People with eating disorders often make desperate attempts to exert magical control over their bodies in response to the threats they experience in relationships. Mary Levens takes the reader into the realm of magical thinking and its effect on ideas about eating and the body through a sensitive exploration of the images patients create in art therapy, in which themes of cannibalism constantly recur. Drawing on anthropology, religion and literature as well as psychoanalysis, she discusses the significance of these images and their implications for treatment of patients with eating disorders.

The Magical Control of the Body will be of interest to all of those concerned with patients or clients who have troubled relationships, both with others and with their own bodies.

Related link: Free Email Alerting