What is Body-Image Distress

Eating disorders impact a large number of individuals worldwide. Due to a rise in media standards on weight and appearance, prevalence rates of eating disorders are at an incline. Diagnoses include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and emotional eating. Research in dance movement therapy as treatment for eating disorders suggest that dance movements' creative and physical attributes can positively affect individuals' recoveries from eating disorders as increased body-image satisfaction, self-awareness, and body awareness occurs. Dance movement therapy offers a range of intervention styles that can be tailored through individual therapy or be used to build community in group therapy. Additionally, different intervention designs tackle a myriad of components that plague eating disordered individuals such as attachment style, emotional distress response, and the mind-body connection. Dance movement therapy's treatment has a prominent focus on the therapist/patient relationship, development of physical practice and confidence, and personal reflection.