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- Internal Family Systems Therapy
- Dance/Movement Therapy
- Art Therapy
- Psychodrama
II Experiential Introduction to Dance/Movement Therapy
- Movement Warm-Up
- In this experiential participants will be invited to connect with a part of Self or a quality of Self-leadership. Parts to be explored include the Eating Disorder / Firefighter part and Exiles. Qualities of Self-leadership may include compassion, creativity, curiosity, and confidence. Also, some participants may choose to step into a part of a client that they wish to further understand.
III Experiential Introduction to Art Therapy
- Mask making
- In this experiential participants will be invited to create a mask representing the part of Self or quality of Self-leadership that they will explore throughout the workshop. A wide array of art materials will be provided for the mask-making process.
IV Experiential Introduction to Psychodrama
- Unblending: Participants who chose to connect with an Eating Disorder part of Self or an Eating Disorder part of a client’s Self will have opportunities to embody their masks within psychodramatic techniques. Two specific psychodramatic techniques will provide avenues for differentiating the Eating Disorder part of Self from Self and understanding the intention of the Eating Disorder part of Self.
- Interviews with Eating Disorder Part of Self
- Five / Ten / Fifteen Years: Exploring Life With and Without the Eating Disorder Part of Self
- Witnessing: Participants who chose to connect with an Exile part of Self or an Exile part of a client’s Self will be invited to embody their masks within psychodramatic techniques to deepen their understanding of the Exile part of Self. Two specific psychodramatic techniques will provide avenues for exploration of the emotional content held by the part and why the Eating Disorder part of Self developed to protect the Exile part of Self.
- Sculptures of Internal Family System
- Dialoguing with the Exile Part of Self
- Resourcing: Participants who chose to connect with a quality of Self-leadership will have opportunities to embody their masks within psychodramatic techniques to enhance Self-energy.
V Discussion / Question & Answer
There are several areas of clinical focus at the interface of the IFS model and the Expressive Therapies. The modalities are both compatible and complementary, in that they involve the use of imagery, a focus on the connection to the body, and allow for the natural elicitation of creativity, a quality of Self. These factors are particularly significant in the eating disorder population, as these clients often carry emotions for which words are not available or sufficient, and present with a strong disconnection between mind and body.
The use of mindfulness elicited in the IFS model and the Expressive Therapies promotes attunement within the Self. The kinesthetic nature of the IFS model, particularly brought to life through the Expressive Therapies, offers avenues for re-establishing a connection between the mind and the body, and its inherent parts of Self.
Through the experiential process, participants will develop greater awareness of the IFS model and the Expressive Therapies. Also, participants will develop greater comfort implementing art, dance/movement, music, and psychodramatic techniques in their individual and group practice. This presentation will provide participants a framework for applying these techniques to the eating disorder population at all stages of the recovery process.
Stephanie Whitney earned her Master of Arts Degree in Art Therapy Counseling from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Registered Art Therapist – Board Certified. Stephanie is trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Stephanie has worked extensively with adults and adolescents with a variety of clinical issues, including eating disorders, body image, and trauma. Her theoretical approach combines object-relations theory and expressive therapy. Stephanie is a member of the American Art Therapy Association and serves on the board of the Missouri Art Therapy Association.
Caroline Leibman LMHC, BC-DMT, NCC earned an MA in Education from Washington University. She completed her Graduate work in Dance/Movement Therapy and a Professional Diploma in Dance and Movement Studies at the Laban Centre, London, England. Caroline is an Adjunct Faculty member of the Performing Arts Department at Washington University teaching in the Somatics Program. She is a member of the American Dance Therapy Association, and the National Board of Certified Counselors. Caroline utilizes a blend of body-oriented therapies, authentic movement, expressive therapies, Internal Family Systems Therapy, and Jungian thought in her approach toward healing and wellness.
