Eating Disorders in Schools by Robyn Hussa

20+ Ideas for Re-Shaping Eating Disorder Programming in Schools and Universities

With the new school year off to a start, its the perfect time to convey strategies for teaching about eating disorders, body image and self-esteem in all levels of schools.

Whether you are constructing ideas for new course material, leading workshops, after school programs, fundraising events or arranging your NEDAwareness 2012 programming, the below ideas are sure to offer a boost to every learning community.

Naturally, the best place to start is the library of information and resources at Gurze Books.  Each book or DVD is screened by the founders of Gurze Publications (who are also Certified Eating Disorders Specialists).  I assume that anyone who finds this blog post already knows about Gurze, but ... if not.  That's the place to start -- and I won't even count it in the 20+ Ideas....

1.  The NORMAL nonprofit offers a free 30 minute film called ED 101 which features commentary from Carolyn Costin, Dr. Kim Dennis, Dr. Laura Lees and hopeful stories of recovery along with performances from American Idol and Broadway stars.  With a discussion panel of medical professionals this is a terrific program for high schools and universities.  Find out how to get your FREE copy of the film and create a terrific seminar at http://www.normal-life.org/ED_101.php.

2.  A great new documentary film called SOMEDAY MELISSA is available for purchase or for seminar screenings.  This true story of Melissa Avrin's struggle with an eating disorder and is an effective way to educate about the complex issues that interrelate; including family biology that pre-disposes one to contract the illness, underlying depression (co-occurring illnesses) and a healthy outline of the warning signs.

3.  In addition, NORMAL offers more than 9 ideas for NEDAwareness Programming (or regular educational programming) on this handy, interactive sheet.  Just click on the various squares to find ideas for activities, workshops or for hosting large-scale events or seminars.  Best of all, most of the ideas are arts based and appropriate for a wide range of students from grade school to grad school.  On this you'll learn about:

4.  Host a Mindfulness Workshop for Eating Disorder Recovery.  This guidebook offers an array of practices, ideas and lessons.

5.  Consider community events that engage and educate at the same time.  Host a Poetry Concert of writing that offers refreshing perspectives on body image and acceptance.  Create a Self Esteem Stomp to engage the entire community in learning about healthy coping through music, arts and yoga learning booths

6.  An array of films, including Speaking Out About Ed -- available in DVD and perfect for College and University communities.

learn more at SpeakingOutAboutEd.com

7.  Accredited Online Colleges has released a fabulous article: 11 Important Ways Colleges are Fighting Eating Disorders.  In this piece, creative and mindful activities are shared to help bridge the gap in learning.

8.  For online resources, take a look at Beyond Blackboards "Student Bodies" program -- a computer-delivered, undergraduate level course exploring body image, eating problems, and social concepts of beauty in our culture. Developed through Stanford University, this seems to be a fabulous learning initiative.

9.  Research has shown that kids need help learning to identify and express their feelings.  Get a copy of this Rainbow of Feelings to display in your office or classroom and get students thinking about naming feelings other than "FAT" -- which is not a feeling.

10.  Binge Eating Disorder Association's vast and fabulous Weight Bias Awareness educational information, inter-active tools and resources here.  Fat Talk leads to body dissatisfaction, a known risk-factor for eating disorders.  Learn more at BEDA website.

11.  A presentation from Andrea's Voice Foundation will help audiences learn through poetry and heartfelt family journeys about the realities of eating disorders.

12.  Inspire students in recovery to become a mentor at MentorConnect.

13. The Eating for Life Alliance has an incredible website with resources for speakers that are appropriate for college and university settings.  Learn more at www.eatingforlife.org.

14.  The Girls Leadership Institute offers programs in San Francisco, New York and Colorado for ages K-8.  Learn more at http://www.girlsleadershipinstitute.org/

15.  The National Association for Males with Eating Disorders offer helpful resources and qualified speakers to present in your school or university.  Learn more at http://www.namedinc.org/resources.asp

16.  Active Minds is a nonprofit organization on most university and college campuses that offers an array of engaging programs about all kinds of mental health topics.  Learn how to start your own chapter or get involved at www.activeminds.org.

17.  LETS Educational Foundation offers grants to start "erasing the stigma" in an array of school environments (they have programs for middle school through to university).  Learn how to create your own stigma-erasing program today!

18.  Jenni Schaefer is a speaker, singer, songwriter, advocate and author (have I missed anything??) -- her acclaimed book, "Life Without ED" offers unique insights into the world of eating disorders.  Learn more about her CDs, books and presentations at http://www.jennischaefer.com/

19.  Rachel Simmons is a sought-after speaker and presenter.  The author of "Odd Girl Out" and other books, blogs and workshops, she offers great tips for girls on empowerment, body image and self-acceptance.

20.  Dr. Laura Pinto offers grade schoolers a terrific book called "Beauty Fades, Smart is Forever" -- sure to inspire a discussion in your community.

