Body Shame: Conceptualisation, Research and Treatment - Hardcover

'For those working with patients who experience any form of body disfigurment this book covers all the issues comprehensively... the section on psychological disorders is particularly insightful and well referenced... all chapters are extensively referenced and offer a balanced view. This is an excellent book in every respect.' - Mike Lehane, Nursing Standard 

'This edited work is clearly structured in a way that should inform and stimulate debate on the subject of body shame... I would recommend this book.' - Professor Glenn Waller, Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy Journal

Physical appearance plays a powerful role in social relationships. Those who feel shame regarding the way they look, and who think others view their appearance negatively, can therefore be vulnerable to impoverished social relationships and a range of psychological difficulties. However, there are a few books which look specifically at the many permutations of body shame and their differing treatments.
In this book, researchers and therapists from a wide range of different disciplines and areas explore the role of shame in various physical and psychological disorders, and provide practical advice on management and treatment. Chapters are organised to address issues of conceptualisation, assessment and treatment, on topics such as:
* definitional controversies
* possible biopsychosocial and evolutionary origins of body shame
* effects on adjustment to maturation and aging process
* specific forms of disfigurement
* the role of body shame in depression, eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder.
Body Shame gives the reader insight into the nature and mechanisms of shame, how it can focus on the body, how it can underlie a variety of psychological difficulties, and how to intervene to help resolve it. This book will be invaluable for practitioners from different disciplines working with people who have problems centred on their physical appearance and/or functions, and clinicians working with various mental health problems.