Body Image Awareness Week

Body Image Awareness Week

Body Image and Awareness Week ran from the 1st to the 8th September.  It aims to raise awareness of eating disorders, which are a life-threatening illness.  It also takes the opportunity to celebrate our bodies – unique, diverse, strong, and beautiful.  A range of wonderful resources have been developed to assist with these goals.  So what can you do to be part of the conversation?

  1. We encourage you to look out for the resources at the Butterfly Foundation #LOVEYOURBODYWEEK #CHANGETHECONVO.
  2. Get informed.  You can find out more about eating disorders, through the National Eating Disorder Collaboration, including their video explaining what eating disorders are.

For further information about eating disorders and their treatment, check out the huge range of resources available for consumers and professionals on the CCI website, including our handouts on “Body Image and Body Dissatisfaction” and “Media and Body Image”.

As part of Body Image Awareness Week, Dr Bronwyn Raykos from CCI, attended the Inspiration Evening held at the Perth Children’s Hospital.  This was a wonderful opportunity to hear stories from individuals who have a lived experience of an eating disorder share their inspiring stories of recovery and hope.  Bronwyn also sat on a panel of clinicians who represented public and private eating disorder services in Western Australia.  Audience members were invited to ask questions to the panel, which highlighted some of the strengths and gaps that exist in our current system.  Associate Professor Sophie Davidson (Western Australian Deputy Chief Psychiatrist) provided the opening address, and emphasised the need to address these limitations in order to improve care of individuals with eating disorders, particularly by intervening early in the course of the illness to prevent a more enduring illness course.

Stay tuned… Dr Louise Andony and Dr Stephanie Hill from the CCI Eating Disorders program are currently developing a series of self-help treatment modules that will specifically address body image.  These modules will be available on the CCI website next year.

Last Updated: 13/07/2021