Maudsley Anorexia Treatment for Adults (MANTRA)

MANTRA is one of the newer treatments of anorexia and has been developed by the lead clinicians and researchers of the Eating Disorders Service at the Maudsley Hospital in London. The treatment model tries to address factors that are known to maintain the anorexia in the individual. These factors are linked to frequently present underlying personality traits like being more quiet, sensitive and shy, anxious and perfectionistic; a thinking style often characterised by inflexibility and excessive attention to detail and fear of making mistakes and a tendency to avoid emotional experiences. Once the anorexia is present these traits tend to get magnified and further maintain the illness and the person tends to develop positive beliefs about how the anorexia helps them manage their life.

Together with the client the therapist will explore the strengths, resources and goals and values of the client and develop a formulation of how the above factors might maintain the anorexia in their individual situation. This formulation will then inform a treatment plan, which includes behavioural experiments to change some of these patterns and to develop new skills. These new behaviours will be linked with changes of eating behaviour.

The treatment has been designed so that people who study or work can still do it alongside their daily activities. The approach is very collaborative and motivational and includes monitoring of risk, addresses nutrition and also involves families and close others should that be considered helpful.