Author Archive

Eating Disorders Thriving

Posted by on

Increasing Number of Eating Disorders

The CEDRIC Centre, (Community Eating Disorders and Related Issues Counselling), stoll serves Victoria but has made Vancouver our home base, located at 1149 west 38th Avenue, Vancouver, V6M1R4 . The phone number and internet contact information remains the same, (250-383-0797, toll free: 866-383-0797, www.cedriccentre.com). Although Michelle Morand, MA, RCC, Director and Founder of The CEDRIC Centre still comes to Victoria to see clients, she has set up our new centre to counsel people in Vancouver as well.  Our counsellor Dawn Cox counsels clients just in Victoria.  Our expansion is a direct indication that eating disorders continue to thrive in Victoria and beyond and that there is an increasing number of eating disorders cases. Recent research into eating disorders shows that instead of becoming less common, more and more people are adopting disordered eating as a coping mechanism. And, recent emphasis on the obesity crisis may in fact increase the amount of diagnosed eating disorders over the next few years, as more emphasis is placed on slenderness. “The incidence of eating disorders has doubled since the 1960s and is increasing in younger age groups, in children as young as seven,” Morand said. “Forty percent of 9-year-old girls have dieted and even 5-year-olds are concerned about diet.” Morand says, “Ultimately, I hope that one day there will be no need for organizations such as ours, that all eating disorders will be a thing of the past. But in the meantime, there’s a demand for our services, and we’re glad to provide them.” The CEDRIC Centre specializes in eating disorders, and related issues such as anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. All our counsellors have recovered from an eating disorder, and possess the skills and expertise to provide our clients with the tools and support they need to create lasting change.  

Posted in: News Release

Leave a Comment (0) →

This Is BEAUTIFUL!

