Suits of Armour

Abstract

Suits of armour grew from my research into treatment trauma, from my personal experiences and those with whom I have worked. I’ve worn the armour both as a patient and a practitioner. Researching treatment trauma for my PhD found me down a rabbit hole about how we present ourselves and how we wear masks in the world.  There was a real powerlessness that I experienced working in treatment programs. Everyone wearing armour, staff showing up as if they had it all together. Clients required to be patients and adhere to rules without question. It got me thinking about the punitive, coercive and carceral aspects of eating disorder treatment. In some ways we have to wear armour, to present in a certain way, particularly as an ED clinician. This has led to much of the panic and anxiety that lives beneath the shiny, solid exterior – the anxiety octopus.