Yoga for Positive Embodiment in Eating Disorder Prevention and Treatment

Book excerpt: There is a growing body of research exploring the effectiveness of yoga as a pathway to positive embodiment for those at-risk for and struggling with eating disorders. This book provides a comprehensive look at the state of the field. This book begins with an introduction to positive embodiment, eating disorders, and yoga. It also offers insights into the personal journey of each of the editors as they share what brought them to this work. The first section of this book explores the empirical and conceptual rationale for approaching eating disorder prevention and treatment through the lens of embodiment and yoga. The next section of the text integrates the history of embodiment theory as related to yoga and eating disorders, provides the logic model for change and guidance for researchers, and offers a critical social justice perceptive of the work to date. The third section addresses the efficacy of yoga in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders including a comprehensive review and meta-analysis as well as five research studies demonstrating the various approaches to exploring the preventative and therapeutic effects of yoga for disordered eating. The final section of this book closes with a chapter on future directions and offers guidance for what is next in both practice and research. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special edition of Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment & Prevention.