A Literature Review: Addressing Body Image in Clients with Eating Disorders through Art and Somatic Interventions

Abstract

This study aimed to explore common themes related to the role of body image in eating disorders and investigate the approaches and interventions art and somatic therapists use to address body image. By analyzing the research through a literature matrix, the following themes emerged: shame, guilt, control, and disordered eating as a coping mechanism.The research reveals that individuals with eating disorders redirect psychological pain or distress from a range of external and internal stressors, including comorbid mental health conditions, discrimination, marginalization, and traumatic experiences, into the physical body. Eating disorders require treating both the psychological and physical states, one state directly affecting the other. Creative treatment options, such as art and somatic therapies, can strengthen the mind-body connection. Art and somatic interventions can increase body comfort by exploring body sensations, body boundaries, and emotions from a safe, reflective distance. Literature of therapeutic interventions shows an elevated concern for addressing the external and internal experiences that shape body identity. Art and somatic interventions can enhance embodiment and redirect the need to manage the body through disordered eating into creative forms during and after recovery.