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Metaphor in motion: using dance/movement therapy with women living with eating disorders
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Metaphor in motion: using dance/movement therapy with women living with eating disorders

Elizabeth Shemory
Master of Arts (M.A.), Drexel University
May 2019
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/p3f6-ra08
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Abstract

Dance therapy Movement therapy Metaphor--Therapeutic use Eating Disorders
The purpose of this project was to develop a method to engage women living with eating disorders in an exploration of metaphor through movement in order to deepen their capacity for working with abstract metaphor while using it to explore therapeutic themes. Relevant literature and research are reviewed in order to provide a strong theoretical rationale for the method. The literature review includes a selection of articles addressing eating disorders, the use of metaphor in therapy, metaphor in the context of eating disorder treatment, metaphors used by women living with eating disorders, concretized metaphor and eating disorders, dance/movement therapy approaches for eating disorders, dance/movement therapy and metaphor, Space, Weight, and Time Factors, and metaphor and body memory. The method, Metaphor in Motion, is intended to provide a framework for engaging patients in a movement exploration of three therapeutic themes: the self, the function of the eating disorder, and the recovery/change process. Metaphor in Motion utilizes Space, Weight, and Time Effort factors to encourage exploration of movement metaphors in a group setting. Additionally, I discuss the sources of method development, how the method fit into the site's existing treatment model, my own reflections on the development process, and my insights about myself as the person of the therapist.

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