Reviewed by Dr Matt Shepherd (Ngati Tama).

In our dominant discourses, anorexia and bulimia are identified with those persons suffering from their effects. Thus a person is anorexic or bulimic. By contrast, narrative therapists conceive of anorexia and bulimia as separate from the person. Consequently the problem, and the person's relationship with it, rather than the person themselves, can be recognised as “the problem”. Anorexia and bulimia may then be regarded as having “voices” of their own, which act as discursive parasites that draw a deal of their sustenance from the dominant discourses in society that are subscribed to by those they attack. Once the problem is divorced from the person, then those attacked by these parasites can, through therapeutic conversations, be helped to find alternative discourse resources that assist them in gaining power to resist these parasitic voices. (Narrative Therapy, Anorexia, Bulimia, Counter-Narratives, Discourse Resources)

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Childhood stealing is a distressing problem for families and may have wider community costs since childhood stealers oflen become adult criminals. This paper describes a therapeutic 'map' that emphasises direct engagement of the child, along with his/her family, in regrading the child from 'stealer' to 'honest person ', Analysis of therapy with 45 children revealed a high level offamily engagement and initial behaviour change. Furthermore, a follow-up telephone call made 6-/2 months after completion of therapy sessions revealed that 8/ % oj the children had not been stealing at all or had substantially reduced rates of stealing.