Full of Ourselves: A Wellness Program to Advance Girl Power, Health, And Leadership

160 Pages·2005·2.08 MB·English

by  Catherine Steiner-Adair Lisa Sjostrom

FULL OF OURSELVES
A Wellness Program to Advance
Girl Power, Health, and Leadership

FULL OF OURSELVES
A Wellness Program to Advance
Girl Power, Health, and Leadership
Catherine Steiner-Adair and Lisa Sjostrom
Teachers College, Columbia University
New York and London
The “Catch” icebreaker is used with permission of the Cambridge Prevention Coalition. The activity
originally appeared in CPC’s 7th Grade Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Prevention Unit.
“Body Statues” is based on the “Act Like a Lady/Act Like a Man” activity in Working It Out, a curriculum
published in conjunction with Take Our Daughters to Work Day, by Lisa Sjostrom (New York: Ms.
Foundation for Women, 1993).
“Tree of Strength” is based on the “Following Footsteps” activity in Working It Out, a curriculum published
in conjunction with Take Our Daughters to Work Day, by Lisa Sjostrom (New York: Ms. Foundation for
Women, 1993).
Published by Teachers College Press, 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
Copyright © 2006 by Teachers College, Columbia University
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage and retrieval system, without per-
mission from the publisher, except in the specifi c cases of the Full of Ourselves handouts, the Throw Your Weight
Around Guide for Girl Leaders, and the Throw Your Weight Around handouts, which may be photocopied by pur-
chasers of this book for individual use.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8077-4631-8 (paper) ISBN-10: 0-8077-4631-2 (paper)
Printed on acid-free paper
Manufactured in the United States of America
13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Acknowledgments ix Learning to Walk: Power of the Positive 14
Tree of Strength 14
Introduction xi Measuring Up: A Self-Assessment 15
Program Objectives xiii Body Appreciation Relaxation 15
Call to Action Assignment 16
Preparing to Lead the Program: Closing Circle 17
Commonly Asked Questions xv
Supplemental Activities 17
Freewrite: Making a Diff erence 17
Yoga Primer 1: Summoning Strength 17
✿ Part One ✿
Full of Ourselves
Unit 3: Body Politics 18
Core Activities 19
Unit 1: Full of Ourselves 3
Action Check-In 19
Core Activities 4
Changing Bodies, Changing Lives 19
Program Introduction 4
Dear Body: A Note of Appreciation 20
Personal Introductions 4
Imagine That Woman: A Discussion 20
Ground Rules 5
Fat Myths 22
Full of Ourselves: A Brainstorm 6
Group Pledge 23
Confi dence and Power: A Freewrite 7
Call to Action Assignment 23
Body Scan: A Guided Meditation 7
Closing Circle 23
Call to Action Assignment 8
Supplemental Activities 23
Closing Circle 9
The Human Knot 23
Supplemental Activities 9
Dear Body: A Response 23
Jumpstart: Catch! 9
Background Notes 25
Body Statues 9
Fat Myths: Answer Guide for Adult Leaders 25
Picture This: A Symbolic Drawing 10
Bioenergetic Punches 10 Unit 4: Standing Our Ground 27
Core Activities 28
Unit 2: Claiming Our Strengths 12 Action Check-In 28
Core Activities 13 The Comeback Kid: Assertiveness Training 29
Action Check-In 13 The Cafeteria: Bullies and Bystanders 31
v
vi Contents
The Party: A Role Play 32 Mommy, May I? 47
The Wall: A Role Play 32 Call to Action Assignment 48
One-Minute Body Scan 33 Closing Circle 48
Call to Action Assignment 33 Supplemental Activities 48
Closing Circle 33 Freewrite: “I Am Hungry” 48
Supplemental Activities 34 Picnic in the Park 48
Guest Leader 34 Athletic Game or Outdoor Activity 48
Yoga Primer 2: Standing Ground 34 A Section for Adult Leaders 49
Getting to Know You: Interviews 34 Troubleshooting: Unit 6 49
Original Role Plays 35 Answer Guide—Eating: A Questionnaire 51
Comic Strips 35 Answer Guide—Mommy, May I? 54
Unit 5: Countering the Media Culture 36 Unit 7: Feeding Our Many Appetites 55
Core Activities 37 Core Activities 56
Action Check-In 37 Action Check-In 56
10 Beautiful Things: A Freewrite 37 Emotional Hunger: What’s Eating You? 56
Personal Values 37 Two-Minute Meditation 57
