Satisfy your true hunger

Eating disorders may be on the rise in Dubai, but there is help at hand in the form of a unique workshop

The UAE has been described as a body-conscious culture where women feel they need to look a certain way.

Whether this is a result of media messaging or the expectations of society can be up for debate, but it has led to increasing eating disorders, according to somatic (body-oriented) therapist Andrea Anstiss.

Issues such as bulimia and anorexia are not new, but that does not make them any less significant today than when they were first openly talked about.

"This problem is as major in the UAE as it is in the Western world. The trend is worrying, given the population difference," Anstiss says. The lack of information on this subject, she says, has hampered public awareness.

Depriving the body of food, or overwhelming it with food, can have a serious impact on our lives - be it at work, home or in relationships.

It was for these reasons that the Dubai-based therapist and her colleague, Helen Wade, an integrated therapist dealing with trauma and abuse, introduced a workshop called Conscious Eating.

The six-week workshop, which started on February 21 and runs through March, helps women transform their relationship with food.

"We feel food is not the real problem. More often than not, there is an underlying issue that should not be ignored," Wade says.

The first session is "reclaiming your gifted childhood and innocence", during which members deal with childhood traumas and understand how trying to fit into society affected them.

Not alone
Each participant shares a story on the topic and then, in pairs, they discuss the most positive and challenging aspects about themselves. "The best thing about this workshop is that the women feel they are not alone," says Anstiss.

Each session follows the same format. The women take part in a discussion and then pair up and undertake meditation/relaxation and visualisation exercises. They are also encouraged to express themselves creatively through art, dance or writing and help them open up.

Those who find themselves struggling with their weight are also encouraged to write to a journal and keep detailed notes on when they get hungry, what they eat, what they feel like eating and why they want to eat a particular type of food.

According to the therapists, eating disorders among women primarily result from eating during periods of loneliness, stress or boredom.

Taking control
This is discussed in the second session, where individuals learn what they really want to do with their lives. Other issues dealt with include questions of control and the women's relationships with their mothers.

Some women seek advice from Wade or Anstiss on issues such as arranged marriages. They feel they cannot control their lives and the only thing they can is how and what they eat.

"Some of the participants have been able to turn things around and have a positive relationship," Anstiss says.

"That is important, because that is the only way they can be happy with their natural weight and avoid experiencing the hurt that comes with eating disorders."