Posted by on Seattle photographer Amanda Koster and The CEDRIC Centre are putting out a call for women on Vancouver Island of all ages, shapes, sizes, colors, and abilities to participate in This is Beautiful , a photo shoot and video interview, August 21st & 22nd . Participants in the Victoria shoot will pose in the nude and take part in interviews, as part of a documentary and book on the project. Koster will return to Victoria in the New Year, and re-team with The Centre to exhibit the photos for the general public at a gallery space in Victoria. Koster, a professional photographer, started This is Beautiful in 2001, “I work in the media and wanted to contribute with images that I think are beautiful, in addition to those that are already out there. I want to show the beauty in every body.” This is Beautiful aims to create a dialogue about women’s bodies and the lack of realistic images of women in media, a critical factor in the rise of eating disorders and distorted body image. Michelle Morand, director and founder of The CEDRIC Centre, an eating disorder counselling centre, says, “Women of all ages are under incredible pressure to strive towards an arbitrary physical ideal, and it’s up to all of us to counter those messages with positive images that celebrate all women as beautiful.” Backgrounder for Amanda Koster Amanda Koster is a documentary photographer based in Seattle. Besides shooting for national magazines and NGOs/non profits around the world, writing, and videography she gives equal energy to her personal projects that orbit socially conscience ideas. Amanda picked up a camera to get an edge on her fellow anthropology students at university in and hasn’t put it down since. “I want to teach through photography, a medium whose only requirement to appreciate is to see. I want to give this planet the perspective that life and the world is an incredible and very precious thing.” She is a graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, with a Bachelors degree in Art History and Anthropology and studied at the International Center for Photography New York City. Photography/media training: -911 Media Arts: Digital Video shooting and editing: 2003. – Santa Fe Photography Workshops: master workshops, 2002-3. – Coupeville Art Center , ( Whidbey Island , WA ): master workshops, 2000-01. -Maine Photography Workshops ( Camden , Maine ): Master photography workshops 1997-98. -International Center of Photography (ICP), NYC: Documentary, portrait, photojournalism courses, 1994-96. -Creative Arts Workshop, New Haven , CT : basic to advanced photography 1992-94. -Media Arts Center ( New Haven , CT ): basic to advanced PhotoShop. -Citizens Television ( New Haven , CT ): video/television production courses 1994. Teacher: -2004 Teacher/mentor and only photographer on education curriculum committee: Bridges (www.bridgesweb.org). Spearhead first African site in Takaungu , Kenya : train Peace Corps volunteer and collaborate with UN, “Cyber School Bus”. Teach students digital photography, web site creation and internet communication to partner with schools in USA and worldwide. -2003, 11/03: invited speaker and presenter for Popular Photography Magazine’s national “Digital Days” workshops. -Photographic Center Northwest ( Seattle ), photography instructor for adults, 1998-present. -InsightYouth: photography program for youth-at-risk, Photographic Center Northwest, 1999. -City of Bellevue (WA), ‘Shutterbugs’, photography mentor for adolescents, 2000-present. -Creative Arts Workshop (CT), photo instructor for adults, 1995-98. -‘Looking Out, Looking In’, photographic mentor program for mentally and physically disabled adults with a national traveling exhibition, 1997. -‘LEAP’ program, ‘Hotshots’, a photo program for youth-at-risk, 1996-7. -’13 Camps’, photo program for elementary students, CT, 1996. Select projects: -Editorial photographer for over 20 regional and national magazines -“AIDS Is Knocking”, still and video documentary and interviews of AIDS orphans and widows in Kenya. -“Faces And Voices”, Shoreline Community College, documentary project of immigrants and refugees for the purpose of creating new ethnography, anthropology, sociology course curriculum, publications and presentations, funded by the Department of Education (F.I.P.S.E. grant). -‘This Is Beautiful’, Seattle based photography project focusing on women’s body issues. Exhibited: Hugo House (Seattle), Frye Art Museum , Theatre Off Jackson. Permanent acquisition by the American Cancer Society. -Doctors Without Borders: Documented a pre and post maternal health post in Rio de Janeiro. – National Museum for Women: International traveling exhibition about domestic violence, for the international year of the women. Exhibition began in Beijing , toured the world concluding at the National Museum for Women, Washington DC. The CEDRIC Centre Backgrounder The CEDRIC Centre, (Community Eating Disorder and Related Issues Counselling), specializes in the treatment of clinical eating disorders, sub-clinical disordered eating patterns, and related issues such as anxiety, depression, and distorted body image. Their counselors provide bodywork, group, and individual counselling, as well as community outreach presentations for schools, educators, and health professionals. All of The CEDRIC Centre’s counsellors have long standing recovery from an eating disorder, and are proud to have facilitated the recovery of hundreds of men and women in Victoria , BC and beyond. The CEDRIC Centre was founded by director Michelle Morand MA, February 18 th 2001 . Morand started The Centre due to her own experiences as a compulsive eater. She recovered over a decade ago, and went on to earn her Masters