21.  Shannon Cutts is a well-known speaker and presenter.  Learn more about her work at http://www.key-to-life.com/ktlweblinks/

22.  Darryl Roberts has created two fabulous documentary films that outline eating disorders, the beauty industry and obesity and dieting epidemics.  Learn more about hosting AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL in your community or booking Darryl as a speaker at http://americathebeautifuldoc.com/2/atb/the-thin-commandments/

Eating Disorder Programs Throughout South Carolina Schools in February

 

For schools in the South Carolina area ...

New York, NY -- NORMAL, a national non-profit organization that uses arts and mindfulness programs to educate on eating disorders, body image and self-esteem issues, announced today it will feature its NORMAL in Schools (NIS) program in Spartanburg during the week of February 27^th - March 3^rd to educate students, faculty, and families on eating disorders, which studies show to be the # 1 cause of death of all mental illnesses. The NIS program consists of a live performance of a Jonathan Larson award-winning Off-Broadway rock musical nor.mal:, a talkback, and related 90-page curriculum.

The 60-minute live performance of nor.mal: the musical tells the true story of a family torn apart by an eating disorder through the eyes of the mother. Written by New York Foundation Artists & Art award winner Yvonne Adrian, Broadway veteran actress and writer Cheryl Stern, and Emmy award- winning composer Tom Kochan, nor.mal: is a dynamic, fresh, and fast-paced rock musical characterized by episodic scenes, stylization, and deeply resonant storytelling. nor.mal: is a highly artistic theatrical work meant not only to raise awareness of eating disorders and stress management, but also to demonstrate the healing power of theatre itself.

“The NIS program teaches about much more than eating disorders,” said Hussa, who holds a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Virginia and is an E-RYT certified yoga instructor with the Yoga Alliance.  “Among many things, it encourages communities to employ healthy ‘norms’ for managing stress.”

Startling, little-known facts on eating disorders include:

• 25 million Americans struggle with an eating disorder (source: NEDA, BEDA)
• 7 million of those struggling with eating disorders are males (source: National Association for Males with Eating Disorders)
• Eating disorders are the leading cause of death of any psychiatric illness (source: National Institute of Mental Health)

Prior to founding the NORMAL non-profit, Hussa began her career as an actress, co-founding the Drama Desk and Obie-award winning Transport Group Theatre Company in New York in 2001, and originally producing NORMAL THE MUSICAL Off-Broadway in 2005.  In a 2005 review, the New York Post wrote “[NORMAL] is a feel-good musical …[that] shows that any subject, if handled right, is grist for the musical mill.” Variety magazine followed with “Let’s wrap this up and send it out to schools where it can do the most good.”

The live musical production is being produced, directed, and acted by a local Spartanburg cast and crew, overseen by Hussa.  The idea to present the musical in honor of eating disorder awareness week was sparked at a visit to a Colorado eating disorder facility, where Hussa met Heidi Moss, a Spartanburg therapist who specializes in Eating Disorders. Moss was invited to come on board as NORMAL Program Director, South Carolina and subsequently connected with Valerie Barnett, drama teacher at Spartanburg Day School, to help produce the project. Barnett, who plays the central role of Kayla in the musical, said “Arts-based education of this nature is crucial in schools and it is my hope that ‘Normal’ can bring a message of hope and healing to many families."

Wofford College student Blair Cadden learned of the NORMAL project and offered to direct the musical, receiving guidance from Hussa.  The local cast and crew will travel with the show to Spartanburg schools and public spaces.  See below for full schedule of shows:

• February 27th at 7:30pm at Wofford College in the McMillian Theater. Open to Wofford faculty and students only.

• February 28th at 7:00pm at Converse College in the Hazel B. Abbott Theater. Open to Converse faculty and students only.

• March 1st at 7:30pm at Hub Bub Showroom.  Doors open at 7:00pm; Open to the public.

• March 13th at 7:00pm at University of South Carolina-Upstate in the Ballroom. Open to Upstate faculty and students only.

• March 14^th at 6:30pm at Spartanburg Day School in the Commons.  Open to Day School faculty, students and parents only.

• March 17th at 3:00pm in the Spartanburg Main Library in the Barnett Room.  Open to the public.

• Public School participation is still in the works (TBD).

 

The crowning point of the Spartanburg troupe’s series of shows will be a featured performance in Charleston at the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp) national conference.  This final performance will be on March 23^rd at 8pm at the Marriott and is open to the public.  To reserve tickets, click here.

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NORMAL is a national non-profit arts-and-education organization that educates about eating disorders, body image and self-esteem through arts and mindfulness programs.  It offers an array of resources and programs – one of which brings the NIS Program (a hip musical “NORMAL”, a related curriculum, panel of medical experts, and persons in recovery) to schools, and that has clinically shown to inspire individuals into treatment. NORMAL was founded by Robyn Hussa, a 2010 recipient of the Champion in Women’s Health Award by Sue Ann Thompson’s Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation. 

