Her body becomes her(s) : a drama therapy program for female adolescents

Abstract

The purpose of this research paper is to construct a preventative body image treatment program for adolescent girls based on a review of feminist theoretical and therapeutic approaches, female identity development, risk and protective factors for body image and eating disorder pathology, and research on body image prevention. The 8- week program proposed herein aims to bridge feminist theoretical perspectives with drama therapy practice, with a specific focus on doll-making and narrative. This therapeutic approach intends to serve as a means of reclaiming ownership of the female form, recreating images of female beauty and identity, and relocating young women within the context of their own somatic narratives