The Slender Trap – A Food and Body Workbook
By:  Lauren Lazar Stern

If you or someone you may know has trouble with food and/or body image, The Slender Trap is a valuable resource for you.  This workbook is put together in a non intimidating format which guides the reader through exercises and sketches that help the reader work through food and body issues.

The Slender Trap is written by Lauren Lazar Stern (MA, ATR-BC, LPC) who is a board-certified art therapist and a licensed professional counselor.  Lauren has a private practice specializing in eating disorders and body image disturbance and has been practicing for more than 25 years.

As reported in The Slender Trap by ANAD, The National Association of Anoxeria Nervosa and Associated Disorders, reports that approximately 24 million women and men of all ages suffer from eating disorders. Also stated,  Anexoria has the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses with people suffering from this disease and lasting anywhere from 1-15 years.  These statistics are very alarming and disconcerting!  Lauren Lazar Stern has written an easy to follow food and body workbook for women and young girls who may suspect they may be, or are, suffering from Anorexia Nervosa or other eating disorders.

This workbook is a wonderful tool that could enable a mother to guide her pre-teen daughter, who may be suffering from an eating disorder, by helping them work together through the exercises and questions. The illustrations are done in a way that is accessible to younger children. Along with questions that help guide the reader to understand their particular situation.

The exercises in The Slender Trap help the readers face their issues and encourage them to reach out for help.  Lauren uses a drawing of a scale and a thermometer after each chapter to help the reader think about how she feels after finishing each chapter.  After completion of the workbook the reader records these notes in a chart to help her see if she has made progress.  The workbook encourages the reader to seek professional help throughout the book, after exercises are completed, especially when  the results may indicate a need for additional help.  The reader is asked to draw food, self portraits, letters to self, and a candy sculpture to help her visually see her problem.  Through these activities, Lauren does a wonderful job of helping the reader discover her strengths and weaknesses.

After completing this workbook myself, I am more aware of what these women and young girls might be going through.  My heart goes out to them. I recommend this workbook to anyone who suspects they may be suffering from an eating disorder or knows someone close to them who might need help.  The Slender Trap will help you understand what these disorders are and how destructive they can be.  You might be able to motivate someone to work through this book or help them take that step towards professional help.