Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating

"As obsessed as clients with eating disorders are about their bodies, they are not really 'living in' or 'grounded in' their bodies. The body is not used as a place to live or experience, but as an object needing to be controlled" (Ressler, 2009, p.145, as cited in Kleinman, 2018). Kleinman (2018, p.115), a dance movement therapist, explains that "our bodies house feelings, sensations," yet individuals with EDs "have difficulty making their 'house' a 'home'".

Please note that the definition of eating disorders (EDs) is in line with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 and includes anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFED) (Robinson, et al., 2024).

Dance Movement Psychotherapy and Eating Disorders

EDs in Australia

Approximately 1.1 million Australians are living with an eating disorder (National Eating Disorders Collaboration, n.d.). This does not include people who experience disordered eating such as restrictive dieting and binge eating but do not meet the criteria for an eating disorder. Approximately one-third (31.6%) of Australian adolescents engage in disordered eating behaviours (Sparti, et al., 2019).

Effective Therapy

Connecting the body with the mind is the key to recovery.

Traditionally, cognitive behavioural therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy have been offered as treatment methods for people with EDs; however, the effectiveness of those interventions is limited (Syper, et al., 2023). It is vital for individuals with EDs to gain a body-mind connection to recover from distorted body images and explicit body beliefs (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Kleinman, 2018).

Individuals living with eating disorders often experience alexithymia and focus on body distortions, making it difficult for them to view their body as a home. In a DMT setting, clients are gently encouraged to observe their bodies both proprioceptively and interoceptively, fostering a connection to internal states, bodily sensations, and the environment. This approach helps individuals learn how to care for and be compassionate toward their bodies. They are invited to recognise their numb and controlled sensations and to intentionally generate movements (Kleinman, 2018).

Group Therapy for people living with EDs and distorted eating habits is offered by Mioi Forster-Nakayama and Cinzia Schincariol, an experienced dance movement therapist (reg. DMT with DTAA). Read the project proposal here.

Mioi offers individual DMP sessions for people with eating disorders or distorted eating habits in her private practice.

References

Bastoni, I., Guerrini Usubini, A., Gobetti, M., Sanna, M., Pagnoncelli, G., Uboldi, L., Villa, V., Castelnuovo, G., Sartorio, A., & Mendolicchio, L. (2024). Let the Body Talk: Preliminary Data of an Open Trial of Dance Movement Therapy for Eating Disorders. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13010005

Cook-Cottone, C. P. (2015). Incorporating positive body image into the treatment of eating disorders: A model for attunement and mindful self-care. Body Image, 14, 158–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.03.004

Kleinman, S. (2018). Discovering the Power of Movement: Dance/Movement Therapy in the Treatment of Eating Disorders and Trauma. In A. Seubert & P. Virdi, (Eds.), Trauma-informed approaches to eating disorders (pp.115-121). Springer Publishing Company, Incorporated.

National Eating Disorders Collaboration (n.d.). Eating Disorders in Australia. National Eating Disorders Collaboration. https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/eating-disorders-in-australia

Robinson, P., Wade, T., Herpertz-Dahlmann, B., Fernandez-Aranda, F., Treasure, J., and Wonderlich, S. (2024). Eating Disorders. An International Comprehensive View. Springer Nature Link.

Sparti, C., Santomauro, D., Cruwys, T., Burgess, P., & Harris, M. (2019). Disordered eating among Australian adolescents: Prevalence, functioning, and help received. The International Journal of Eating Disorders, 52(3), 246–254. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23032

Syper, A., Keitel, M., Polovsky, D. M., & Sha, W. (2023). Dance/Movement Therapy for Individuals with Eating Disorders: A Phenomenological Approach. American Journal of Dance Therapy, 45(2), 211–237. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10465-023-09379-

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