A Dissonance-Based Body Acceptance and Eating Disorder Prevention Program

I was trained by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) to deliver the Body Project Program. Being a certified facilitator allows me to go out into our community and help PUT AN END to eating disorder symptoms, minimize body dissatisfaction and challenge the appearance ideal.

This program was created by Dr. Eric Stice (UT Austin) and Dr. Carolyn Becker (Trinity University San Antonio) in 2012. Collectively, they have over 30 years of experience in testing and running the Body Project in a multitude of settings and with a variety of group facilitators.  To date, the Body Project has been used by numerous high schools and over 140 college campuses; it has been delivered to over 3.5 million girls and young women in 25 countries.

Research supports the use of the Body Project not only with those who have elevated body dissatisfaction, but also in more diverse groups of adolescent girls and young women that include those with lower levels of body dissatisfaction. Here is a link to a list of published studies: Body Project Publications

This particular program was designed for adolescent girls and young women, but alternative programs are currently in the works for other populations! Click here to learn about the development of programs such as More Than Muscles and PRIDE.

The Body Project program is structured to run for 4 – 1hr sessions (1 session per week for 4 weeks). We will meet as a group of 8 to 12 participants. During our sessions, I will guide the group through exercises that define and dismantle the appearance-ideal, discuss the reality of achieving this look, and challenge negative views we hold about ourselves. There will be home exercises that everyone must complete before attending the next session. These exercises will help raise new awareness about yourself, build on skills and concepts that are practiced in the groups, and represent opportunities to practice challenging peers, family members, and yourself in questioning the appearance-ideal. The sessions are cumulative, with each session building on what was learned and practiced in the previous session. Thus, attending all of the sessions and participating in the in-session and between-session exercises is very important.

What you get:

The tools to FIND YOUR VOICE and become an advocate for body acceptance.

A chance to CHALLENGE THE SYSTEM and CONFRONT STIGMA in a hands on, fun environment where we practice pushing back against unwanted body comments.

Permission to prioritize SELF-CARE. You will begin improving your body image, the first step to helping yourself and others and to having a positive impact in the body acceptance movement.

If you or someone you know in the 15 – 23 year old age range is interested in joining the next Body Project group, please submit your information in my “Contact Me” page and I will promptly respond!

Thanks for reading! Please feel free to share this page to help spread the word about this intervention program to stopping the development of disordered eating!

Yours in Service,

Elda Negrete