E
mbodiment is described as being present and feeling “fully alive in one’s body” (Sands, 2016, p. 35) with integrated awareness of emotions, physical sensations, and experiences (Herbert & Pollatos, 2012; Piran & Teall, 2012). Individuals may cognitively identify an emotion such as anger; however, an embodied sense of anger also
includes sensory-motor information such as tensed muscles, increased temperature, and a furrowed brow (Niedenthal, 2007). In the case of a child whose presenting problem is aggression in the classroom, embodiment means mindfully expanding the child’s awareness beyond antecedent, behavior, and consequence to emotion, sensation, impulse, and self-regulation. Using embodiment and mindfulness in play therapy includes integrating activities that promote psychosomatic awareness and awareness of sensation (Kestly, 2016). In this article, the author will provide a brief literature review on embodiment, explore key issues related to eating disorders and body image, and explore a case study using the SomaPlay Therapy Somatic Change Model for eating disorders.
Embodiment and Mindfulness Practices Embodiment has proven to be helpful with body-related issues, inviting clients to connect more fully to their body’s natural wisdom and intuitiveness (Linders & Lancaster, 2013; Piran & Teall, 2012; Sands, 2016). Dan Siegal (2010) suggests including embodiment and mindfulness in the therapeutic process increases insight, sensory-motor awareness, and self-compassion. With maladaptive eating and body image issues on the rise in young children and adolescents (Herbert & Pollatos, 2012), play therapists may struggle to find appropriate interventions to meet the increasing need. However, research that indicates individuals with diagnosable eating disorders and body image issues may benefit from embodiment practices (Atkinson & Wade, 2015; Gaete & Fuchs, 2016; Herbert & Pollatos, 2012; Linders & Lancaster, 2013; Stanghellini, Castellini, Broga, Faravelli, & Ricca, 2012; Woolhouse, Knowles, & Crafti, 2012). Individuals with maladaptive eating issues may present with difficulty identifying and self-regulating emotion (Herbert, Herbert, & Pollatos, 2011). If the individual also has a history of trauma, current literature suggests that trauma stored in the body may result in dissociation, serving as a maladaptive method for creating mental and emotional distance from the trauma (Levine, 1997; Ogden, Minton, & Pain, 2006; van der Kolk, 2015). Teaching embodiment and
COMMENTS BY CLINICAL EDITOR: Author discusses mindfulness and embodiment when working with eating disorders.
mindfulness skills may help clients navigate their way back into their bodies and begin processing associated emotions and experiences. When treating individuals with maladaptive eating and body image issues, integrating embodiment and mindfulness practice into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) treatment, for example, may be considered. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has long been regarded as the gold standard treatment for addressing clinical eating issues in adults (Woolhouse et al., 2012). Research now suggests that adding mindfulness and/or embodiment practices with CBT for eating disorders improves long-term outcomes (Hepworth, 2010; Kristeller & Hallett, 1999; Woolhouse et al., 2012). However, in the case of children and adolescents, CBT may be less effective due to cognitive development and immature cognitive processing issues.
Key Issues Present with Eating Disorders and Body Image Issues
Eating disorders (EDs) range from overeating, with or without purging, to undereating. In a general sense, overeating is often considered a maladaptive coping pattern used to mask suppressed emotions and fill emotional voids. Restrictive eating may be used to gain a sense of control or mastery over self and/or environment. Regardless of type of eating disorder, a lack of emotional awareness, emotional dysregulation, and difficulty connecting to the body are consistent across all maladaptive eating patterns (Gaete & Fuchs, 2016; Hepworth, 2010; Kristeller & Hallett, 1999; Woolhouse et al., 2012). Individuals with diagnosable eating disorders and body image issues may present with a wide range of symptoms, including low self-esteem, interpersonal issues, and difficulty expressing themselves appropriately (Gaete & Fuchs, 2016; Hepworth, 2010; Kristeller & Hallett, 1999; Woolhouse et al., 2012). Most play therapists are equipped to address these common issues; however, this population
11 PLAYTHERAPY | September 2017 |
www.a4pt.org
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