Please call Heidi Moss at 316-6835 for information about local Spartanburg presentations.

Eating Disorder Programs Throughout Wisconsin Schools in February

 

For those in the Wisconsin area, free upcoming programs to get the conversation started about eating disorders, body image and self-esteem.

New York, NY -- NORMAL, a national non-profit organization that uses arts and mindfulness programs to educate on eating disorders, body image and self-esteem issues, announced today it will show its free film ED101 at selected schools and universities in Wisconsin this month to educate students, faculty, and families about eating disorders.  See film here: http://www.normal-life.org/ED_101.php.

“With more than 25 million Americans struggling from eating disorders, there is a critical need for eating disorder awareness and the kind of support we bring to this vulnerable population,” said NORMAL founder and CEO Robyn Hussa.

The 35-minute film is a free arts-based learning tool being circulated to schools and communities nationwide, and provides a comprehensive overview of a widespread, yet highly misunderstood, mental illness through compelling family journeys and hopeful stories of recovery.  It features expert commentary and insight by clinicians, ED association leaders, and family members who’ve been impacted by the disease.

Startling, little-known facts revealed in the film include:

• 25 million Americans struggle with an eating disorder (source: NEDA, BEDA)
• 7 million of those struggling with eating disorders are male (source: National Association for Males with Eating Disorders)
• Suicide causes up to 50% of deaths of those with anorexia (source: University of Maryland Medical Center)

ED101 includes interviews with the writer of the award-winning musical NORMAL, along with songs performed by Broadway and American Idol stars, and hopeful journeys of recovery.  The film screening will be followed by a discussion panel of medical professionals, alongside Hussa.

“We have more than a dozen programs that teach about much more than just eating disorders,” said Hussa, who holds a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Virginia and is an E-RYT certified yoga instructor with the Yoga Alliance.  “This program is about family communication, mindfulness and employing self-care as a ‘norm’ for daily life.”

Hussa co-founded the Drama Desk and Obie-award winning Transport Group Theatre Company in New York in 2001 and originally produced NORMAL THE MUSICAL Off-Broadway in 2005.  In a 2005 review, the New York Post wrote “[NORMAL] is a feel-good musical …[that] shows that any subject, if handled right, is grist for the musical mill.” Variety magazine followed with “Let’s wrap this up and send it out to schools where it can do the most good.”

The ED 101 film and program is being brought to universities in concert with campus’ recognition of eating disorder awareness, and is sponsored by Aurora Behavioral Healthcare and Rogers Memorial Hospital, among others.  See below for the full schedule of participating schools and panelists:

February 27^th at 7:30pm at University of Wisconsin (UW) – Parkside. Sponsored by Alex DeVinny Memorial Fund and Aurora Behavioral Healthcare. Panelists include UW-Parkside medical professionals and Robyn Hussa.  This 60-minute presentation is open to the public.

February 28^th at 6:00pm at University of Wisconsin (UW) – Milwaukee “Flicks Theatre”. Sponsored by Norris Health Center, Women's Resource Center, UW-Milwaukee Athletics, University Housing and Rogers Memorial Hospital. Panelists include Laura Lees, Psy.D., CEDS, Jessica Witt, MSN, RN, CPNP and Robyn Hussa. This 60-minute presentation is open to the public.

February 29^th at 6:30pm at Greendale High School (GHS). This special presentation for high schools will feature NORMAL Vice President, Laura Lees, who is a Clinical Psychologist and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, Joan Riederer and individuals in recovery.

February 29th at 11:30am at Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC). Sponsored by WLC Student Health & Counseling Center, Kyra Radsek Foundation and Aurora Behavioral Healthcare.  Panelists include local WLC Counseling staff, Sandi Blaies, LCSW and will feature discussions with Joe and Dawn Radsek.  The 60-minute presentation is open to WLC students, faculty and staff.

February 29^th at 7:00pm at University of Wisconsin – Madison in the Memorial Union.  Sponsored by University Health Services, The Alex DeVinny Memorial Fund, The Kyra Radsek Foundation and Rogers Memorial Hospital. Panelists include Danielle Oakley, Ph.D., Sarah Van Orman, M.D., Janice Antoniewicz-Werner RD, CD, MA, and Robyn Hussa.  This 60-minute presentation is open to the public.

In addition to the ED101 programs and panel discussions above, Hussa will present at Marquette University on February 15th and draw on her professional Broadway theatre and entertainment industry experience, in tandem with her work in the nonprofit mental health community, to instruct on eating disorders and body image, while exploring healthy ways of managing stress through innovative theatre, poetry, music and mindfulness techniques.  Hussa’s presentation “SOAR! Healthy Body Image Through Arts and Mindfulness” is sponsored by MUSG Student Activity Fee, Empowerment and Aurora Behavioral Healthcare.

