Down-to-earth mindfulness: Mindful eating

Active Pause is about the simple, down-to-earth ways in which we step out of “automatic pilot” to be more actively involved in what we do. In other words, we see “mindful” as “engaged” – – the opposite of being disengaged, of doing a task mindlessly. Read more

FAMILY SCULPTURE IN PSYCHODRAMA: A REPORT

This report was written by the protagonist of the psychodrama described below, who preferred to remain anonymous (not one of Linda’s clients). Edited slightly and posted by Adam Blatner September 4, 2009.

I was 21 when I came to the Menninger Hospital in Houston, Texas around 2003, to be treated for a case of severe anorexia nervosa. I have reconstructed these events from journal notes and a drawing I made on the day they occurred. I have changed all names for confidentiality, including my own name, here calling myself “Ruby.

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Mid – Atlantic Chapter of ASGPP Gratitude Award

Recipients of the annual Mid – Atlantic Chapter of ASGPP Gratitude Award seen here celebrating 2017  recipient Gloria Mog ( center) 

ASGPP Award

From left to right: Connie Newton , Merrie Macke, Cathy Nugent, Steve Kopp , Linda Ciotola, JoAnn Thacker, Steve Gordon AND Gloria Mog in the center

MAC meets the first Sat of Feb , May, and Oct in Silver Spring Maryland . All are welcome . Contact Steve Kopp for further info: stevek@sli.org.

2014 ASGPP Award

2014 ASGPP Award - Linda Ciotola

PSYCHODRAMA AND THE TREATMENT OF BULIMIA

Monica Leonie Callahan
This is Chapter 6, pp 101 – 120, in L. M. Hornyak & E. K. Baker (Eds.),
Experiential Therapies for Eating Disorders. New York: Guilford, 1989.)

Since 1981, I have been exploring ways of using psychodrama as part of individual and group psychotherapy with bulimics in an outpatient setting. Almost all of my clients are women; their ages range from the late teens to the early 50s. Psychotherapy is only one part of the treatment.

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Recognizing & Treating Depression

Linda Ciotola, M. Ed.,CHES, TEP

Sources: National Institutes of Mental Health; Blue Cross/Blue Shield (Vitality); American Counseling Association; Wellness Networking Group

According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, depression affects about 19 million Americans. The effects are far-reaching, impacting not only personal well-being, but family interactions, work place performance, and even financial security.

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The Body Dialogue, An Action Structure To Build Body Empathy

by Linda Ciotola, M. Ed., CHES,(ret.), T.E.P.

Abstract
“The Body Dialogue” is an action structure using role reversal to build a bridge of empathy between the body and the self.  The director facilitates a conversation between the body and the self in an attempt to repair the bridge of broken trust and to re-establish the bond that was disrupted by the trauma of physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse; medical trauma; illness; aging.  The goal is to facilitate the self’s acceptance of the body and the self’s willingness to listen to the body; to hear the body’s needs and for the self to make a commitment for the body’s care.

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The Body Double:

The Body Double:
An Advanced Clinical Action Intervention Module
in the Therapeutic Spiral ModelTM to Treat Trauma
by Kamala Burden, MA, ADTR, CP
and Linda Ciotola, M.Ed. CHES (ret.),TEP

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A Coping Mechanism

However, getting someone with an eating disorder to treatment is often difficult since persons act upon their eating disorders (restricting, bingeing, purging, etc.) as ways of dealing with emotional distress. Eating disorders are symptoms of underlying emotional distress, a way to numb or distract from underlying painful feelings.

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