Psychic Bulimia and Anorexia
Dr. Kavaler-Adler addresses Cravings versus Yearnings in Bulimia and Anorexia, as well as the multilevel hunger in both. Psychic Visualization technique (used consistently in Dr. Kavaler-Adler's monthly groups) helps to hone in on these topics. During Psychic visualizations, one's stomach area focuses on dialogues with hunger, hate, rage, and anger towards Internal Others; while one's heart focuses on dialogues with the love, longings, yearnings, loss, yearnings, and grief for Internal Others. Connecting to the emotional hunger cravings in the stomach brings up very different communication than focusing on the yearnings, longings, and passionate love desire in the heart. Anorexic people locate the absence of the other in the oral cavity, and the therapist working with them can feel the aloneness and emotional hunger in the oral cavity area. Emotional need is channeled in oral channels rather than through heart channels. Other Eating Disorders may have similar dissociative body displacements. Splitting and conflict between cravings and yearnings are experienced by participants of the Psychic Visualizations, with Developmental Mourning that integrates the heart and stomach psychic channels.