Hussa will present her “SOAR! Healthy Body Image Through Arts and Mindfulness” program again on February 27^th at 2:00pm at Waukesha Community Technical College.  Both SOAR! workshops are free of charge and open to the public.

###

NORMAL is a national non-profit arts-and-education organization that educates about eating disorders, body image and self-esteem through arts and mindfulness programs.  It offers an array of resources and programs – one of which brings the NIS Program (a hip musical “NORMAL”, a related curriculum, panel of medical experts, and persons in recovery) to schools, and that has clinically shown to inspire individuals into treatment. NORMAL was founded by Robyn Hussa, a 2010 recipient of the Champion in Women’s Health Award by Sue Ann Thompson’s Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation.

Helping Parents Talk to Kids about Weight and Body Image

With issues of weight, stigma, obesity, eating disorders, and body image being so complex and multi-layered -- and so politically charged -- it is increasingly challenging to educate kids and families about these issues.

We keep hearing of families who are now so panicked about the so-called obesity epidemic that they are over-reacting if their 2nd grader is showing a little extra weight.  One such family is now forcing their child to work out every night, lift weights, and obsess over food and dieting.

According to many researchers, psychologists and eating disorders specialists, such as Craig Johnson, Ph.D., CEDS, FAED, these types of reactions are only going to lead to an increase in eating disorders and serious mental health concerns in children.

  

2010 interview with Craig Johnson, Chief Clinicial Officer at Eating Recovery Center in Denver, provided by NORMAL nonprofit.

The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University is a non-profit research and public policy organization that serves as a leader in building broad-based consensus to change diet and activity patterns, while holding industry and government agencies responsible for safeguarding public health. The Center serves as a leading research institution and clearinghouse for resources that add to our understanding of the complex forces affecting how we eat, how we stigmatize overweight and obese people, and how we can change.

It is time we help families learn to focus on communication, feelings, healthy coping strategies and mindfulness, rather than obsessing on food and exercise.  In addition, here is a comprehensive list that helps parents talk to kids about weight stigma and body image.

Parents: Talking to your kids about weight*

Talking about weight is a sensitive issue, especially with children and adolescents. Here are some tips to keep in mind when talking to your child about weight and ideas for how to promote positive lifestyle changes at home.

• Focus on healthy changes in your child’s behavior (e.g., eating more fruits or vegetables, or drinking less soda) rather than just weight loss. Losing weight is difficult, and is not the only measure of success. Be sure to acknowledge and praise your child of the positive behavior changes that he or she is making.
• Children are more likely to be successful in making healthy changes if the whole family is taking steps to make improvements in their lifestyles. Parents need to model healthy behaviors for their children, and create an environment at home that makes it easy to eat healthy and be physically active. Children will be better equipped to make changes if they are supported in this way.
• Be aware of the language that you use about weight. Avoid labeling people as “fat” or “bad” or making negative stereotypes about people who are overweight. Use words like “above average weight” rather than “chubby” or “obese”.
• Be aware of comments that you make about your own body in front of your children. It’s common, especially for women, to make negative comments about their bodies (e.g., “these pants make me look fat”). When children hear these comments, it can send a negative message about body image and self-esteem.
• Avoid “should” statements with your children. For example, avoid making comments like “You shouldn’t be eating that” or “You should be eating something healthier”. If your child has made an unhealthy food choice, wait for an appropriate time to suggest an alternative or to model eating a healthier choice.
• Encourage self-esteem in your child. It is important for you and your child to recognize that self-esteem comes from many sources – not just appearance. Celebrate your child’s successes and behaviors that have nothing to do with their body, and be sure to compliment them on these qualities. (e.g., qualities like kindness, being a good friend, doing well on a school assignment, working hard to achieve a goal, taking good care of a pet, etc).
• Identify triggers for your child’s eating. People eat for many reasons besides hunger, including stress, feeling bored, angry, depressed or anxious. If you see this pattern occurring, talk to your child and learn what is going on and how you can help them cope with these feelings in healthier ways.
• Be a support partner for your child. Be available to listen to your child during times of frustration, to help your child stay on track in making healthy changes, and to celebrate your child’s successes, no matter how small they may seem.

For more information on weight bias, please visit www.YaleRuddCenter.org

*Retreived from http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/resources/upload/docs/what/bias/parents/Parents-HowtoTalktoYourChildaboutWeight.pdf

BeTheSource Project Empowers Students to Find (and Share) Self-Love

Ellie Haberl is an extraordinary English teacher in Madison, Wisconsin who created the “Be The Source” project to help kids evolve a sense of self-love and share it with the community.  Her interview follows ...

 

“I saw my students turning to drugs, alcohol, food and relationships to try to ‘fill up’ where they feel that they are not good enough just as they are.”

