Redefining Body Image

NCBI Missoula presents "Redefining Body Image", a free eight week workshop series sponsored by the UM Women's Resource Center. The first workshop session will be on Tuesday, February 23 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm in the UC, and will continue weekly for eight weeks. Space is limited - please contact Kelly McGuire at (406)274-0787 or kelly@ncbimissoula.org to register.

Our society’s obsession with restrictive beauty ideals has resulted in high rates of disordered eating, yo-yo dieting, and billions of dollars spent on plastic surgery and beauty products. The sexualized objectification of women is pervasive in Western society and creates a sense of isolation and powerlessness for many women, reducing their ability to be strong, productive citizens and leaders. Media messages have instituted an atmosphere of jealousy and mean-spirited competition among women, limiting their ability to be allies to one another.

This workshop series seeks to empower self-identified women to feel appreciative of their bodies, whatever size or shape it may be, and to strengthen women's abilities to be allies to one another. Participants will:

• Have a safe space for their struggles with body image be heard and validated
• Learn about and discuss the impact of media messages regarding cultural beauty ideals
• Learn and practice skills to resist persuasive media messages in order to create our own definitions of beauty
• Discuss the ways that media messages contribute to disordered eating and find ways to reduce disordered eating patterns
• Explore the concept of body-talk, thereby reducing negative body-talk and replacing it with positive body-talk
• Identify new strategies of body acceptance, and ways to develop a deep appreciation of our body
• Learn and practice skills to interrupt sexism and negative body-talk in the community