Introduction to Embodied Recovery for Eating Disorders ONLINE

Handouts and supporting resources are available to download as part of the on-demand class. In addition there are several items you will need to have on-hand to participate in the experiential exercises that are a unique and essential part of all the Embodied Recovery for Eating Disorders curricula.  Most of these are items you can easily find around your home or office.

• Something beautiful you can look at.
• 6 bites of food. We recommend pretzels, chips, apple slices.
• An object in the room that you can both see and touch.
• An object that has a texture or tactile quality that you can hold in your hand.
• Something that you can see in the room that has a visual appeal.
• Something you can press your hand against that is substantial but soft, such as a tennis ball, stuffed animal or pillow.
• Something you could press your hand against that is prickly, such as a pinecone or fork tines.
• 4-5 inflated balloons.
• 1 deflated balloon.
• 3 objects which you can hold in your hand, one of which can represent something that you want.
• A yoga strap, sturdy scarf or length of rope.
• An object which you can hold in your hands that can represent something you are fond of and feel close to.
• A piece of paper and something to write with.

The following describes the content included the on-demand course and the approximate duration of video lessons. Please note: The time needed to complete the course will vary depending on your learning style. We encourage participants to allow ample time to stop videos for engaging in experiential activities, note taking, reflection and breaks.

Chapter 1: Introductions and Principles of ERED (32 minutes)

Chapter 2: Expanding the Role of the Body in the Bio-psycho-social model (75 minutes)

• Polyvagal Theory and Eating Disorders
• The Window of Tolerance and Eating Disorders
• The Impact of Attachment Injury, Trauma and Sensory Processing Disorder on Window of Tolerance and Ventral Vagal Engagement

Chapter 3: Embodiment (56 minutes)

• Definition and indicators of Embodiment
• Building Embodiment with Mindfulness-expanding object of awareness
• Building Embodiment through Full Body-mind-expanding seat of awareness
• What interferes with Embodiment?

Experiential Activity-Ventral Vagal Self-massage for increasing regulation: (5.0 minutes)

Chapter 4: The Body Speaks: The Language of Movement (66 minutes)

• Basic Skills for Working with the Body: Observing and Tracking
• Basic Skills for Working with the Body: Making Verbal Contact
• Movement as the language of relationship-The Relational Cycle of Developmental Movement, Yield, Push, Reach, Grasp, Pull

Chapter 5: The Body Speaks: Eating as Effective Action (19.5 minutes)

• The Action Cycle and Normative Eating
• The Relational Cycle and the Action Cycle- How Attachment Supports Normative Eating
• Eating Disorders as Expressions of Barriers to Action and Attachment Injury

Chapter 6: The Body Speaks about the Insight Barrier (43 minutes)

• Exploration of the movement patterns, attachment injuries and strategies, and incomplete development tasks associated with Insight Barrier to Effective Action
• Eating disorder behaviors as expression of the Insight Barrier to Effective Action
• Body-based interventions to reduce the Insight Barrier and associated eating disorders behaviors.

Chapter 7: The Body Speaks about the Response Barrier to Effective Action (35 minutes)

•  Exploration of the movement patterns, attachment injuries and strategies, and incomplete development tasks associated with Response Barrier to Effective Action
• Eating disorder behaviors as expression of the Response Barrier to Effective Action
• Body-based interventions to reduce the Response Barrier and associated eating disorders behaviors.

Chapter 8: The Body Speaks about the Nourishment Barrier to Effective Action (32 minutes)

•  Exploration of the movement patterns, attachment injuries and strategies, and incomplete development tasks associated with Nourishment Barrier to Effective Action
• Eating disorder behaviors as expression of the Nourishment Barrier to Effective Action
• Body-based interventions to reduce the Nourishment Barrier and associated eating disorders behaviors.

Chapter 9: The Body Speaks about the Completion Barrier to Effective Action (27 minutes)

• Exploration of the movement patterns, attachment injuries and strategies, and incomplete development tasks associated with Completion Barrier to Effective Action
• Eating disorder behaviors as expression of the Completion Barrier to Effective Action
• Body-based interventions to reduce the Completion Barrier and associated eating disorders behaviors.

