Eating Disorders, Trauma, and Childhood Wounds

Abstract

Eating disorders have traditionally been addressed using symptom-centered behavioral models, often overlooking the deeper psychological structures involved in their origin and maintenance. This article proposes a clinical perspective grounded in the structural model of trauma and dissociation, which conceptualizes eating disorders as manifestations of an internal world shaped by unintegrated traumatic experiences and early attachment disruptions. It examines the protective function of symptoms, the role of the body as a somatic archive of traumatic memory, and the dynamics of non-integrated self-states and dissociative parts. Drawing upon clinical case analysis and theoretical evidence, the article argues that effective intervention must include work with the internal system, validation of each part involved, and the establishment of a secure therapeutic alliance. It concludes that only trauma-informed psychotherapy oriented toward structural integration can support profound and sustained recovery in individuals with eating disorders.