June 2011 Archive
How do we connect in an appearance driven world?
06.27.11
I read a fabulous article this morning in the Huffington Post that inspired me to write my own blog post today! The article discusses how important it is to focus on the mind rather than beauty or clothing when interacting with young girls.
We are used to immediately saying “You are so pretty!” or “What a beautiful dress!” when encountering a young girl. After all, those are responses to our observations–and let’s admit, little girls ARE pretty cute! But, what message is that sending? Sure, we can play devil’s advocate and say we are building self-esteem and making the little girl feel good. However, is that what is most important? Do we want to place emphasis on girls’ appearance and promote this as source of esteem? Why not focus on the things they like to do, how school is going, or the kind of person they are?
By shifting the focus from external to internal we are fostering deeper connections and also promoting the notion of what is really important. It’s a way of shifting our societal perception one conversation at a time.
I ask my clients to do this all of the time, either by reflecting on their own inner qualities versus focusing on appearance or by complimenting and acknowledging others internal traits versus how they look. Hey, maybe if we get used to treating others in such a way it will become easier to do it for ourselves.
Share your thoughts or experiences. Have you interacted with others in this way? How have people responded? How did it feel?
New Study Links Eating Disorder History with Depression in Pregnancy
06.16.11
A new study conducted at University of North Carolina found three psychiatric factors contributed to women’s likelihood of developing depression during pregnancy. These factors included physical abuse, sexual abuse and a history of eating disorders. The researchers surveyed 158 pregnant and postpartum women undergoing treatment for depression at UNC’s Perinatal Psychiatry Clinic. One-third of the patients reported a history of eating disorders; in addition, many had a history of physical or sexual abuse. Read the full article here: http://tinyurl.com/3k79man.
Pregnancy and eating disorders is a little researched topic and one I have been reading a lot about lately. I would love to learn more for an upcoming project. Please consider sharing your story, whether pregnancy was a positive experience or a difficult one related to your history of an eating disorder. Please contact me at kvazzano@mindfullness.com
Bariatric Surgery and Eating Disorders
06.14.11
Binge Eating Disorder Association’s founder, Chevese Turner, shared her story of lapband surgery this week with ABC news. Read the article here. The article sheds a lot of light on how procedures such as lapband and bariatric surgery often represent a solution to those who seek them, a desperate attempt to address problems related to emotional and/or binge eating. However, the surgery does not solve the underlying issue of why someone is eating or address the purpose the eating serves–almost always a way of coping. After the surgery, people are left seeking a way to comfort themselves without knowing what else to do, and often the eating disorder intensifies or manifests into a different form.
Share your thoughts and experiences on this very important topic here!
Improving Body Image Series 5 of 5
06.06.11
Close your eyes…imagine what would it be like to walk into a party or a store without any worries about how you looked or how others perceived you. What would this feel like? How would you act differently? What would be different?
Open your eyes! Can you go do this very thing? Try going somewhere acting as though you loved your body and had complete faith in how you looked and in what your body is able to do for you. Notice not only how different it feels for you but observe the change in how others respond to you.