“The therapists are identifying themselves as male, choosing  this career as a second career, and they want to create spaces for other males to say, let’s talk about what’s going on with your relationship with food, your body, how you embody yourself in this world. Let’s talk about vulnerability and how fragile you feel when you see this “perfect” male body.”

Practitioner and educator Maria returns to discuss her doctoral thesis and pilot study on the embodied lived experience of male therapists working with male clients with eating disorder behaviours.

The societal, cultural and historical lenses with which we use to view and objectify men and women differ hugely along with our expectations.

Most of our knowledge and understanding around ED behaviours comes via female therapists and their female clients. 

34 % of people who experience ED disorders/behaviours are male.

Tune in and find out how Maria’s “hermeneutic and phenomenological exploration” is shedding light on previously under researched and considered ways of being in the therapy room and what exactly is going on for male therapists and male clients struggling with ED behaviours.

This is needed and important research that offers invaluable insight in support of men. 

You can also catch Maria in Season 2 Episode 13, The Homebody.  

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

• [04:46] - Maria explains origins of her research
• [11:00] - Research project through a philosophical lens
• [28:00] - Research initial findings
• [34:15] - Embodiment of male therapists with their male clients

CONNECT WITH MARIA: 

Maria’s Instagram

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know your thoughts on Instagram @lovethisfoodthing and consider leaving an honest review and rating for the show - we’d be extremely grateful. We also just opened the doors to our Creative Recovery Accelerator™ course. If you’re interested in hearing more about how you can combat your ED and addictive behaviours and stay on track with your recovery journey, start or accelerate further…. Head here to check out all of the details: lovethisfoodthing.com/accelerator