Spiritual Approaches In The Treatment Of Women With Eating Disorders

"Drawing on their many years of clinical experience, the authors show how a theistic perspective of healing and change can enrich therapies currently in practice for eating disorders, including individual, group, and family therapy as well as 12-step programs. They propose an agenda for future research focusing on measures and research designs that will help investigators study the etiology of eating disorders as well as treatment outcomes as they relate to clients' public and private devotion and expressions of spirituality."--BOOK JACKET.

Widely popularized images of unobtainable and damaging feminine ideals can be a cause of profound disjunction between women and their bodies. A consequence of this dissonance is an embodied performance of these ideals with the potential development of disordered eating practices, such as anorexia nervosa. This book develops a spirituality of anorexia by suggesting that these eating disorders are physical symptoms of the general repression of feminine nature in our culture. Furthermore, it puts forward Goddess feminism as a framework for a healing therapeutic model to address anorexia and more broadly, the "slender ideal" touted by society. The book focuses on the female body in contemporary society, specifically the development of anorexia nervosa, and what this expression communicates about female embodiment. Drawing upon the work of a variety of theorists, social commentators, liberation theologians and thealogians, it discusses the benefits of adopting female-focused myths, symbols and rituals, drawing upon the work of Marion Woodman and Naomi Goldenberg. Ultimately, it theorises a thealogical approach to anorexia aimed at displacing the damaging discourses that undermine women in the twenty-first century. Offering an alternative model of spirituality and embodiment for contemporary women, this book will be of keen interest to scholars of theology, religious studies, gender studies and psychology.

This is the first book to systematically describe the range of approaches used in music imagery and Guided Imagery and Music across the lifespan, from young children through to palliative care with older people. Covering a broad spectrum of client populations and settings, international contributors present various adaptations of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery to accommodate factors such as time restraints, context (including hospitals, schools, and the wider community), client symptomology, and the increasing use of more contemporary music. Each chapter presents a different model and includes background information on the client group, the type of approach, elements of approach (including length of the session, choice of music, verbal interventions during the music, and discussion of the experience), and theoretical orientation and intention. A nomenclature for the range of approaches is also included. This information will be a valued guide for both practitioners and students of Guided Imagery and Music and receptive methods of music therapy.

This book is the first to address what really happens behind closed doors during eating disorders treatment, as most writing has only addressed theoretical approaches and behavioral strategies. The field has long needed a book that describes the heart of the matter: the therapeutic interventions and interactions that comprise life-changing treatment for this life-threatening disorder. In response to this need, the authors have created a book that reflects the individual therapeutic skills and the collective wisdom of senior clinicians, all of whom have years of experience treating anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. Intended to be a deeply thoughtful and instructive volume, Effective Clinical Practice in the Treatment of Eating Disorders: The Heart of the Matter demonstrates the depth, complexity, and impact of the therapeutic process. In particular, the book articulates and explores essential points of information, issues, insights and unresolved questions about eating disorders treatment. Effective Clinical Practice in the Treatment of Eating Disorders describes and explicates important treatment issues and themes in a nuanced, highly contextualized and qualitative manner. The book offers a significant reference for both novice and seasoned therapists, and it includes specific information that will serve to inform and mentor future generations of eating disorders clinicians.

The first of its kind, this edited volume provides in-depth, culturally sensitive material intended for addressing the unique concerns of Black women with eating disorders in addition to comprehensive discussions and treatment guidelines for this population. The contributing authors—all of whom are Black professionals providing direct care to Black women—offer a range of perspectives to help readers understand the whole experience of their Black female clients. This includes not only discussion of their clients’ physical health but also of their emotional lives and the ways in which the stresses of racism, discrimination, trauma, and adverse childhood experiences can contribute to disordered eating. Through a wealth of diverse voices and stories, chapters boldly tackle issues such as stereotypes and acculturative stress. Clinicians of any race will gain new tools for assessing, diagnosing, and treating disordered eating in Black women and will be empowered to provide better care for their clients.

Our understanding of eating disorders has improved markedly over the past 10 years since the publication of the previous edition of this volume. Early intervention is the key, as body dissatisfaction, obsession with thinness, and restrained and binge eating can be found in those as young as ten. Exploring prevention methods and therapeutic options, the second edition of Eating Disorders in Women and Children: Prevention, Stress Management, and Treatment is updated with new research on these devastating maladies. Highlights in the second edition include: An emphasis on the physiology of eating disorders and genetic factors related to anorexia and bulimia Theories on prevention and the identification of at-risk individuals The latest information on therapeutic modalities, including cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, constructionist, and narrative approaches as well as pharmaceutical management Nutritional evaluation and treatment Specific exercise recommendations for women and children with eating disorders An accompanying CD-ROM containing a PowerPoint® presentation for each chapter With contributions from acclaimed clinicians widely known for their work with the eating disorder population, this volume recognizes the multifaceted nature of these disorders, addresses the widening demographic range of those afflicted, and delves into the issues behind their development. It provides practical recommendations for treatment from many perspectives, presenting enormous hope for people who painfully struggle with these disorders. In addition, it explores critical measures that can be taken to help the larger population understand and work to prevent eating disorders in their communities.

This book presents an overview of the latest psychological knowledge about the application of mindfulness-based interventions in the field of eating disorders. Increasingly, these interventions are used in therapeutic practice. They encourage clients to process their experience fully, as it arises, without judgement. Mindfulness-based approaches, in particular, emphasize the cultivation of moment to moment awareness of thoughts and feelings as well as bodily sensations. In so doing, eating disorders present an ideal context for the development of mindfulness. Indeed, it is in the body that the emotional and relational struggles of clients reveal themselves. The authors in this diverse volume share a belief in the utility of using mindfulness-based practices to address disordered eating. It features up to date research and theory regarding mindfulness and the full spectrum of eating disorders, from Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa to Binge Eating Disorder. In addition, it explores how professionals can utilize mindfulness in their own practices, in the context of both individual and group treatment. This book was originally published as a special issue of Eating Disorders: the Journal of Treatment and Prevention.