in Counselling Psychology from Gonzaga University in 2002, and is now a Registered Clinical Counsellor. In January 2004, Michelle was nominated as YM/WCA Women of Distinction in the Community Legacy category. In addition to her work at The Centre, Morand is currently writing a book that details her experiences with disordered eating. The book incorporates a decades worth of wisdom and professional experience and will allow readers to experience freedom from their own disordered eating patterns. The CEDRIC Centre uses a multi dimensional approach to recovery. They provide group and individual counselling, complemented by supportive office staff, a resource library, newsletter, and a yearly retreat. They also recognize the need for an integrated, holistic approach to recovery. And to meet this need they offer Zero Balancing bodywork in addition to traditional cognitive behavioral therapy, for an integration of both body and mind. Why do we need This is Beautiful?
  • Fewer than half of female students (43%) are satisfied with their appearance. Satisfaction decreases with age among girls, from 50% who are satisfied at age 13, to 41% at 15 and 17. (Healthy Youth Development, 2003 Adolescent Health Survey III, The McCreary Centre Society, 2004)
  • 49% of girls and 14% of boys reported that they used dieting to lose weight in the previous year (Healthy Youth Development, 2003 Adolescent Health Survey III, The McCreary Centre Society, 2004)
  • More than 17 % of high-school girls in B.C. suffer from some form of eating disorder. About 8 % of males are affected (Dr. Laird Birmingham, Provincial Director, St. Paul’s Eating Disorder Program as quoted in The Vancouver Sun, February 5, 2004)
  • In 2002/2003, there were 110 Referrals to the Eating Disorders Program at BC Children’s Hospital. 11.8% of those referred were in from the Vancouver Island Health Authority. 90% of those referred were female. Mean age at referral 14 yrs. 8 months.
  • There were 42 admissions into the Intensive Treatment Service at BC Children’s Hospital Eating Disorders Program. Average length of stay is 104 days.
  • 37% of Canadian females age 11, 42% of Canadian females age 13 and 48% of Canadian females age 15 say they need to lose weight (Health and Welfare Canada (1992). The Health of Canada’s youth, views and behaviors of 11-13-and-15-year-olds from 11 countries. Ottawa ON : Minister of Supply and Services H39-239/1993.).
  • 52% of girls begin dieting before age 14 (Johnson et al. (1984). Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 13.).
  • 17% of girls aged 12-18 years self reported substantial disordered eating patterns (National Institute of Health, Toronto )
  • The fear of being fat is so overwhelming that young girls have indicated in surveys that they are more afraid of becoming fat than they are of cancer, nuclear war, or losing their parents (Berzins, l. (1997). Dying to be thin: the prevention of eating disorders and the role of federal policy. APA co-sponsored congressional briefing. USA. ).
  • Eating Disorders have the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses. The mortality (death) rate for eating disorders is approximately 18% in 20-year studies, and 20% in 30-year follow up studies. The annual death rate associated with anorexia is more than 12 times higher than the annual death rate due to all other causes combined for females between 15 and 24 years old (Cavanaugh, C. (1999). What we know about eating disorders: facts and statistics. In lemberg, Raymond, & Cohn (Eds.), Eating disorders: A reference sourcebook. Phoenix , AZ.: Oryx Press; SuHivan P.F. (1995). Mortality in anorexia nervosa. American Journal of Psychiatry, 152(7), 1073 – 1074.).
  • Approximately 3% of women will be affected by an eating disorder during their lifetime. (Health canada , A report on Mental Illnesses in Canada , 2002)
  • 52% of female students in BC are trying to lose weight and 27% of male students are trying to gain weight (The McCreary Centre Society’s 1999 pubtication Healthy Connections: listening to BC Youth)
  • Factors believed to contribute to eating disorders include biological and personal factors as well as society’s promotion of the thin body image. (Health Canada , A report on Mental Illnesses in Canada , 2002)
  • “Children and youth pay attention to social messages of who is acceptable and who is not…In discussions with children and youth across North America, weight was the most cited reason for victimization – by peers and adults alike.” (Beyond the Hurt: Preventing Bullying and Harassment, RespectEd Violence & Abuse Prevention, 2002).
  • Eating disorders carry with them a high risk of other mental and physical illnesses that can lead to death. (Health Canada , A report on Mental Illnesses in Canada , 2002)
  • Since 1987, hospitalizations for eating disorders in general hospitals have increased by 34% among young women under the age of 15 and by 29% among 15-24 year olds. (Health Canada , A report on Mental Illnesses in Canada , 2002)
  • Men are often forgotten because their eating disorder goes undiagnosed, yet about one in ten men is affected with bulimia (Bitomsky, (2002). Men often untreated for eating disorders. The Medical Post, 38(37).).
  • In a study in Ontario of 2483 female students; significant symptoms of eating disorders and binging and purging, or both, were reported by 27% of girls aged 12-18 years. Dieting was the most prevalent weight-loss behavior, also common was other unhealthy weight-Joss behaviors such as self-induced vomiting (Jones, Bennett, Olmsted, Lawson, & Rodin, (2001). Disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in teenaged girls: a school- based study. CMAJ, 165(5),542 – 552.).
 

