UMKC Counseling, Health and Testing Center celebrates healthy body image
David Cordill
Issue date: 3/3/08 Section: News
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week was recognized Feb. 25-29 at UMKC with EveryBody is Beautiful Week 2008, a series of events aimed toward improving self-perception and healthy eating habits, while attempting to dispel some of the negative body messages put forth by various media, society and cultures.
"The main message is one of acceptance," said Dr. Rachel Pierce, staff psychologist, Counseling, Health and Testing Center. "Not everyone looks the same, and that's good. Body size diversity, and all forms of diversity is something we value. … We tend to get these messages from the media that the right way is a certain way and that everything else is wrong.
"Health should be the overall focus of someone who is unhealthy. We want to focus on getting them to a healthy place so that their body can do all the amazing things it is designed to and capable of doing."
In a series of statements promoting a more empowered and positive view of body image, a Body Peace Treaty was available for individuals to sign at information tables across campus. The declaration encouraged signers to ignore unrealistic standards of beauty and instead concentrate on personal well-being.
Community restroom mirrors at several campus locations were wrapped up to promote the week's Mirrorless Monday event. Signs were placed on a brown paper covering urging people to not to feel limited by their appearance.
"We actually hang markers up there and invite people to write positive, empowering and reenforcing statements that focus on inner beauty versus outer beauty," Pierce said.
A presentation entitled "Emotional Eating," featuring guest speaker Dr. Sherri Theoharidis, psychologist and eating disorder specialist, focused on certain types of recreational eating habits (i.e. during celebrations, for comfort).
A number of other program-related affairs were featured during the celebration. Included among these was a No- Weigh Wednesday promotion, where participants were asked not to step on the scales that day, but to concentrate on healthy behaviors instead. The same afternoon, an eating disorder screening and discussion of the documentary "Dying to be Thin" was held in the Women's Center. On Thursday, an Eating Disorder Screening assessed personal eating behaviors for all who wished to be evaluated and provided resource and treatment referrals for participants who desired those options.
All week, literature of the EveryBody is Beautiful theme was available at information tables at various UMKC locales. A Great Jeans Giveaway, a donation event for a local women's shelter, offered a 20 percent discount coupon for designer jeans "that fit the true you" to persons who gave away their ill-fitting pairs to the charity.
A final event, the "Impact of Stress and Academic Pressure on Body Image," will be held at noon on Tuesday, March 11 on Hospital Hill. The exact location is to be announced. For more information on the Counseling, Health and Testing Center, visit www.umkc.edu/chtc.
dcordill@unews.com
"The main message is one of acceptance," said Dr. Rachel Pierce, staff psychologist, Counseling, Health and Testing Center. "Not everyone looks the same, and that's good. Body size diversity, and all forms of diversity is something we value. … We tend to get these messages from the media that the right way is a certain way and that everything else is wrong.
"Health should be the overall focus of someone who is unhealthy. We want to focus on getting them to a healthy place so that their body can do all the amazing things it is designed to and capable of doing."
In a series of statements promoting a more empowered and positive view of body image, a Body Peace Treaty was available for individuals to sign at information tables across campus. The declaration encouraged signers to ignore unrealistic standards of beauty and instead concentrate on personal well-being.
Community restroom mirrors at several campus locations were wrapped up to promote the week's Mirrorless Monday event. Signs were placed on a brown paper covering urging people to not to feel limited by their appearance.
"We actually hang markers up there and invite people to write positive, empowering and reenforcing statements that focus on inner beauty versus outer beauty," Pierce said.
A presentation entitled "Emotional Eating," featuring guest speaker Dr. Sherri Theoharidis, psychologist and eating disorder specialist, focused on certain types of recreational eating habits (i.e. during celebrations, for comfort).
A number of other program-related affairs were featured during the celebration. Included among these was a No- Weigh Wednesday promotion, where participants were asked not to step on the scales that day, but to concentrate on healthy behaviors instead. The same afternoon, an eating disorder screening and discussion of the documentary "Dying to be Thin" was held in the Women's Center. On Thursday, an Eating Disorder Screening assessed personal eating behaviors for all who wished to be evaluated and provided resource and treatment referrals for participants who desired those options.
All week, literature of the EveryBody is Beautiful theme was available at information tables at various UMKC locales. A Great Jeans Giveaway, a donation event for a local women's shelter, offered a 20 percent discount coupon for designer jeans "that fit the true you" to persons who gave away their ill-fitting pairs to the charity.
A final event, the "Impact of Stress and Academic Pressure on Body Image," will be held at noon on Tuesday, March 11 on Hospital Hill. The exact location is to be announced. For more information on the Counseling, Health and Testing Center, visit www.umkc.edu/chtc.
dcordill@unews.com
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