The Southeast Missouri State University community is invited to share their stories, speak out and learn from experts about the struggles of eating disorders and how to overcome them during a variety of events as part of Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) Feb. 25-28.
The week begins with a #SEMOPROUD Campaign and Affirmation Jar from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, in the University Center lobby. Participants may stop by and visit with Redhawk Health Educators, pick up a positive body message from an affirmation jar and leave a positive message about their body on a #SEMOBODYPROUD message board. A photo booth will be available throughout the week in the University Center, and those posting their photo with the #SEMOPROUD hashtag will be eligible for a prize. During this time, participants also will be able to build their own healthy snack with members of the Southeast Student Dietetic Association who will help assemble a variety of nutrient dense ingredients into a quick healthy snack.
The recovery experiences of several individuals who have overcome eating disorders is planned during an Eating Disorders Recovery Panel from 5:30-6:45 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, in the University Center Redhawks Room. Participants will discover how to cope, and Dr. Mary Ann Farmer, a counselor with expertise in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders, will facilitate the discussion and answer questions.
On Tuesday, Feb. 26, join in an interactive cooking demonstration during a program titled Balance: How to Plan and Prepare Nutritious Meals. This event is planned for 5-6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, in the University Center Program Lounge. Southeast dietetic interns will conduct the demonstration and will offer techniques and strategies to help plan and prep balanced meals and snacks in the midst of a hectic semester.
Later that evening from 6-7 p.m., a program titled Social Media and its Impact on Eating Behaviors, will educate participants on social medias effects on perceptions of what it means to be healthy. This session, in the University Center Program Lounge, will also be led by Southeast dietetic interns who will facilitate a discussion about the impact of social media on perceptions of health. They will provide strategies for maintaining a healthy relationship with food in the age of Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
The documentary video, The Illusionists, will be shown from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27, in both the Rose Theatre on the main campus and in the John and Betty Glenn Convocation Center on the River Campus. The documentary points to sex and insecurity as selling points in media that is consumed daily. This multi-billion-dollar industry saturates our lives with images of unattainable beauty, exporting body hatred from New York to Beirut to Tokyo. The target are often women, and increasingly men and children. The Illusionists turns the mirror on media, exposing the absurd, sometimes humorous, and shocking images that seek to enslave us.
A lecture and discussion on “Eating Disorders and How to Treat Them will be presented Wednesday, Feb. 27, by Marie-Laure Firebaugh, LMSW, a clinical research coordinator in the department of psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine and the coordinator for the Missouri BodyU program. Her presentation and discussion will cover eating disorder diagnoses, prevalence, myths, evidence-based treatments and other eating disorders-related information. This event is scheduled for 2:30-3:20 p.m. in Scully Building Room 413.
Later that afternoon, Firebaugh will discuss warning signs for eating disorders, how to recognize them and what to do to help someone with an eating disorder in a presentation titled What to do if Someone You Know Has an Eating Disorder from 4-5 p.m. in Glenn Auditorium of Dempster Hall. She will also reviewresources available in Missouri, specifically for Southeast students.
On Thursday, Feb. 28, the Student Recreation Center will offer Celebrating Strong Bodies with Tranquility Thursday from 4-8:30 p.m. Tranquility Thursday night classes will be free this week to celebrate a strong mind and body during EDAW week. Classes will be as follows:
- 4:15-5 p.m.: Yoga Flow
- 5:15-6 p.m.: BarreBody
- 6:30-7:20 p.m.: Pilates
- 7:30-8:20 pm: CandleLit Yoga
Free and anonymous eating disorders screenings will be offered by University Counseling Services staff and volunteers throughout the week 30 minutes before each event, except for the Tranquility Thursday classes. Screenings can help participants determine whether they may be at risk for developing an eating disorder.
In addition, throughout the week, a life-size Ken and Barbie will be on display, activities and information will be available and participants will be encouraged to join the SEMOPROUD Campaign at Recreation Services in the Student Recreation Center.
Southeasts 2019 EDAW events are sponsored by: the Dean of Students; Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity; College of Education, Health and Human Studies; Holland College of Arts and Media; Counseling and Disability Services; Southeast Athletic Department; Recreation Services; Student Dietetic Association; Redhawk Health Educators; Department of Child and Family Studies; Department of Communication Disorders; Department of Criminal Justice, Social Work and Sociology; Department of Elementary, Early and Special Education; Department of Kinesiology, Nutrition and Recreation; Department of Leadership, Middle and Secondary Education; Department of Nursing; and Department of Psychology and Counseling.
For more information, contact Dr. Jeremy Barnes, at (573) 651-2782.