Posted in: News

Leave a Comment (0) →

Mary Kate Olsen Needs Empathy and Support

Posted by on Mary Kate Olsen, one of the Olsen twins, is battling anorexia nervosa, has thrown the spotlight again on the sometimes deadly eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa primarily affects young women in their teens and early 20s, characterized by a pathological fear of weight gain and leading to faulty eating patterns, malnutrition, and usually excessive weight loss. Michelle Morand, director and founder of The CEDRIC Centre, (Community Eating Disorders and Related Issues Counselling), hopes the family knows, ” Anorexia is a very complex and challenging issue, and it can be overcome and left behind for good.” “There are many possible reasons why Mary Kate Olsen may turn to food as a coping strategy. The most important thing in this situation is that Mary Kate knows that full recovery is possible and that she is given ample time, space, and understanding by the people closest to her, and by the media, to explore the underlying reasons for her behaviour, and to make changes that will be lasting and most importantly, life enhancing.” The CEDRIC Centre specializes in eating disorders, and related issues such as anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. All our counsellors have recovered from an eating disorder, and possess the skills and expertise to provide our clients with the tools and support they need to create lasting change.  

Posted in: News

Leave a Comment (0) →

Vegetarianism – The Politically Correct Eating Disorder

Posted by on For Immediate Release

When clients come to The CEDRIC Centre, an eating disorder counselling centre in Victoria , BC , the first creature to greet them is invariably a small black and white dog named Runkie. Amongst The Centre’s clientele, Runkie is well known for his affectionate nature, and many find his presence a major draw during their recovery from an eating disorder.

Michelle Morand, founder and director of The Cedric Centre says, “For most people with eating disorders, depression is a key component. And while it’s well documented that companion animals positively impact depression, there haven’t been any formal studies conducted about companion animals and eating disorders, but the connection seems obvious to us here at The Centre. Clients coming here can feel very vulnerable, whether they’re new clients, or in the middle of working on some pretty big pieces. But Runkie helps people relax, his presence creates a sense of safety.”

Morand explains Runkie’s role, “Clients can choose to make Runkie as much or as little a part of their process as they feel comfortable with. He can provide a warm, soothing presence in sessions, or just be there for a visit before and after.”

So far, The Centre has received nothing but extremely positive feedback about Runkie. “His presence adds to the welcoming environment we strive to create.” Runkie helps people open up. He gives new clients a common interest and a focus for conversation. “He doesn’t care how you look, how much you weigh, or why you’re here. He just wants to be your friend,” Morand says. “And that kind of unconditional love is a powerful part of recovery.”

The CEDRIC, (Community Eating Disorder and Related Issues Counselling), Centre specializes in the treatment of clinical eating disorders, sub-clinical disordered eating patterns, and related issues such as anxiety, depression, and distorted body image. Their counselors provide bodywork, group, and individual counselling, as well as community outreach presentations for schools, educators, and health professionals. All of The CEDRIC Centre’s counsellors have long standing recovery from an eating disorder, and are proud to have facilitated the recovery of hundreds of men and women in Victoria , BC and beyond.

 

Posted in: News

Leave a Comment (0) →

Not Another New Year’s Resolution

Posted by on Weight Loss Resolutions. It is predicted that more than three-quarters of all women between the ages of 25 and 54 make diet and weight-loss resolutions each year, according to a nationwide survey sponsored by Gardenburger Inc. Nearly nine out of ten respondents reported only occasional or no success, while almost half lost little or actually gained weight instead, the survey found. Deb P., a CEDRIC Centre client puts it this way, “I didn’t realize I had an actual eating disorder, I just thought I had no will power and liked food too much. My work with The CEDRIC Centre has made it possible for me stop sticking a band-aid on the problem with constant diets, and start taking myself, and my needs, seriously.” The CEDRIC Centre, (Community Eating Disorder and Related Issues Counselling), specializes in the treatment of clinical eating disorders, sub-clinical disordered eating patterns, and related issues such as anxiety, depression, and distorted body image. Their counselors provide bodywork, group, and individual counselling, as well as community outreach presentations for schools, educators, and health professionals. All of The CEDRIC Centre’s counsellors have long standing recovery from an eating disorder, and are proud to have facilitated the recovery of hundreds of men and women in Victoria , BC and beyond.  

