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Michelle Conway

PhD research student

Counselling and Psychotherapy

Outline Biography

Michelle Conway studied at Paisley University between 1991- 1995 and gained a BA (Hons) in Applied Social Studies and a Diploma in Social Work. She then trained as a psychotherapist at the Metanoia Institute in London and qualified in 2000 with an MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy.

Michelle now works full time at the Huntercombe Edinburgh Hospital, a specialist eating disorders hospital in West Lothian. This post includes providing individual psychotherapy, group work and family work with people from 11 to 30 years of age.

Project details

The aim of this PhD project is to enhance understanding of psychotherapeutic factors that contribute to the recovery from anorexia nervosa. Anorexia is a multifaceted condition with multiple aetiological perspectives, some of which inform treatment.

To investigate the application of psychotherapeutic intervention in the treatment of anorexia, the research will involve a retrospective study with adults who have recovered from anorexia. This will enable exploration of the psychotherapeutic factors identified by sufferers of anorexia as contributing to the recovery process, both during the psychotherapy and after it has terminated.

Not only will this research contribute to understanding effectiveness factors in treatment but, by examining experiences of a range of psychotherapeutic interventions, will identify routes to psychotherapy integration, for example, technical eclecticism, theoretical integration and common factors.

This article was published on May 1, 2013