Media Values 38 Two-Minute Freewrite 58
Magazines: What’s Up? 39 Menu of Hungers 58
“Hi, Body” Affi rmation 40 Call to Action Assignment 59
Call to Action Assignment 41 Closing Circle 59
Closing Circle 41
Supplemental Activity 59
Supplemental Activities 41 Yoga Primer 3: Finding Balance 59
Likes and Dislikes: A Freewrite 41
Unit 8: The Power of Healthy Relationships 60
Face-Off : A Group Collage 41
Editors-in-Chief 42 Core Activities 61
Action Check-In 61
Body Portraits 42
The Human Mirror 61
Picture This: The Many Sides of Me 42
Constellation of Connection 61
Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down 42
Case Studies: How Good Are You at Confl ict? 62
Video Presentation 42
Popularity: A Discussion 63
“Boy” Magazines 43
Keepsakes: A Wrap-Up 63
Unit 6: Nourishing Our Bodies 44 Call to Action Contract 63
Core Activities 45 Closing Circle 63
Action Check-In 45 Supplemental Activities 64
Eating: A Questionnaire and Debriefi ng 45 Take 1, Take 2: Connection Statues 64
Power Foods/Junk Foods 46 Celebratory Moms’ Session 64
Conscious Eating: A Sensational Experience 46 Full of Ourselves Bulletin Board 65
Contents vii
Full of Ourselves Handouts 66
✿ Part Two ✿
1A Full of Ourselves Proclamation 66
Throw Your Weight Around!
1B Call to Action: Unit 1 67
2A “Tree of Strength” Leaves 68
Guide for Adult Leaders 107
2B Call to Action: Unit 2 69
Program Rationale 108
3A Fat Myths 70
3B Group Pledge 71 The Role of Adult Leaders 108
3C Call to Action: Unit 3 72
Getting Started 108
4A Quick Comebacks 73 Girls’ Guide Review 108
4B The Cafeteria 74
Session Planning Meeting(s) 108
4C The Party: A Scene for Three Characters
and a Narrator 75 Stations 109
4D The Party: Assigned Roles 76
Rehearsal Time 109
4E The Wall 77
4F Call to Action: Unit 4 78 Throw Your Weight Around! Sessions 110
Prized Advice from Past Leaders 110
5A Values Squares 79
5B Magazines: What’s Up? 80 Sample Letter for Parents of Younger Girls 110
5C “Hi, Body” Affi rmation 81
5D Call to Action: Unit 5 82
Guide for Girl Leaders 111
6A Eating: A Questionnaire 83 Introduction 112
6B Snack Attack! 84
Your Mission, Should You Accept It 112
6C What Is Normal Eating? 85
You’re the Expert! 112
6D Mommy, May I? 86
6E Call to Action: Unit 6 87 Getting Started 112
Guidelines for Girl Leaders 112
7A Menu of Hungers: What’s Eating You? 88
Ground Rules for Younger Girls 112
7B Call to Action: Unit 7 89
Beginnings, Middles, and Ends 112
8A Constellation of Connection 90 Skits, Scavenger Hunts, Quizzes 113
8B Confl ict Case Studies 91
10 Key Ideas 113
8C Call to Action Contract 92
Calling All Girl Leaders! Eight Tips for a Winning Class 113
Sample Session Planning Sheets 115
Full of Ourselves Addenda 93
A: Yoga Primer 93
Throw Your Weight Around! Activities 117
B: Disordered Eating and Eating
Getting-To-Know-You Activities 117
Disorders—Background Information 98
Confi dent and Strong 117
C: 10 Tips for Parents—How Best to
Support Full of Ourselves at Home 101 Favorite Foods 117
The Wind Is Blowing 117
D: Sample Letters to Parents 102
Activities About Confi dence and Power 118
E: 10 Tips for Schools—Create a Culture
that Supports Student Well-Being 104 Throw Your Weight Around! Group Pledge 118
viii Contents
Stephanie’s Ponytail 118 Activities About Magazines and the Media 124
Inside/Out 118 Fashion Magazines 124
Throw Your Weight Around! Poster 119 Get Real! 125
Powerful Women 119
Get-Up-and-Go Activities 125
Tree of Strength 119
The Human Knot 125
A Shot of Self-Confi dence 120
Body Statues 125
Homework: Powerful Women 120
Let’s Get Physical 126
Activities About Self-Acceptance 120 Dance Mania 126
Show and Tell: How Girls’ Bodies Change 120
Throw Your Weight Around! Handouts 127
Hi, Body! 121
1. Session Planning Sheet for Girl Leaders 127
Activities About Weightism and “Bad 2. Throw Your Weight Around! Pledge 128
Body Talk” 121
3. Tree of Strength 129
Weightism: What’s That? 121
4. Then and Now: Your Changing Body 130
Homework: Fat Talk 122
5. Show and Tell: Moderator Script 131
Activities About Activism: Putting a Stop 6. Show and Tell: Panelist Guidelines 132
