Dance/Movement Therapy and Eating Disorders
Channel: American Dance Therapy Association
Date: 2015-02-23

"It is not uncommon to hear someone with an eating disorder describe her relationship with her body as that of one with a stranger or even an enemy... Dance/movement therapy can help someone with an eating disorder reclaim their connection with the experience of  living in their body."  ~ Susan Kleinman, MA, BC-DMT, NCC, CEDS

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Susan Kleinman is a board certified dance/movement therapist, National Certified Counselor and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist. She is a trustee of the Marian Chace Foundation, Past President of the American Dance Therapy Association, and a past Chair of The National Coalition for Creative Arts Therapies. As a pioneer in the field of dance/movement therapy, she was the first dance/movement therapist in Western Pennsylvania as well as in the State of Florida. She has worked extensively with varied special populations including mentally ill adults, adolescents, children, and the elderly . For the past 24 years, she has worked exclusively as dance/movement therapist at The Renfrew Center of Florida. In 2014 she was also appointed a supervisor of the creative arts therapies for The Renfrew Center.

Ms. Kleinman has published extensively on the subject of dance/movement therapy in the treatment of eating disorders, was co-editor of The Renfrew Center Foundation’s "Healing through Relationship" series and co-author of chapters on body/mind methods for treating eating disorders in the textbook "Bridging the Research-Practice Gap in the Treatment of Eating Disorders" and the first "Encyclopedia of Body Image and Human Appearance." She also presents frequently at national and international professional conferences. She has received many honors including the American Dance Therapy Association’s 2009 Outstanding Achievement Award, Sierra Tucson’s 2011 South Florida award for Humility, the American Dance Therapy Association’s 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award and The International Association of Eating Disorders Professional’s 2014 Spirit of iaedp award. Her work is featured in the documentary entitled "Expressing Disorder: Journey to Recovery," which is available via www.adta.org.