OBU fosters body positivity with annual project

BY KAELIN CLAY Staff Writer

Ouachita has adopted a female body positivity program known as the Body Project. The group started meeting together on Feb. 21 and will meet every Tuesday through March 14. The program is a result of clinical research related to the excessive number of eating disorders facing society. The program provides exercises and conversations surrounding the harmful pressure of body image issues facing many young women today. The program sheds light on education and provides tactics for women to improve their well-being.

Eating disorders are a widespread epidemic that causes damaging and unhealthy eating habits.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, 28.8 million Americans are face eating disorders and is the second highest mortality rate compared to all other mental health disorders.

“People with negative body image have a greater likelihood of developing an eating disorder and are more likely to suffer from feelings of depression, isolation, low self-esteem and obsessions with weight loss,” their website says.

Ouachita students share common ground with many other Ameri- cans, and because of this, the need for the Body Project exists not only at Ouachita but across America. Ouachita campus counselor and co-leader of the program, Sue Poole, recognizes the need for this program on Ouachita’s campus.

“We noticed that many OBU students who seek counseling services reported struggles with negative body image,” Poole said. “It’s so prevalent all around us so it’s no surprise that our students feel those pressures that lead to negative body image and the subsequent anxiety and depression around that.”

The Body Project focuses on five main goals and has gained a positive response from its participants.

“I haven’t collected any hard data on our students who’ve attended the groups, but the students who attend do so with enthusiasm and the vast majority tell us that completing this group was very helpful to them,” Poole said. “The format is open discussion, roleplay, writing and other activities guided by the group facilitators with these goals: define the appearance ideal and explore its origin; examine the costs of pursuing this ideal; explore ways to resist pressures to conform to an appearance ideal; learn how to challenge our body-related concerns and cultural pressures for thinness; learn new ways to talk more positively about our bodies.”

The four-week afternoon program has taken place annually since 2019. Because of both the response and the need, the project is not intended to end in the coming years.

“We started offering the group in fall 2019 and have offered it once or twice every academic year since,” Poole said. “I plan to continue to offer it at least once every academic year. The need is there and not likely to end any time soon.”

For more information about the Body Project, all interested students can contact Sue Poole by email at poolesw@obu.edu.