A disturbance of body image has long been recognized as a clinical feature of central importance in both, anorexia nervosa and bulimia. A distortion of body image and a misperception regarding body size and body boundaries, accompanied by decreased self esteem is characteristic for those suffering from Eating Disorders. Furthermore these disorders are often compounded by difficulties in identifying feeling states, or by an individual’s efforts to disassociate from bodily sensations and the attendant loss of body functions.
Since the earliest and most direct contact a human can make with itself as a source of experience is through the body, our body itself is a meaningful source of memory, response and learning. Images, postures and sound often condense, conserve and represent issues and past experiences of ourselves.
Body Image Therapy addresses the body directly, utilizing movement action and interaction to create a more realistic and positive body image and self perception. Through a variety of techniques participants learn to recognize and access sensations in their bodies as valuable signals and cues of emotional states. By encouraging individuals to embody and explore relevant issues and feeling states via movement, imagery, music, theater, art and play they learn to develop trust, body awareness and ultimately a more positive body image. We learn to tolerate and express our emotions in more constructive ways and consequently develop meaningful interpersonal relations.
The pleasurable spontaneity of Body Image Therapy provides a wonderful opportunity to experience our body as a source of meaningful and rich satisfaction, rather than a source of unremitting problems. Thus we are able to promote changes in our feelings, cognition, physical functioning and behavior.