Posted in: News Release

Leave a Comment (0) →

Not Another New Year’s Resolution

Posted by on

For Immediate Release

It is predicted that more than three-quarters of all women between the ages of 25 and 54 make diet and weight-loss resolutions each year, according to a nationwide survey sponsored by Gardenburger Inc. Nearly nine out of ten respondents reported only occasional or no success, while almost half lost little or actually gained weight instead, the survey found.

Deb P., a CEDRIC Centre client puts it this way, "I didn’t realize I had an actual eating disorder, I just thought I had no will power and liked food too much. My work with The CEDRIC Centre has made it possible for me stop sticking a band-aid on the problem with constant diets, and start taking myself, and my needs, seriously."

The CEDRIC Centre, (Community Eating Disorder and Related Issues Counselling), specializes in the treatment of clinical eating disorders, sub-clinical disordered eating patterns, and related issues such as anxiety, depression, and distorted body image. Their counselors provide bodywork, group, and individual counselling, as well as community outreach presentations for schools, educators, and health professionals. All of The CEDRIC Centre’s counsellors have long standing recovery from an eating disorder, and are proud to have facilitated the recovery of hundreds of men and women in Victoria , BC and beyond.


Posted in: News

Leave a Comment (0) →

How to Handle Holiday Stuffing

Posted by on How to Handle Holiday Overeating For Immediate Release Instead of worrying about weight gain and calories this season, Victoria , B.C. eating disorder expert Michelle Morand encourages people to enjoy the holidays guilt free as long as you know how to handle holiday overeating. “There’s a perception that a little overindulging during the holidays is so me how dangerous. The truth is people have used food as a focal point for celebration since the dawn of time and a balanced relationship with food includes some social feasting,” says Michelle Morand, director and founder of The CEDRIC Centre. “When we truly allow ourselves to eat as much as we’d like, of whatever we’d like, invariably, we end up eating less. So if you’re feeling especially out of control around food during the holidays, chances are food is an issue the rest of the year, too.” What is the difference between bingeing and eating a lot at Christmas? “I get asked that a lot,” Morand acknowledges. “The difference lies in how you feel afterwards: accepting and relaxed, or guilty and shameful? How often do you engage in overeating? If you overeat occasionally and can return to your normal eating patterns right away without guilt, then you’re probably experiencing a balanced relationship with food.” On the other hand, “If you’re eating consistently when you’re not hungry, and feel guilty and shameful afterwards, you’re likely experiencing disordered eating.” With increased family expectations, more responsibilities, and increased spending it’s only natural to feel stressed at this time of year. “During times of stress, people turn to food, drugs, alcohol, and/or chemical substances to cope with their stress,” says Morand. “These coping strategies remain very popular for an obvious reason: they work, at least in the short run. But using overeating as a coping mechanism prevents us from learning how to deal with the true causes of our problems. As a result, we get trapped in a dependence upon overeating, especially during high stress times, such as the holidays.”

It’s Good to Know How to Handle Holiday Overeating

The cure for overeating? “Ironically it’s the last thing most people would ever dream of,” says Morand. “Successful treatment of all eating disorders involves looking at the root issues, finding new, healthier and life enhancing ways of coping, and allowing ourselves to eat, without guilt or shame .” The CEDRIC, (Community Eating Disorder and Related Issues Counselling), Centre specializes in the treatment of clinical eating disorders, sub-clinical disordered eating patterns, and related issues such as anxiety, depression, and distorted body image. Their counsellors provide bodywork, group, and individual counselling, as well as community outreach presentations for schools, educators, and health professionals. All of The CEDRIC Centre’s counsellors have long standing recovery from an eating disorder, and are proud to have facilitated the recovery of hundreds of men and women in Victoria , BC and beyond. The CEDRIC Centre’s Holiday Stress Helper
  1. Create Realistic Expectations-don’t try to make this the “Perfect Holiday.”
  2. Learn to say no to extra obligations.
  3. Allow yourself to enjoy every bite-without guilt. Remember that all binges stem from feelings of restriction.
  4. Create a budget for gift spending-you are entitled to be financially secure.
  5. Ask for help when you feel overwhelmed.
  6. Spend ti me only with those who respect you and with whom you feel safe.
  7. Visualize how you’d like to feel during the holidays- peaceful, relaxed, etc. What needs to happen and what do you need to do to make that happen?
 

