Objectives

The general objective of this module is:

• To introduce the medical students to the humanistic side of managing obesity and eating disorders, aspects of communication, which involves a non-biased approach to obesity and eating disorders (stigma, language), and humanistic therapies - arts therapies

The module will:

• Propose different strategies in communicating with young people suffering from obesity and EDs to foster their motivation to adapt or accept body image, cope with anxiety, increase self-esteem, such as: role-playing and reversed role playing, exaggerating a behaviour, challenging automatic negative thoughts, promoting encouraging statements, bringing counter-arguments,
• Introduce students to communicating with patients about their weight and any related conditions comfortably and compassionately, in a nonthreatening environment,
• Present narrative therapy – (reflective writing/exploratory writing/the diary and narrative pedagogy/story-telling,
• Present Art therapies and their role,
• Make medical practitioners aware of the concepts of stigma, body shaming, helping them avoid judgmental, stigmatising approaches at the level of language and communication with patients with obesity and eating disorders.

Estimated time

• 2 lecture/seminar hours+ 9 individual study and preparation of assignments, self-evaluation (part of the practical activities can be flipped while part of the assignments, e.g.: discussion points can be used during the course)

Acquired competences

At the end of the course, the students will be able to:

• Understand body image concepts, shame, stigma and employ communication strategies and bias-free language.
• Apply different techniques and adjuvant humanistic approaches in their communication with patients suffering from obesity and EDs in order to increase the latter’s motivation and self-esteem, to cope with their body image and stress, to promote trust.
• Understand and recommend reflective writing (diary writing) and narrative therapy.
• Understand and recommend creative arts therapy for eating disorders.