Hello everyone,
I will be using the following activity with my Girls Group to help them identify positive aspects of their appearances but this can be used with anyone in a therapeutic setting who presents with body image disturbances:
Take 26 slips of paper and write a letter of the alphabet on each one
Place all slips of paper in a small container
In a group setting, pass around the container and have each member take at least 2 pieces of paper (depending on the size of the group, could be less or more). For the letter on the piece of paper the member must name something positive about their appearance that begins with that letter. Group leader can also participate to serve as a role model for the group.
For individual therapeutic sessions, do the activity the same as for the group therapy setting, however, you could have the individual try to name something positive about themselves for each letter of the alphabet or you and your client could take turns choosing a letter from the cup. This way you can act as a role model in helping client identify positive aspects of their image.
Let me know how it works!
Rachel
Rachel! Thanks for sharing this exercise! I'm definitely going to tweak this and use it with teachers for a class I'm teaching next summer!
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if you might also have a favorite book on girls' body image? Looking for something that might prompt rich discussions with adults about girl culture specifically related to body image.
Let me know how it works out for you and how you are able to tweak it for the class you are teaching.
ReplyDeleteCheck out the latest post on this blog for a list of references with books specific to girls, many of which cover the issue of body image. In particular pay attention the the book, Challenging the Barbie Doll Syndrome.