SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 VOLUME 20, NO. 5
Body Image and Food Challenges in the Black Community
Black Families and Body Image: The Need for a Holistic Approach
Issues surrounding body images among Black people must be understood within the broader historical and familial experiences in which they exist. Too often, clinicians focus on treating Black people who struggle with body image without understanding the unique experiences of Black families.
Charlece Bishop, MS
Demons Under the Dinner Table: The Impact of Diet Culture and Weight Stigma on the Black Community
Weight stigma and fatphobia contribute to the development of disordered eating patterns, eating disorders, and body dissatisfaction. Weight stigma stems from diet culture and diet culture contributes to the development of poor body image, disordered eating habits, and has been shown to take a toll on mental health.
Alyssa Davis, MS
Food is a necessity and much more, woven into cultural values, connections, and comfort.
Cultural Considerations in the Treatment of Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are prevalent among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), yet predominately associated with images of White, young, thin, affluent women. This myth is influenced by who gets a diagnosis, participates in clinical research, and receives care in treatment settings.
Ashley Acle, MFT
Destructive Consequences of Lack
No one consciously sets out to create an emotional life built around food and destructive eating patterns, but growing up in lack results in destructive consequences and impacts lives for generations.
Sabrina C. Richardson, MMFT
A Message from the President
Profession and Practice
In the AAMFT Governance Policies (December 2019)—and on the AAMFT website—there is a Core Purpose statement of AAMFT that reads, “Recognizing that relationships are fundamental to the health and well-being of individuals, couples, families, and communities, AAMFT exists to advance the profession and the practice of marriage and family therapy.”
Shelley A. Hanson, MA