Posted in: News Release

Leave a Comment (0) →

Teen Diets Lead to Weight Gain and Eating Disorders

Posted by on Diets for Teens May Lead to Eating Disorders For Immediate Release According to recent research published in the U.S. medical journal, Pediatrics, diets for teens are three times more likely to become overweight than non-dieters. The study tracked the dieting habits of 16, 882 participants aged nine to 14 over three years. It found that dieters gained more weight than those who did not. Dieters were also far more likely to binge eat and girls who dieted less often gained slightly less weight, but still significantly more than non-dieters. “Essentially,” says Michelle Morand, Founder and Director of The CEDRIC Centre, “The study found that all dieting is counterproductive – children who dieted gained more, not less weight than non-dieters.” Morand, a recovered binge eater who now counsels others, isn’t surprised with the results. “When we imagine someone with an eating disorder, we think of a young woman with severe anorexia, and it’s easy to associate that image with extreme dieting. However, it’s harder to see the link between dieting and binge eating, but it exists. In fact , binge eating is a natural response to a diet that should be expected by anyone who diets.” “Our culture is highly invested in the notion that diets work, to the tune of $33 billion a year,” Morand points out. “But 98% of diets fail, whether you’re 14 or 44.” In her work, Morand is seeing increasingly younger clients, and regularly receives calls and e-mail from parents of children who struggle with weight. “Dieting leads to a cycle of restrictive eating followed by bouts of overeating or binge eating. This is a natural, physiological response the body has perfected in response to starvation.” The fact that dieters were more likely to binge eat in the study than their non-dieting peers, supports this. “Without the diet, or a sense of restriction, there is no impetus to binge.” “The cure for eating disorders addresses the root causes,” Morand explains. “And if you suspect your child is eating for emotional reasons, dieting is definitely not the way to approach the situation.” She says, “The more we emphasize weight and appearance, the more our children will engage in eating disorders like binge eating.” The CEDRIC Centre, (Community Eating Disorder and Related Issues Counselling), specializes in the treatment of clinical eating disorders, sub-clinical disordered eating patterns, and related issues such as anxiety, depression, and distorted body image. Their registered clinical counselors provide bodywork, group, and individual counselling, as well as community outreach presentations for schools, educators, and health professionals. All of The CEDRIC Centre’s counsellors have recovered from an eating disorder, and are proud to have facilitated the recovery of hundreds of men and women in Victoria, BC and beyond.  

