New, Online Course Available!—”What should I do?” Ethics in Eating Disorders Treatment
ELIZABETH SCOTT
RESOURCES
The Challenge
Combating body image and eating problems is strenuous, often frustrating work. Whatever your role in helping people make peace with their bodies, you’re working hard to mend disruptions in the natural, developmental process of positive embodiment. A disrupted relationship to the body can lead to poor self-care and overall life quality, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, self-harming behaviors (e.g., cutting, suicide), substance abuse, dieting and weight cycling, and relationship violence.
Painting by Hamaguchi Ryoko
My Commitment to Ending Eating Disorders and Other Disruptions in Embodiment
I am an educator and psychotherapist whose work focuses on the intersection of embodiment, social justice, and mindfulness. It is my lifelong mission to support people to develop a positive relationship to their bodies. I have discovered that relating to our bodies with excellent self-care and kindness creates a solid foundation for happiness and effective social change.
Iexpress my commitment to promoting positive embodiment in these five ways:
Big Hearted Embodiment Trainings for Professionals:
I teach treatment professionals my Big-Hearted Embodiment Model which offers advanced clinical skills to support clients to become free of conflicts with their bodies so they can live happier, more productive lives. This approach is built upon a core value of social justice in treatment settings. We consider the client’s social location and the impact of their social environment on their experience of their bodies. We also engage in action to address social inequality as an integral aspect of treatment. These trainings offer validated practices gathered from The Be Body Positive Model, Niva Piran’s Developmental Theory of Embodiment and research on self-compassion conducted by Kristen Neff. In addition, participants are introduced to mindfulness practices from Insight Meditation that support resilience and stability as a care-givers. This training is appropriate for beginning through advanced level professionals including: Psychologists, Social Workers, MFTs, Counselors, Registered Dietitians, Chemical Dependency Counselors, Creative Arts Therapists, Nurses and Wellness Coaches. CE hours are available for Masters level therapists.
Click here to learn about TRAINING opportunities.
Ongoing Consultation and Community for Professionals:
Join a community of treatment providers who specialize in eating and body image work and are committed to social justice as a core value in treatment. I offer individual consultation and as a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist and iaedp™ Approved Supervisor I am also able to supervise professionals who are pursuing their iaedp™ certification. Additionally, once you have fulfilled the training requirements you can join my Big-Hearted Embodiment Collaborative, receive discounted individual consultation, and participate in monthly team training and group case-consultation. Click here to learn more about consultation, public lectures and community for professionals. Click here to learn more about the Big Hearted Embodiment Collaborative.
Psychotherapy:
I have been practicing psychotherapy in the Bay Area since 1988. I currently work with adults who suffer with issues including depression, poor body image, anxiety, loss, chronic illness, eating problems and aging. I bring a wide range of skills and training to my psychotherapy relationships and am fundamentally committed to the dignity and autonomy of my clients and to supporting them to become whole in mind, body and spirit. I am also committed to non-violence as a core tenet of my work. I do not believe in using coercion to “fix” or “change” my clients. I avoid criticizing, pathologizing and judging their suffering. I encourage self-compassion and curiosity and I trust the individual’s natural tendency to change and grow. I encourage mindful self-awareness, both in the body and in relationships and I strive to resonate deeply with their experience to support their natural development. I help my clients to accept the imperfection of the human condition and to connect with others through cooperative and mutually satisfying relationships. To learn more about my psychotherapy practice please click here.
Community-Based Prevention:
As Co-Founder and Director of training for The Body Positive I train educators, students, community organizers and treatment professionals to use the vibrant, Be Body Positive model to prevent eating disorders and poor body image and to promote body positive communities. Using our model, people reclaim their health, beauty, and intuition, and learn to embrace their ancestors as they are represented in their unique bodies. People who achieve positive embodiment are:
- Capable and comfortable in their bodies
- Attuned to their bodies’ needs and have excellent self-care
- Able to expand their definition of beauty to include themselves and diverse peoples
- Skillful at cultivating self-compassion
- Passionate about their goals and life’s purpose
To learn more about The Body Positive go to thebodypositive.org.
Keynote speaker:
I offer an exciting lecture series for treatment providers to support their skills in promoting positive embodiment. Click here for a list of current lecture topics.
To learn more click here.
