Weighing The Facts

What is Art Therapy?
Wikipidia

In part, art therapy, according to the American Art Therapy Association, "is based on the belief that the creative process of art is both healing and life-enhancing. Art therapists use the creative process and the issues that come up during art therapy to help their clients increase insight and judgment, cope better with stress, work through traumatic experiences, increase cognitive abilities, have better relationships with family and friends, and to just be able to enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of the creative experience. The term art therapist is reserved for those that are professionals trained in both art and therapy and hold a master's degree in art therapy or a related field. offered in BS and BA degrees."
Typically included in the Art Therapy assessments are a series of instructed tasks which are later analyzed to gain further insight about the artist.

Types of Art Therapy Include:

Drawing
Creating mosaics
Painting
Clay making
Sculpting"

Benefits Of Art Therapy

"The benefits of art therapy in aiding psychological trauma treatment are many. Art therapy helps reconcile emotional or life conflicts, release deeply repressed emotions and process through traumatic experiences, mental issues, anxiety, depression, and stress. The therapy can also enhance cognitive abilities, increase self-esteem, promote reality oreientation, and foster self-awareness."

THIN art therapy session by: april 1819

Another example of art therapy and eating disorders: Art Therapy: ED Sucks by banaphone2006

*Has art therapy helped you better understand your eating disorder? Has it helped with your recovery? Please feel free to leave a comment and share your experience with art therapy.

sources:
http://www.art-therapy.us/art_therapy.htm
youtube.com
wikipedia.com
http://www.casapalmera.com/articles/art-therapy/
picture source: MrsMenopausal

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is dedicated to supporting and helping those affected with eating disorders and their families. It's a non profit organization "formed in 2001, when Eating Disorders Awareness & Prevention (EDAP) joined forces with the American Anorexia Bulimia Association (AABA) – merging the largest and longest standing eating disorders prevention and advocacy organizations in the world. The merger was the most recent in a series of alliances that has also included the National Eating Disorder Organization (NEDO) and the Anorexia Nervosa & Related Disorders (ANRED)."

"We campaign for prevention, improved access to quality treatment, and increased research funding to better understand and treat eating disorders. We work with partners and volunteers to develop programs and tools to help everyone who seeks assistance."

"In 1999, NEDA established a toll-free helpline and has assisted more than 50,000 people find appropriate treatment. Tallying more than 50 million web hits each year, NEDA is proud to serve as a clearinghouse of information on eating disorders."
Our mission:
"NEDA supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care."
Our vision:
"NEDA envisions a world without eating disorders."

Use the links below to access NEDA's tool kits:
NEDA Parent Toolkit
NEDA Educator Toolkit

Sources: http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
picture source: MrsMenopausal

ED & Body Image Tools