PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

My experience in teaching and counseling forms the basis for my work in education, professional training and private consultation. I develop programs and facilitate workshops and training programs. I do public speaking and keynote and conference presentations. I also do consultations with schools, health units, non-profit organizations, and with individuals who work with girls and with boys.

I see eating disorders, disordered eating, body image disturbances and substance abuse as coping mechanisms that girls and boys learn as a way of dealing with the personal and societal stressors in their lives. In order to build resilience and teach skills before these coping mechanisms become entrenched we need to have an understanding of what happens to girls and to boys in the process of growing up and undergoing adolescence. We need to have a context for what happens to them in the process of growing up in their particular gender culture that encourages them to base their self-esteem and sense-of-self on their body size or on how muscular they are.

The training sessions that I develop and facilitate begin with a theoretical framework based upon contemporary theories of brain sex and development and the interplay of biology and culture. The framework addresses the impact of society on girls and on boys and the personal and societal stressors that impact on them as they make the transition through adolescence. It addresses how girls and boys handle distress, and looks at the relationship between their coping strategies and the risks to which they are vulnerable. While my expertise is around eating disorder prevention and body image disturbances and promoting Health at Every Size, my workshops and resources can be used to address other health risks such as drug and alcohol abuse, bullying and violence.

The information presented in my workshops and the skills taught are linked with practical, experiential exercises, personal sharing and group discussion. Participants are able to learn about their own professional and personal struggles and how to selectively share these as a way of building connections with girls and with boys.

I emphasize a non-dieting Health at Every Size approach and work with participants so they can explore their own beliefs and attitudes around size and shape.

I believe that prevention and intervention programs should be gender-specific so that they can address the differences in development in girls and boys and the differences in their brain structure and socialization. These  play a tremendous role in how girls and boys interpret and respond to situations in their lives. While programs that are geared towards girls and boys together are of value in providing information (especially when children are younger), as girls and boys reach puberty these should also allow for gender-specific learning and experiences. Targeting most programs to ‘youth’ does a disservice to both boys and girls because they don’t address the specific needs of either of them.

Community/Professional Public Speaking and Professional Training Topics:

Fabulously Female: How to Feel Good About Yourself in a Weight-Obsessed World!

Addresses what happens to girls in the process of growing up female that encourages them to define themselves by the number on the scale. Teaches girls skills to develop a strong sense of self as well as a BIG VOICE, to deal with the grungies —what feeling fat really means, why it’s hard to change your body and promotes Health at Every Size. 

What a Guy! Broadening the Definition of Masculinity.

Addresses what happens to boys in the process of growing up male that encourages them to define themselves by how muscular, strong and tough they are. Teaches boys skills to develop a strong sense of self, emotional literacy and how to deal with grungies  (feeling fat, stupid and being a loser) and whoppers (hitting out). Explores a broader definition of masculinity and promotes Health at Every Size.

When Girls Feel Fat
Addresses what happens to girls in the process of growing up female that encourages them to define themselves by the number on the scale. Addresses gender, development, the stressors of adolescence and offers strategies to connect with girls and to help girls become aware of what feeling fat really means and the stories that lie underneath. (Can also include material on boys).  

Getting Girls Off the Scale, Off the Couch and On With Their Lives
Addresses what happens to girls in the process of growing up female that encourages them to define themselves by the number on the scale. Addresses gender, development, the stressors of adolescence. Addresses fat prejudice and why girls are fat and the consequences of dieting. Looks at the barriers for girls to becoming physically active and provides useful strategies for parents, teachers, coaches and girls.

Coaching Female Athletes

Coaching girls is different from coaching boys even though the sport may be the same.  This workshop provides an understanding of female development and the body image issues that affect so many girls. It takes you into the world of female gender culture and provides you with strategies that work with girls to bring out the best in them.

You Can't Come to My Birthday Party and Other Bullying Tactics
Understanding and taking action against bullying includes developing a comprehensive strategy that involves the school, parents, students and community as well as strategies for parents and students.