• Chapter 10: The Body Speaks: Defense and Trauma  (73 minutes) Definition of Trauma
• Actions of Defense and the Defense Response Cycle
•  Eating Disorders behaviors as expressions of Defensive Actions
• Body-based interventions to resource clients and increase neurological and emotional regulation
• Case Study
• Considerations for Developmental and Complex Trauma

Experiential Activity-Mindful Movement for increased regulation: (4.0 minutes)

Chapter 11: The Body Speaks: Sensory Processing (78 minutes)

• Definition of Sensory Processing Disorder
• Definition of Far Senses
• Exploration of Olfaction/Smell-development, use as a resource and how processing issues impact eating behaviors. a
• Exploration of Tactility/Touch-development, use as a resource and how processing issues impact eating behaviors.
• Exploration of Audition/Hearing-development, use as a resource and how processing issues impact eating behaviors.·
• Exploration of Gustation/Taste-development, use as a resource and how processing issues impact eating behaviors.
• Exploration of Vision/Sight-development, use as a resource and how processing issues impact eating behaviors.·
• Definition of Near Senses
• Exploration of Proprioception-development, use as a resource and how processing issues impact eating behaviors.
• Exploration of Vestibular Function-development, use as a resource and how processing issues impact eating behaviors.
• Exploration of Interoception-development, use as a resource and how processing issues impact eating behaviors.
• Body Dysmorphia and Sensory Processing Disorder pairing near and far senses
• Indicators of and Interventions for Sensory Processing Disorders

Chapter 12: Resourcing the Body and the Body as a Resource (15.5 minutes)

• Expanding the treatment team to include evidence-based interventions that increase regulation

Chapter 13: Weaving it together  (19 minutes)

• New questions for Eating Disorders assessment
• Take Aways
•  Course Evaluation

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• List the four principles of the Embodied Recovery Model.
• Describe the role of bottom-up processing in eating disorders treatment and recovery.
• Explain the physiological connection between attachment, trauma, sensory processing and digestion.
• Describe eating disorders behaviors through the lens of Polyvagal Theory and the Window of Tolerance.
• Explain the limitations to traditional approaches to mindfulness when working with body phobic clients.
• Demonstrate how to facilitate embodiment with the use of mindfulness of anatomy and sensation.
• Name and demonstrate three skills to use when making contact and working with the body.
• Describe and demonstrate the five developmental movement patterns of the Relational Cycle which support healthy attachment.
• Explain how relational developmental tasks of safety in existence, having basic needs met, autonomy, expression of will, intimacy, and belonging are reflected in and supported by the movement patterns of the Relational Cycle.
• Demonstrate one body-based interventions to increase the embodiment of the developmental movement pattern of pushing.
• Demonstrate one body-based interventions to increase the embodiment of the developmental movement pattern of reaching.
• Demonstrate one body-based interventions to increase the embodiment of the developmental movement pattern of grasping.
• Demonstrate one body-based interventions to increase the embodiment of the developmental movement pattern of pulling.
• Demonstrate one body-based interventions to increase the embodiment of the developmental movement pattern of yielding.
• Define ‘normative eating’ through the four stages of the Action Cycle.
• Explain how healthy attachment supports capacity for effective action and ‘normative eating’.
• Identify Barriers to Action which impede ‘normative eating’ and present as eating disorders behaviors.
• Explain the defense-response cycle and how trauma impacts capacity for regulation and normative eating.
• Demonstrate three interventions to increase physiological regulation in clients with co-occuring PTSD.
• Identify eating disorders behaviors which may be expressions of Sensory Processing Disorder.
• Identify therapist’s own embodiment of attachment strategies and the corresponding impact it has on therapeutic presence and effectiveness.
• Demonstrate three skills to increase therapist’s capacity to offer corrective co-regulating experiences.