The Maudsley model of family-based treatment for anorexia nervosa, first developed in the mid-1980s, has been the subject of a number of randomized controlled trials over the past 20 years, each demonstrating its efficacy. In the past 5 years, the model has developed into two streams with the emergence of a multiple family therapy format in the United Kingdom and Europe and the consolidation of single family practice in the United States, including the publication of a treatment manual. While the benefits of multiple family therapy have not yet been experimentally demonstrated, its potential lies in the solidarity that can be promoted between families in their fight against the anorexia. In this paper, we will argue that the standard manualized version of the Maudsley model might also be augmented to incorporate strategies that introduce a role for a wider community, specifically by employing practices derived from a model of generic family therapy called narrative therapy.

The Adolescent and Family Unit at Redbank House carried out a trial of Bowen's Family of Origin Coaching that has prompted us to comment on the usefulness of this approach as a component of clinical supervision. This article will describe how this trial came about, the process adaptations required to make it possible and how some of the ethical dilemmas raised by this approach were addressed. Personal reflections from the team members will be shared, and our observations in terms of impact of this form of supervision on clinical functioning, team cohesion and service provision will then be discussed. In essence, we aim to provide an anecdotal account of our experience and ask the question, 'Is supervision that focuses on the therapist's individual functioning as a product of their intergenerational patterns a valid use of resources in a clinical setting?'

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