Developing Healthy Sexuality
Addresses male and female development, the different attitudes towards and experiences of sexuality for each gender, and the pressures that adolescents face. Includes practical suggestions and strategies for teachers, parents and adolescents.

Staying Connected: Surviving the Challenges of Adolescence
Addresses male and female development, the stressors that girls and boys experience during adolescence and the challenges they face. Includes skills and strategies for teachers and parents.

Understanding Our Differences: Building Healthy Relationships
Developing an understanding of how gender can determine behavior and influence the relationships between the sexes. Contains practical suggestions for parents, teachers and adolescents to understand themselves and the other gender. Teaches communication skills that enable people to feel heard instead of criticized.

All Shapes and Sizes: Helping Children Feel Good About Their Bodies and About Themselves
Explores societal beliefs around size and shape. Special emphasis on parenting and working with children who are ‘over’ weight so that they can be fat and healthy with dignity.

Nurturing girlpower: Preventing Eating Disorders and Other Social and Health Risks to Girls
Provides an understanding of female development, a framework for prevention and practical skills and strategies for teachers and parents.

Restoring girlpower: Supporting Girls who May Have Eating Disorders
Provides an understanding of female development, basic counseling skills to intervene with girls who might be at the beginning stages of an eating disorder and suggestions and strategies for supporting girls who may have eating disorders.

Breaking the Diet Syndrome: Helping Women Get Off the Scale and on With their Lives
Addresses what happens to women in the process of growing up female that encourages them to define themselves by the numbers on the scale. Addresses gender, development and societal and media pressures to be thin. Presents skills and strategies to break the diet syndrome and to develop healthy self-expression and self-esteem.

Following are outline samples of some of my public speaking events
 and professional training workshops and some responses to them:

Evening Talk:

WHEN GIRLS FEEL FAT
Public Information Seminar for Parents, Mentors and Girls

• Learn what happens to girls in the process of growing up that makes them "feel fat."
• Discover what feeling fat really means and what to do when girls say, "I feel fat."
• Develop an understanding of girls' issues and concerns.
• Learn strategies to help girls deal with the changes in their bodies and their lives during adolescence.
• Share your concerns with other parents, girls and professionals.

"From now on I'm going to talk and listen with my daughters in a more effective way." (mother, Vancouver, WA)

"I'm going to stop minimizing my daughter's experiences and share more of my own. You've given me valuable tips for enhancing our relationship." ( mother, Vancouver, BC)

"Thank you for giving me the language and skills so that I can communicate with my daughter." ( father, Ottawa, ON)

"I don't know how you did it but you seemed to know everything that's going on for me." (16 year old girl, Hillsboro, OR)

"I love your sense of humour. I never thought I could learn so much while I was laughing so hard." (, mother, Regina, SK)

"I like your emphasis on self-esteem and the suggestions that you have for helping girls. I think that it's really what's at the root of all problems." (father, Winnipeg, MB)

GETTING GIRLS OFF THE SCALE, OFF THE COUCH AND ON WITH THEIR LIVES
Public Information Seminar for Parents, Mentors and Girls

• Learn what happens to girls in the process of growing up that makes them base their self esteem on their body shape and size.
• Discover what feeling fat really means and what to do when girls say, "I feel fat."
• Understand why some girls are fat and debunk the myths around obesity..
• Understand what happens when we diet and how dieting can make girls of all sizes sick.
• Learn how to help girls build their self esteem through a size acceptance, non-dieting approach.
• Learn strategies to encourage girls to become physically active.
• Share your concerns with other parents, girls and professionals.