Posted in: News Release

Leave a Comment (0) →

Help Provided to Overeater

Posted by on Help for Overeaters and Chronic Dieters By Jennifer McLarty Victoria News Apr 06 2005 Aileen Pickard has waged war against her body for nearly 50 years. A compulsive over-eater and chronic dieter, the five-foot-two Salmon Arm resident has weighed as little as 115 pounds and as much as 250. In her darkest moment, she could eat a dozen doughnuts, a pint of ice cream and a loaf of bread and still not feel full. But last year, Pickard turned a corner after attending an emotional eating seminar hosted by Victoria ‘s Cedric Centre that there is help for overeaters. The workshop helped identify the underlying reasons for her pattern of bingeing and dieting, and point her in a new direction of healthy eating. “Food has always been a comfort – a friend. I used it to fill a void that really had nothing to do with eating at all,” said Pickard, 55. “When I went to the Cedric Centre that was my last attempt. At first I didn’t believe what I was being told – that I could give up dieting. But I was willing to listen because nothing else had worked.” The emotional eating seminar, facilitated by Cedric Centre founder Michelle Morand, will run again this weekend, April 8 to 10, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Its focus is helping women get to the root of their destructive eating habits, and teaching them that food isn’t the real problem. Morand subscribes to the theory of natural eating – consuming what you want until you’re full, then letting your body find its own unmanipulated weight. The concept can be tough to swallow for many women. But according to Morand, positive change is fleeting until the binge-diet cycle is broken. “Many of our clients have spent years trying to treat their unbalanced relationship with food by using diets, only to find they gain more weight and become more unhappy with their bodies,” said Morand. “Are you tired of dieting? Are you tired of feeling bad about your body? Do you have an unhealthy relationship with food that doesn’t meet the criteria of a clinical eating disorder? Then this would be an appropriate seminar for you.” One year after attending the Cedric Centre workshop, Pickard has made peace with her body and started to lose weight. She credits the Cedric Centre with her breakthrough, along with the discovery her weight problem has been exacerbated by a lazy thyroid. She is now on medication, and practicing natural eating. “When I’m in a stressful situation, I don’t even think about food now, which is a huge improvement for me,” said Pickard. “It’s still early days, but I I’m listening to my body and I feel I’ve really turned a corner. So, it is true that there is help for overeaters being provided, its just a matter of knowing where to look and whom to ask. “It’s a momentous step in what’s been a lifelong journey.”  

Posted in: News

Leave a Comment (0) →

Naked Truths

Posted by on by, Caroline Skelton, staff writer Times Colonist, August 27th, 2004

