This course will present and explore the pathology, etiology, diagnosis, assessment, theory, treatment and prevention of eating disorders (EDs), including anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. Students will be encouraged to observe their personal connection with their own bodies, eating habits, and the subject of EDs and how these affect fellow students, friends, and family members. Various therapeutic approaches to eating disorders will be presented, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family Based Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Mindful Eating, Narrative therapy and Psychodynamic approaches. We will also look at topics such as comorbid disorders, the association between trauma and EDs, stigma, at-risk populations, ethical dilemmas, the continuum (or dichotomy?) between disordered eating and EDs, group therapy for EDs, levels of treatment and unique challenges that clients with EDs present for therapists. The impact of culture and the media (including cinema) will be discussed, as well as prevention programs.
- Teacher: Rachel Bachner-Melman