to Weightism 122 7. “Hi, Body!” Affi rmation 133
“Just Say No” to Bad Body Talk 122 8. Group Pledge to Combat Weightism 134
The Birthday Party 122 9. The Birthday Party: A Scene for Four
Characters and a Narrator 135
Activities About Healthy Eating 123
10. Eating: A Questionnaire 136
The Grocery Cart 123
11. Answer Guide to “Eating: A Questionnaire” 137
Eating! 123
Food Pyramid Twister 124 About the Authors 139
Acknowledgments
We extend heartfelt thanks to the thousands of work of predecessors in the fi eld, especially that of
people who contributed to the creation of Full of Michael Levine and Linda Smolak, Niva Piran, Ruth
Ourselves (FOO). Streigel-Moore, Diana Flescher, Diane Neumark-
First, we want to express our personal and pro- Sztainer, and Kathy Kater.
fessional thanks to Carol Gilligan and Alexendra We convened a FOO advisory board comprised of
Merril, two early mentors who taught us worlds exceptional people, all experts in their various fi elds.
about girls’ psychology and group process. We’d like to thank this dynamic group for their help-
In 1997, David Herzog created the Harvard ful input throughout the development of the project,
Eating Disorders Center (HEDC), where this project including Niva Piran, Michael Levine, Bryn Austin,
began. There we joined forces with many talented Amy Purcell-Vorenberg, Kevin Thompson, and, in
colleagues, including Anne Becker, Deborah Franko, particular, Susan Willard, who has been our biggest
Kim McCabe, visiting scholar Susan Paxton, Trisha advocate and a continual source of wisdom.
Guest, and dedicated interns. We thank all of them We extend special thanks to our funders. In
for their theoretical wisdom and collegial support. 1997, we received a generous gift from the Paul
With great appreciation, we thank the HEDC and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation as part
Board of Directors, who gave generously of their of their larger Girls Action Initiative. The Firemans
time and were, each in his or her own way, impor- got us up and running and have been our strongest
tant supporters of the development of this curricu- backers ever since. We also extend gratitude to four
lum—among them Joel Alvord, Susan Blumenthal, other foundations that have given generous sup-
Austin Cable, Eunice Cohen, Joseph Coyle, Dick port: the Claneil Foundation, the Klarman Family
Floor, Eleanor Friedman, Gladys Jacober, Jill Karp, Foundation, the Rutland Corner Foundation, and
Seth Klarman, Michael Moskow, Carol Pierce, and the Weyerhaueser Family Foundation.
Barbara Salter. Program evaluation is a costly and arduous under-
In 2003, we relocated and joined forces with the taking. While there are hundreds of eating disorders
Department of Psychology at McLean Hospital, a education and prevention programs available, only a
Harvard Medical School affi liate. We thank our many handful have been extensively evaluated. Without a
supportive colleagues at our new home, including thorough evaluation, it’s hard to know if a curriculum
Bruce Cohen, Phil Levendusky, Peter Paskovich, actually achieves what it sets out to do; and some,
Evelyn Morse, Cathie Cook, and Gil Noam and his unintentionally, do more harm than good.
team at the RALLY project, who share our commit- We extensively evaluated the FOO program over
ment to school-based primary prevention efforts. a 5-year period and brought superb people on board
We extend special thanks to Beth and Seth Klarman to help us do so. First and foremost, we acknowl-
for their support of our work, for their inspirational edge program evaluators Seeta Pai and Rochelle
leadership in founding the Klarman Eating Disorder Tucker, who pored over thousands of questionnaires
Center at McLean, and for their help in fi nding us and made sense of data. We thank them for their
this new home for our project. tireless dedication.
Although the fi eld of eating disorders preven- We fi eld-tested the program in a dozen Boston-
tion is quite new, we’ve benefi ted greatly from the area schools and organizations before gearing up
ix