The Barret family were referred for family therapy by the individual therapist of the sixteen year old anorectic daughter, Tanya.

Tanya had been hospitalised by her doctor the previous month when her weight levels were considered life threatening.  To date the family had not been involved in her treatment but were now feeling that they could no longer remain on the sidelines when the risk levels were so high.

Hospitalisation had also intensified family reactivity, with Tanya blaming her father for allowing her freedom to be taken away, both parents feeling angry that she could allow herself to fall so low, and her nineteen year old sister questioning how Tanya could put her family through so much worry.