Project Spotlight:The Body Project

By Johanna Ohm     9/14/11 7:00pm

Tucked away in the corner of campus, the Wellness Center prepares for the return of the Body Project: a series of group-based discussion sessions aimed at tackling issues of women's self esteem.  

Maria Tsakalis, a registered dietitian at the Wellness Center, heads the project, which is now in its third year.

"We've had really positive feedback in the past, and I'm excited to start this semester," Tsakalis said. "I can see the project changes the way in which people think about their bodies, giving women exercises and an open floor to start changing the way they feel about their bodies."

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The project consists of a series of weekly meetings among a small group of 10 to 12 participants. The discussions are led by Tsakalis and co-facilitator Salima Kahn, a registered psychologist.  

The group will meet for four consecutive weeks starting today at 11 a.m. and as of Wednesday, there were still available spots for interested members.

The Body Project, though co-sponsored by the Wellness and Counseling Centers, is not a homegrown Rice project, but is a country-wide initiative to help increase women's self esteem on campuses. The project was created by University of Texas Psychology Professor Eric Stice.

"Using a pre-written program is really great because we know the evidence that it works for the majority of people," Tsakalis said.  "It's been tested — we know it helps."

The weekly meetings are discussion based and involve exercises revolving around different topics related to body image and self esteem. Exercises like the "no fat" talk and take home assignments to confidently look in the mirror, address areas of weakness where many women would like to seek improvement. But according to Tsakalis, the strength of the program lies in the discussions themselves.

"Sometimes a lot of confidential, emotional feelings come out," she said.

Tsakalis sees the Body Project as a support group for women to foster higher confidence in a society where what the media promotes and what social pressures impose on many women can sometimes be demoralizing to women uncomfortable with their body types.

"It's difficult to find a good support group, but here we all sort of bond," she said. "We share a lot of emotional bonds and we create new friendships."

Tsakalis holds the hope that the project can serve as a launching pad for greater women's resources on campus. In the future, she wants people who have participated in the project or who are interested in this type of support group can start a new support group that meets more reguaarly than the once-a-semester Body Project.

"I want it to be student-led and open to people struggling with eating disorders or body image," Tsakalis said.

She hopes that the group could start in conjunction with Love Your Body month this coming February. The group has been successful thus far with Tsakalis citing that she has had lots of positive feedback from past participants.

"I felt completely comfortable and inspired to discuss things that I might not otherwise," said one former student, who is now cited on the project brochure.

Despite the success, Tsakalis sees the weakness in the project's advertising.

"For me, the hardest part is getting the word out," she said.  

Tsakalis decided to open up the program to graduate students as well, in order to gather more participants. She also has incentivized participation in the program by offering participants $20 in Wellness Bucks.

Even for those who will not be participating this semester, Tsakalis urges students to follow her motto of changing lifestyle habits rather than setting goals in the short term. More information can be found on the Wellness Center website at http://wellness.rice.edu. Questions regarding the Body Project can be directed to Tsakalis via email at nutrition@rice.edu.

 

"Project Spotlight" is a weekly feature that looks at student projects that are making a difference in the Rice community.

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