Meghan Zimbler
Staff Writer
From the week of Feb. 24 to March 2, Springfield College hosted Love Your Body Week for all students on campus. The week was filled with different events to help the student body feel comfortable in their own skin.
It was not a coincidence that this week was also National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, because this is just Springfield College’s way of recognizing it.
SC’s Campus Recreation staff hosted a series of programs that discussed body image, eating and exercise disorders.
“We try to really focus on body image and loving who you are and what your body is for what it is,” said Nicole Bihler, the health educator on campus.
The series of events included a showing of the documentary Thin, a powerful film that followed four women in an eating disorder treatment facility. They also had events such as, Body Awareness Yoga, Mindful Eating for a Healthy Body with Stacy Garvey and a book reading with eating disorder specialist, Annette Aberdale-Kendra.
Aberdale-Kendra is a registered nurse and certified clinical aromatherapist who has been in many community-based initiatives to increase the awareness and support regarding eating disorders.
One more thing that really stood out was the PAWS group on campus, which made a life-sized Barbie doll that was based off the Hamilton College students model of Barbie with the exact measurements.
The doll was designed to portray what the toy would look like in real life. If Barbie were a real person, she would have a 39-inch bust, an 18-inch waist, and 33-inch hips and would also be a size double zero.
Unrealistic, right?
“You’re trying to get people to [be] aware of how much body image and self-reflection [matters]. How we look and how much that impacts us on a level from fairly minor levels of distress, to major levels of distress,” said Brian Krylowicz, the director of the Counseling Center at Springfield College. His department was also involved with Love Your Body Week.
The psychology part of this is essential due to the insecurities in this society.
“We all have our insecurities. Does it disrupt your way of being?” asked Krylowicz. “We are here to help people with the destructive methods and eliminate them.”
With Springfield College putting such an emphasis on spirit, mind and body, the last dimension definitely has to be recognized.
This week was very successful, and the people who went to the events truly benefited.
“A lot of questions were asked,” said Bihler. “You can tell people were actually engaged.”
Love Your Body Week will return to the Springfield College campus next spring with different events and more educational health tips.