This is Beautiful project celebrates women’s relationship with their body

As I write this, I am a size six. Maybe an eight. About a 30 around one place, 34 around another, and about 130 when I’m standing on our twitchy bathroom scale. But last Sunday, I and 16 other women weren’t any numbers at all. We had no clothes to define our size, and no critics to point out our rolls or scars or fading tattoos. And because we had no one to tell us otherwise, in the cocoon of the Lynda Raino studio we felt beautiful, just as we were. We were just 17 of the 175 Victoria women who responded to Seattle photographer Amanda Koster’s call for participants in the first Canadian location of the This is Beautiful project. Now on its third location (there are two locations in Seattle), Koster’s project draws together female participants of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds for a nude photo shoot and following gallery exhibition. Her hope is to send these photos blazing into North American society, pushing the images of normal women into the cultural mainstream. Eventually, she hopes to produce calendars, a documentary and a book of her images. In the age of twiggy supermodels and reality shows that carve normal bodies into walking Barbies, Koster says many women are getting fed up. “They’re so ready to let go of all their body issues,” she says. She hears from the women in This is Beautiful, “I’m here and I’m alive and I’m existing, and why am I not in my own culture?” The CEDRIC Centre, a community eating disorder counselling centre in Victoria, invited Koster to visit after seeing her in an interview with Q13 Fox news in Seattle. “There’s such a lack of real images of women’s bodies out there,” said Brooke Finnigan, communications and administrative co- ordinator for the centre. And for many women, these images help to “create an unbalanced women’s relationship with their body.” “We all have to learn the hard way that we’re fine just the way that we are.” The women, who asked not to be identified by name, trickled in Sunday from a grab bag of lifestyles: Nurses, youth workers, media members, retirees, full-time mothers. One had terminal cancer, while another was pregnant, near her due date. Two brought their babies — another brought her sprightly four- year-old daughter. They all came for different reasons. For some, a violent past, sexual abuse, rape or eating disorder. For others, persistent struggles to love their bodies, despite worldly judgments. Koster, now 33, had experienced both rape and bulimia before the age of 21. But while in the studio, Koster asked us to dwell on the happy present, not sad pasts. Bring upbeat music, dance and have fun, she implored. When robes started falling Sunday morning, I retreated to the change room, where I spent as much time as possible. After a night of restless nervousness and too much coffee, the thought of shedding my teddy bear bathrobe had about as much appeal as jumping out the studio window. When I emerged, the bright studio was terrifyingly crowded with naked bodies. The women, leaning against the ballet bars and standing with crossed arms, looked like they were guests an awkward cocktail party. The question seemed to hang in the air: Where do you look when you’re talking to a naked woman? “Sorry-s” and “Pardon me-s” were audible as bumping into other women became a very personal encounter. The clock rolled toward noon, with Koster diving in and out of our makeshift social groups, camera snapping at, er, everything. But as the stereo blasted an eclectic mix of everything from the Jackson 5 to celebratory Indian music, a new feeling started to eclipse the terror of naked small talk. Women began comparing their bodies. “We have matching heart tattoos.” “Did that piercing hurt?” “Are we all innies?” Suddenly, differences became laughable — as inconsequential as zipper or button flies. Koster had warned me about this phenomenon. “Once we all get together and we take off our clothes and we’re standing there naked (we realize) ‘what’s the big deal?’ ” She says the photo shoots tap into something starving in untold numbers of women: Without clothing or props, they are somehow able to shed years of insecurities. “It’s really showing their bodies, and it’s just a total release for the women,” she says. “You can’t hide behind anything.” For many, removing one inhibition opened emotional floodgates. Some cried, while others told total strangers about years of inward terror — hating their bodies and feeling judged by the rest of the world. Others simply revelled in the joy of sudden release, twirling and jumping to the music. At a coffee shop later in the evening, Rita, Lynn and Barbara, who asked I only use their first names, looked back on the strange transformations. Growing up, Rita’s family constantly reminded her, “you shouldn’t laugh so loud, shouldn’t talk to much, shouldn’t eat that, shouldn’t wear that,” she says. In the second grade, she went to the hospital to treat a case of pneumonia and put on 15 pounds. Since then, she has grappled with her weight. “I’ve spent my entire life feeling less than,” she says. On Sunday, she says all these body image issues were momentarily gone. “It wasn’t about who had the least amount of stretch marks and who has the biggest boobs,” said Rita. “People were feeling free to be whoever they wanted. To be in the moment,” said Barbara. She says the setting let her dispense with fears and judgments — “all of the layers that all of us carry.” In the afternoon, Koster moved on to individual shots. Women chatted about dance classes at the YM-YWCA, or traded career ups and downs. Some cheered for those posing for pictures. As the women congregated for a final group shot, they pressed together, with no “sorry-s” and “pardon me-s.” And at that moment, a fateful CD shuffle produced an appropriate song. “It’s your thang, do what you wanna do,” blared from the stereo. One woman took this message to heart. Lynn hopped onto the window ledge, posing for cars and buses stopped for the traffic light at Yates and Douglas Street. Proudly, and without fear, she stood on the ledge, curling her biceps and lunging like a track star. The rest of us cheered. Later she confessed she was thinking, “I have nothing to hide.” When Koster had amassed over 150 e-mails from women interested in participating, she sent them all a questionnaire. One of the questions, she says, planted a seed in the minds of the recipients. “Describe your beautiful body,” she asked. The responses ranged from descriptions of cellulite to life stories. She chose participants for their diversity and enthusiasm — but some wrote back saying they no longer needed to be in the shoot. The question made them think about their bodies for the first time, and this was enough. “People participate (in This is Beautiful) on many levels,” says Koster. “By thinking about it, or by talking about it with someone else.” When she comes back in March to hang the exhibit, Koster hopes to do another shoot with the women who didn’t get a chance. But for now, she is intent on getting our 19 naked bodies out to the world. She says the women in This is Beautiful become aware, “I’m standing here and I’m OK … I feel support and I feel compassion,” even without cloth es, props, glamour lighting, or surgical nips and tucks. And Koster says, “my goal is for that feeling to resonate everywhere.” On the Web: Amandakoster.com thisisbeautiful.org (Copyright Times Colonist (Victoria) 2004)  

Posted in: News

Leave a Comment (0) →
Page 29 of 32 «...10202728293031...»