Glossary

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are a category of mental disorder relating to eating habits or one’s relationship with food. Eating disorders are very common; in the U.S., around 29 million people have experienced an eating disorder at some point in their life. The prevalence of these disorders is in part due to unrealistic body standards in media causing people to have unhealthy relationships with food. Some of the most common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

Eating disorders affect everyone differently, and symptoms vary between conditions. However, similar disorders, like anorexia and bulimia nervosa, may share symptoms that could help lead to the detection of either disorder. This is important because people struggling with these conditions often feel shame and disgust towards their eating habits, which causes them to hide their behavior from others.

• Mayo Clinic

• Cleveland Health

• National Institute of Mental Health

EMDR

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a type of psychotherapy method that involves using specific eye movements to help the mind heal from traumatic experiences. It works by using side-to-side eye movements to stimulate the brain and promote healing. Experts in EMDR describe the process as the mental version of a wound closing; not a conscious decision the patient makes, but an automatic process carried out by the body. 

EMDR was first brought up as a potential therapy method in 1989. Since then, a solid amount of research has come out proving its effectiveness as a psychotherapy method. EMDR can be applied to help treat chronic mental conditions, namely PTSD. Some healthcare providers also recommend EMDR for patients with anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, and multiple eating disorders.

• EMDR

• Cleveland Clinic

• American Psychological Association

Etiology

Etiology is the study of the causes of a disease or disorder. It is important for understanding the origin and risk factors of a disease, which could lead to breakthroughs in prevention and treatment measures. The word stems from the Greek word “aitia”, which means change or origin. The term etiology can be used outside of a medical context to study the causes of various phenomena.

• National Library of Medicine

• Cambridge Dictionary

• Medical Dictionary

• National Cancer Institute

• Etymonline

Family Therapy

Family therapy is a type of talk therapy that involves multiple members of a family unit. The point of family therapy is to bring new perspectives on familial issues that would not be present in one-on-one therapy sessions. The presence of the therapist helps family members foster good communication and conflict resolution skills. Family therapy is suggested for a variety of familial issues, ranging from small disagreements to sizable, potentially relationship-ruining arguments.

Under the family therapy umbrella lies marriage/couples’ counseling. Marriage counseling consists of the couple and usually one therapist working together to resolve existing or perceived marital issues. The role of the therapist in marriage counseling is especially important to prevent excessive argumentation and make sure both partners understand each other. The point is not to facilitate arguments, but rather to host an open forum in which all parties can air their grievances in a respectful manner.

• Cleveland Clinic

• Britannica

• Berkeley Wellbeing