Giving Teen Girls a Positive Body Image
Preventing Eating Disorders Requires Student Education
May 29, 2006
Jessie’s Hope Society (formerly ANAD) has a new project to give teen girls a positive body image. Their aim is to prevent eating disorders by providing student education and self esteem boosters while they’re growing up.
"Loving Yourself Girls Project" is aimed at addressing the rise in eating disorders and weight disturbances in teen girls. It will be led by expert Sandra Friedman in her student education project.
The philosophy is that there is a shift in teen girls when they hit puberty: no longer using "I" statements and making definite opinions, they begin saying "You know," and "Whatever," which lessens their own authority and seeks approval from those around them.
The training is being done by Sandra Friedman, an educator, program developer, counselor and author. The project is based on her work with teen girls and will focus on "fat talk," a language used when people want to cover up issues about something real in their lives with something artificial and, it seems, easier to deal with (ie. "I feel so fat today," when the concern is really about doing poorly in school or having problems with their boyfriend/girlfriend).
It will also address strengthening girl's self esteem, the dangers of dieting, media awareness, positive body image and the Bell Curve of shapes and sizes.
There will be a professional training day taught by Sandra Freidman for people who work with girls. This student education will concentrate on:
- Bio/psycho/social/gender frameworks of development
- What happens to girls in the process of growing up that makes them vulnerable to weight and eating disturbances
- Strengthening girls' sense of self
- Decoding "fat talk"
- The dangers of dieting
- Media awareness
- The Bell Curve of shapes and sizes
- Implementing skills into your practice
- Volunteer training
There will be a training session for volunteers to do student education: presentations in schools, including elementary schools, school groups, secondary schools and adult groups. Community Information Evenings will also be held for members of the community who wish to become involved.
Resources will be developed for teachers and parents so that they can reinforce the skills taught in the presentations.
More information about Jessie's Hope Society.
More information about Sandra Friedman.