 

1.  What was the impetus for starting BeTheSource?

We are living in a culture that whispers a myth in the ears of our littlest ones, and I was one who was easily hypnotized into believing that to experience the deepest and truest kind of love I needed to be in a relationship. Although I spent much of my teen years and early twenties in a relationship, I found that when I was single I felt like something was missing. Real Simple magazine offered an essay contest requesting that readers answer the question: when did you first understand the meaning of true love? St. Francis’s famous prayer “Make me an instrument of your peace” was my inspiration when I sat to write a response to the essay prompt. The line “Let me not be so much consoled as to console…to be loved as to love” is the best definition of love I know. Real love is not about receiving; it is about being the giver. Yet, this paradigmatic shift is such an inversion of the cultural myth that love comes to us when we are in a relationship. As I was writing the essay, I came to understand that we can literally ‘Be the Source’ without an exclusive partner. The idea of depersonalized love was born from this awareness in that it is possible to begin “spending” or “Sourcing” love immediately in every interaction.

I had the name “be the source project” and the idea that it was about expanding our definition of love to its most inclusive state before I knew how it would take form in my own classroom. Slowly, I started to see that it would be a really exciting weekly online project, and would also be an opportunity for my students to write about how they had been the Source for real audiences beyond our classroom walls.

2.  What are your goals for the project?

My largest vision for the project involves establishing Be The Source chapters at schools across the country. Essentially, the curriculum would help students flip the traditional paradigm to recognize that the feeling they think is missing from their lives can actually be created when they become the source of it for someone else.  This idea is so healing because it will allow students to feel tremendous efficacy over their feelings and environment. 

“the process of growing up in America is actually the process of “dehypnotizing” the self of all of the cultural myths that were communicated in childhood.”

 

3.  How do issues of low self esteem, body image and eating disorders affecting kids in your classes?

I see my students turning to drugs, alcohol, and relationship to try to “fill up” where they feel that they are not good enough just as they are. When we analyze the way women are depicted in magazines, many of my students have a light bulb moment where they recognize that this feeling of inadequacy is not their fault.  They have been hypnotized into thinking that magazines are an accurate standard for their own bodies. I think taking a critical approach to media consumption is a crucial role for an educator and a necessary component of every curriculum. In many ways, the process of growing up in America is actually the process of “dehypnotizing” the self of all of the cultural myths that were communicated in childhood.

5.  How do the arts directly impact students in your classroom? 

I recently assigned a project to my senior students in which they were required to create a documentary film depicting a marginalized group in our community. One student made a film about the homeless population in Madison, Wisconsin. He interviewed experts as well as several individuals currently living in shelters or on the streets in the city. The film was an incredibly beautiful example of how art can be used as a change agent in our society, and the student decided to pursue film studies in his undergraduate work next year. I think that teens simply need an assignment to use art to express an opinion, but once we give them that doorway, they will far exceed any expectations we might have previously held. Yet, many teens would not pick up the paintbrush or the camera without this impetus!

7.  How does teaching writing help kids find their voice or identity?

Truly, writing activates thinking, and invites new or ignored thoughts and feeling out of hibernation.  I can see my students use writing as a place to discover what they believe about the world. For example, during a recent writing activity, I asked students to consider the battle between freedom and safety in the context of government design. As students wrote, many of them were able to tweak a code of ethics already in existence, while other students were developing this value system for the first time. Writing is fertile group for the development of the self when it asks students to take a stance on a controversial question. 

Join in the adventure! 

Ellie invites readers to visit BeTheSource’s webpage and join in the adventure. Please feel free to add commentary on how you have been the Source of love in your community! We can be found at www.bethesourceproject.com.

Ellie Haberl is the founder of the be the source project (www.bethesourceproject.com) which was born out of her four years as an English teacher for 72 boundlessly energetic and hilarious high school students in Madison, Wisconsin. With a B.S in English Education and an M.S. in Educational Psychology, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ellie is a pioneer in the creation of authentic digital writing spaces for high school students’ writing. She received acclamations for her graduate thesis on the revision of project based learning theory as a result of 21^st century technologies. Ellie is also an accomplished yogi, having just completed her eighth year with a near daily practice. Ellie is also committed to bringing the tools of meditation and yoga to America’s public school students, as she believes that a peaceful world will be born only when each individual can be the Source of this peace within himself and begin to view depersonalized love as our only true job on earth.

Experiential Wisdom -- a Lifeline for Kids

Starting the New Year off with stillness, could be one of the most important coping skills we teach students -- especially with the increase of technological intensity.

Listening to the wisdom of those sages who have offered these concepts for thousands of years, their messages all share a similar theme: slow down, tap in, sit back, listen. 

Ironically, though, schools and classrooms are continually faced with the pressures to keep up with the pace of change and technology.

How do we manage this growing paradox?

In Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs, he discusses Jobs' pursuit to follow Eastern religions as a way to "concentrate the mind in order to gain experiential wisdom."  Jobs told Isaacson during an interview,

"Western rational thought is not an innate human characteristic; it is learned and is the greatest achievement of Western civilization.  In the villages of India, they never learned it.  They learned something else … the power of intuition and experiential wisdom.  … If you just sit and observe, you will see how restless your mind is.  When you calm it, there's room to hear more subtle things -- that's when your intuition starts to blossom and you start to see things more clearly and be in the present more."*

Pico Iyer, in his New York Times op ed "The Joy of Quiet" reveals some startling facts:**

• The average American teenager sends or receives 75 text messages a day
• The average American spends at least eight and a half hours a day in front of a screen
• Internet rescue camps in South Korea and China have now been set up to save kids addicted to the screen.

Most notably, he points out that at a recent lecture given to prominent advertisers in Singapore by Malcolm Gladwell and other leaders of our time, they emphasized the importance of reaching the kids of the future through stillness.

Ghandi states that "In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness."

If we teach kids how to tolerate themselves in stillness, we are providing them with resources that enhance their clarity and raise an awareness of deep inner truths.

Over the last five years I have interviewed researchers in the field of mental health for educational curricula and films about eating disorders.  Many of whom shared their concerns that kids do not have respite from electronic devices and they wished that parents would encourage a mandatory down-time from social media and other electronic stimuli.  In Iyer's article, he suggests imposing an "Internet sabbath" every week, where individuals (parents and children alike) "turn off their online connections from Friday night to Monday morning, so as to try to revive those ancient customs known as family meals and conversation."

Iyer most eloquently points out that "We’re rushing to meet so many deadlines that we hardly register that what we need most are lifelines."

I vote that we give students a lifeline by teaching stillness as a daily part of school curricula.  Mindfulness, meditation -- even for 15 minutes -- will teach them to look inward for guidance and -- in the words of Steve Jobs -- blossom their intuition.

--

*Isaacson, W. (2011), Steve Jobs (p. 109-111) Simon & Schuster, New York, NY.

**Iyer, P., The Joy of Quiet, The New York Times Opinion Pages, December 29, 2011 (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/opinion/sunday/the-joy-of-quiet.html?_r=1)

Guidelines for Selecting Eating Disorders Panelists

One of the greatest obstacles to educating about eating disorders is ensuring that those who are teaching are abreast of the latest facts and research.  With eating disorders awareness week happening in February, it is time to empower educators, administrators and nonprofit leaders with information so they can be assertive when screening eating disorders specialists to serve on discussion panels in schools or universities.

Created by the leading researchers in the field of eating disorders and certified eating disorders specialists, this short 2 minute video is packed with information.  Use the list of questions when interviewing a psychologist, psychotherapist, medical doctor, psychiatrist or nutritionist before inviting them to serve on a panel.

 

Healthy Ways to Manage Stress

(Excerpts from this post are from my Eating Disorder Recovery Yoga blog and from my book, Healthy Selfitude.)

Developing healthy coping skills is critical to living a happier life.  Choosing alternative forms of relieving stress complements our life journey filling it with consciousness, self-respect and a present state of mind.  These are the kinds of skills we could be teaching in schools to help students manage the rigorous and un-ending social, societal and educational work loads.  Rather than normalizing negative forms of coping, students could be learning alternative artistic or mindfulness-based ways to share feelings and get the stress out!

Our days begin at a break-neck pace, not allowing us to take the time to slow down and acknowledge the choices we are making.  Throughout each day, our bodies transition through physical, emotional and psychological balance and chaos.  On any given day, this stress can vary in intensity and duration.

Students could learn that taking a moment to consider how they relieve their body of daily stress might empower them to create new habits... for example: the simple habit of journaling.

Creating and Keeping a Journal. 

Writing is a proven stress management technique that we can use to instantly calm us down and unite our body, mind and spirit.  The physical act of writing physically connects the brain to the body and allows emotions and feelings to flow onto the page.  The act of writing and journaling is also something that brings us into the present moment, where we can live more consciously and in a state of mindfulness.  Through journaling we can begin to observe the conscious and unconscious choices we make in life.

The yogic act of writing has shown to have an array of benefits. According to the American Psychological Association, expressive writing may offer physical benefits to people battling terminal or life-threatening diseases and improve immune functioning. Studies were conducted by James Pennebaker, PhD, of the University of Texas at Austin, and Joshua Smyth, PhD, of Syracuse University and found that the “procedure reliably improved health outcomes.”  In addition, expressive writing was found to lower depressive symptoms in victims of domestic violence.[1]

photo courtesy of Nuchylee

Creating a journal may sometimes be as therapeutic as writing in the journal itself. Visiting an art supply store and making a journal out of an array of paper, textures, photos, fabrics, quotations -- helps individuals create something that they feel connected to artistically.

