her fears, her concerns, and her genuine caring for the people with whom she works; and it is clear that all of these aspects of who she is contribute to the quality of the therapeutic engagement and the transformative value of her work with her patients. This book was inspirational for me in that it conveys the hope of the healing that good psychotherapy can offer. As a psychotherapist, I know that my work with my patients can offer the same hope, and I am confident that my sharing this book with my patients can serve as a very useful adjunct to the very personal exploration that each therapy relationship entails.