Body Image and Self Esteem


Body Image and Self Esteem

Surrounded by images of the "perfect woman" and tremendous peer pressure to stay thin, the self-esteem of young girls is at risk. Join us for an honest look at what young adolescent girls are saying and feeling, and a therapist's advice about what parents can do to make them feel good about themselves.

Guests:

  • Justine Gallagher - 11 Years old
  • Yvonne Gallager - Justine's mother
  • Nancy Kolodny, LCSW - Therapist
  • Julia Ward - 12 years old
  • Dominique Bandoo - 11 years old

Guest Credentials:            

Nancy Kolodny, LCSW

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker
  • Full Member, Academy for Eating Disorders
  • Author, When Food's a Foe: How to Confront and Conquer Eating Disorders

Tips: HOW TO BUILD SELF ESTEEM IN YOUR DAUGHTER

  • Pass a journal back and forth to exchange thoughts and ask questions like: what do you like best about yourself; what do you think I like best about you?
  • Be an "askable" parent: be accessible, open, without a hint of criticism of the child.
  • Spend time together, one-on-one. It's a huge esteem builder. Let the daughter plan the day (even with a budget to spend as she pleases)
  • Go grocery shopping: have your daughter plan and execute family dinner, even if it's a "sugar-shock" event.

Resources:

RECOMMENDED READING:

Joan Jacobs Brumberg: The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls

Esther Drill, Heather McDonald, and Rebecca Odes: Deal with It: A Whole New Approach to Your Body, Brain, and Life as a Gurl!

Marya Hornbacher: Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia

Peggy Orenstein: SchoolGirls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap

Mary Pipher: Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls

WEBSITES:

Gurl.com: http://www.gurl.com/

Body Positive: http://www.bodypositive.com/

About-Face: http://www.about-face.org/

GirlPower: www.girlpower.gov/girlarea/bodywise


If you or someone you know has specific health issues related to children and would like to suggest them as topics for the show, please click here.