Other practical stress management ideas:

• Speaking with a therapist
• Stretching.
• Reading.
• Writing.
• Drawing.
• Singing.
• Listening to Music.
• Taking a Walk.
• Riding a bike.
• Experiencing something beautiful. A sunset. A quiet moment. A piece of art.
• Volunteering.
• Organizing a shelf or drawer.
• Crying.
• Talking… to yourself.  To a friend.  To a loved one.  To a minister. Talking.
• Breathing.
• Painting.
• Coloring.  Outside the lines.
• Creating something that is beautiful to you.
• Volunteering for a cause, school or movement.
• Watching a film.
• Watching your favorite TV show.
• Learning about something in which you’ve always been interested.
• Knitting.
• Researching a person who you consider to be a hero.  Learn as much as you can about them.
• Praying.
• Sending out a sphere of love: first to your nose, then to your head, then to your entire body … then to your neighbor, then to your city, then to your state, then to the country, then to the next continent over, then to the stars, to the sun, to the planets and to the universe.
• Creating a list of things you have always wanted to do.
• Beginning one of the items on your “to do” list.
• Doing something that makes you reach out of your comfort zone: embark toward that potential new career / client / living situation, take care of that phone call that has been hanging over your head
• Taking a course on financial “worth” (for example: Overcoming Under-earning, by Barbara Stanny, look up Manifesting Possibilities for online course times)
• Creating and practicing affirmations.
• Taking yourself on a date and learning something new about your likes or dislikes.
• Finding a craft store and seeing what excites you there … be mindful and nonjudgmental!!
• Adding to this list …

 

[1]  Gortner EM, Rude SS, Pennebaker JW. Benefits of expressive writing in lowering rumination and depressive symptoms. Behavioral Therapy. 2006 Sep; 37(3):292-303.

Empowerment Video Contest for Girls

A terrific opportunity for girls to share their own "State of the Union" address to discuss the issues that affect girls today.  Deadline is November 30th!

The Women’s Media Center invites girls from all over the United States, ages 14-22, to create a 1- 5 minute Girls’ State of the Union video. Five finalists will be highlighted on the Women’s Media Center’s YouTube channel and a group of diverse and talented celebrity and new media influencer judges will choose the winner.

Like the President’s report, the Girls’ State of the Union will sum up the condition of the country—with special emphasis on the welfare of girls—and an outline of what the President’s legislative agenda and priorities for congress should be.

Girls ages 14-22 are encouraged to upload videos to You Tube and send the link with name, age, address, phone number, and e-mail to: Elisa Kreisinger, Program Coordinator- elisa@womensmediacenter.com. We will accept submissions between 12:00AM November 16, 2011 and November 30, 2011 at 11:59PM.

Learn more here.

Be a Part of the Body Re-Imaging Revolution.

As a professional performer I experienced profound struggles with body image in my 20’s and 30’s.  The pressure of having to be outwardly attractive in order to get a paycheck was excessively stressful.  But my struggles didn’t begin in professional arenas alone.  I remember being concerned about my body as a child in middle school and throughout high school.  I was constantly comparing myself to my classmates or those around me.  In addition, I am the sister of a 5-time Iron Man, so I have seen the ways body image issues and concerns cross over into athleticism and in the exercise communities.   My colleagues and friends in their mid-30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s all share this common stress.  No one, it seems, is happy with their body.  

It is time; therefore, to help students undertake in some serious body re-imaging.  Not through surgery, botox, new products or potions, but through their mind’s eye.

Re-imaging our body has to begin from within.

Photo courtesy of Dan from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In general, body image is a negative by-product of our being taught -- through the media, through our culture, through our community -- that body is the most important part of who we are.  That WE are not good enough just on our own.  That we must have a perfect body in order to be happy, successsful or in order to find love. 

According to a study of one teen adolescent magazine over the course of 20 years found that in articles about fitness or exercise plans, 74% cited “to become more attractive” as a reason to start exercising.[1]

In addition:

• 8 out of 10 women are not happy with their reflection
• More than 90 percent of girls (15 to 17) want to change one aspect of their physical appearance, with body weight ranking the highest.
• More than half of 10 year old girls wish they were thinner 

Help kids understand that it is entirely natural and normalized in our culture to obsess over body shape and weight.  The common thoughts and messages seem to be: "if I make my body perfect, less fat, more muscular, more tan, perfectly pedicured ... I will be more loved or accepted." Encourage them to explore this on their own and report back their findings.

According to WomensHealth.gov, we can start re-imaging our body by “changing the way we think about our body.”[2]  The Cleveland Clinic offers a few practical steps we can take to do that, including: [3]

• Define personal goals and inventory
• Set measurable goals
• Confront distorted thinking (for me, it was helpful to talk to a therapist regularly)
• Stop comparing yourself to others
• Develop your strengths
• Evolve self-acceptance
• Recite positive affirmations

Fascinating that a key to a healthy body image doesn’t have much – at all – to do with food or exercise.  Yet the $40 billion dollar-a-year diet industry would like us to think otherwise.

I began re-imaging my concept of body when I began reflecting deeply on my values and goals and – especially – when I started feeling my feelings (as uncomfortable as they were), communicating my needs assertively, and practicing mindfulness or meditation on a daily basis.  I also started noticing the number of times that people in my career, family and community commented on body or body dissatisfaction.  I simply noticed the comments and took note NOT to emulate them.

Simultaneously, I had to work to literally change my thoughts about body.  This took regular practice, but the thoughts eventually shifted.  When I put on a pair of jeans and didn’t like my appearance, I reminded myself that my entire body is a metaphor for my overall health.  That in this moment my body may be out of balance in one way or another (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually), and I can use those markers of imbalance as ways to learn even more about my truth in any given moment.  I learned that when I keep my mind, soul and heart fed with the things that nourish them, my body finds its way to balance.

The more in touch with my values and morals that I became, the more I realized that giving back through volunteering or charity work was a crucial part of my Being.  I am pround to point to projects (like www.thewalkinghospital.com) that I am involved in and that link me to a greater universe and world view.  Encourage students to stay involved in volunteer or charity efforts -- the ones they do because their heart tells them to.

By gently and patiently encouraging students to explore self-acceptance and by giving them permission to learn from their entire Being – not just from their bodies – we can be a part of the body re-imaging revolution.

---

[1] Gullen & Barr. (1994)  Journal of Adolescent Health, 15, 464-472.  Courtesy of NEDA’s “Media, Body Image and Eating Disorders” at http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/nedaDir/files/documents/handouts/MediaBI.pdf

[2] Retrieved from http://www.womenshealth.gov/body-image/about-body-image/#pubs

[3] Retrieved from Cleveland Clinic at http://my.clevelandclinic.org/healthy_living/mental_health/hic_fostering_a_positive_self-image.aspx

Five Things Teachers Should Know About Eating Disorders ...

I wanted to re-post this article written by Julie Holland, MHS, CEDS because it offers fabulous insight, resources and guidelines for teachers.

Julie D. Holland, MHS, CEDS, is chief marketing officer of Eating Recovery Center, a national center for eating disorders recovery, which provides comprehensive treatment for anorexia and bulimia.  She is recognized in the industry as both a clinician and public speaker. A certified eating disorders specialist, she has directed marketing and customer relationship management programs at several leading eating disorders treatment programs across the country. Most recently, she was vice president, business development, Eating Disorders Programs for CRC Health Group, where she was responsible for the development and implementation of all intake, marketing and outreach efforts for CRC Eating Disorders Programs nationwide.  Learn more here.

Julie's article is re-posted below.  The link to the original is here.

It has been previously thought that eating disorders only affected women, and mainly teenage girls, but this is no longer the case. Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS), are affecting more men than previously seen and younger teenagers and adolescents as well.

Five Things Teachers Should Know About Eating Disorders, Resources and Prevention

It’s important for parents to be well educated about eating disorders warning signs and to know what to do if they suspect their son or daughter has an eating disorder. However, it’s equally important for teachers and school counselors to be aware of warning signs and potentially troubling behavior, and to understand what eating disorders resources are available. After all, children and teenagers spend the majority of their days at school.

1.    Warning signs may be discreet. Warning signs, such as hiding food or compulsive exercise, may not be as apparent at school as they are at home. However, if a student’s schoolwork and grades begin to suffer, if he or she is increasingly tired and lethargic or if he or she begins wearing roomier clothes, even on warm days, there may be larger issues at play than just “normal teenage stuff.”

2.    Triggers and causes for eating disorders are about more than just food. Forty to 50 percent of the risk of developing an eating disorder is genetic. School counselors concerned about a student’s eating behaviors may want to inquire about the student’s family history to have a better understanding of the situation.

3.    Be aware of the risk of eating disorders in athletics. Sports and athletics are often an influential part of a student’s afterschool life. Competitive, weight-focused sports such as wrestling or gymnastics could take a negative turn for someone genetically predisposed to an eating disorder. Teachers and coaches should take note of student athletes and be aware if their eating behaviors change drastically—often as an attempt to improve performance.

4.    Intervene when it matters most. If you’re concerned your student may have an eating disorder, approach him or her in a way that minimizes disruption and focuses on the student’s behaviors and classroom performance rather than on his or her weight and eating habits. For example, “I’ve noticed your attention to schoolwork isn’t where it used to be; you’re a valuable part of our class and I’m concerned.”

5.    Eating disorders resources are available. Across the country, treatment centers offer a variety of programs for students in school who are struggling with eating disorders or body image issues. Many treatment centers also offer eating disorders resources for friends, family members and loved ones to help them understand these diseases.

Teachers and counselors should also be aware of their own behaviors while at school and use them to help promote healthy body images in their students. Be conscious of setting a good example by avoiding diet drinks in lieu of healthy lunches at school, negative body image talk and comments either about yourself or others, and discussions of “good” or “bad” foods.

Comment below with any questions you have or visit Eating Recovery Center’s website to confidentially chat with a member of the Intake Team for more eating disorders information.