"I learned that if you are fat you can still do things like soccer, basketball and other sports." (12 year old girl, Haliburton, ON)

"You don't have to be skinny to be special. Everyone is different and that's good." (14 year old girl, Peterborough, ON)

"I don't have to diet." (10 year old girl, Calgary, AB)

"The relationship between 'I feel fat' and what's going on underneath showed me that the relationship with your child is more important than what you are afraid of happening." (mother, Lethbridge, AB)

"I think it's important to educate parents about what it is like to be fat and not to pressure kids to change themselves but rather help them be proud of who they are." (mother and public health nurse, Kingston, ON)

"How I see myself can reflect on my child as well as the youth I work with." (Family Support Worker, Grande Prairie, AB)

"I need to re-evaluate my own body image in a more positive way so my daughter can learn to accept her body in a positive way." (mother and Big Sister, Edmonton, AB)

Professional Training Workshops:

Creating a Body-Friendly Environment

(Full or half day)

This workshop addresses eating disorder prevention and childhood obesity through the creation of a body-friendly environment that is based upon size acceptance and Health at Every Size. It provides skills and strategies that individuals, schools, community organizations and groups can integrate into their practice and  use to create change. While the emphasis is on girls, the material and strategies can be adapted for use with boys.

Participants will:

• Develop an understanding of female development that is based on relational and brain sex theory
• Examine how Body-Friendly their environment is.
• Take the “Grungie Test” and learn what to do when girls feel fat.
• Sign on to Size Acceptance by examining their own beliefs around weight and shape and by learning why many girls are fat.
• Confront the dastardly duo—diets and weight loss.
• Learn why 'healthy eating' includes chocolate and what we all have to do to encourage girls to eat for energy.
• Fight the power of appearance.
• Learn how to integrate physical activity into their practice by participating in fun, easy to use and do energy breaks.
• Put all of the above together to develop a Body Friendly Environment and the skills to implement it.

"As a dietitian this workshop was very appropriate to my practice. it reinforced and enhanced my approach to encourage activity versus focusing on food habits for weight control and weight management." (Dietitian, Winnipeg, MB)

"I plan to look at how our community can partner to offer relevant physical activities for girls, starting in elementary school." (Winnipeg, MB)

"As a nutritionist I will try to become more personally involved in all areas of girls' health and self esteem." (Nutritionist, Bridgewater, NS)

"I appreciated Sandra's personal touch, stories, style of presentation and suggestions for do's and don't in our approach to teaching." (Teacher, Brandon, MB)

"Sandra tried to change our perception of weight and how to deal with girls struggling with an unrealistic self-image." ( Social worker, Grande Prairie, AB)

"Sandra has a lot of experience in the field and has an ability to relate these experiences to the participants." (Public Health Nurse, Kingston, ON)

"I appreciate having more information about how to talk to girls about fat and to be given permission to use the word fat and give it dignity. Good thought provoking discussions." (Teacher, Sarnia, ON)

EATING DISORDER PREVENTION
 Nurturing girlpower

This workshop presents a framework for understanding female development, the societal influences on girls and boys, their developmental issues before and after puberty and the challenges of adolescence. It presents a comprehensive model for preventing eating disorders which addresses the changes in girls' bodies and the changes in their lives. It provides participants with an opportunity to challenge their own beliefs about weight, shape and body size, to dispel the myths around obesity and to learn what is really meant when girls 'feel fat.'

Participants will:

·         Develop an understanding of female development and of what happens to girls in the process of growing up female that encourages them to define themselves by the bathroom scale.

·         Have an opportunity to explore and challenge their own beliefs and attitudes around weight and body shape.

·         Develop an understanding of a comprehensive model of eating disorder prevention that includes obesity prevention and how to integrate the different parts of this model into their individual practice, their schools and their communities.

·         Develop practical skills and strategies that they can implement in their own practice, their schools and their communities.

·         Develop an understanding of the barriers to physical activity and how to get girls active.

"I found the framework and tools very helpful. This was an excellent workshop and excellent modeling of how to get participants thinking about their own perceptions. Best of all it was fun."
(Teacher, Prince George, BC)

"The whole workshop was fabulous. I learned so much personally and professionally. Thank you so much."  (Counselor, Prince Rupert, BC)

"Sandra was outstanding! She made it safe for us to talk about our own issues. I loved the schmoozing."  (School nurse, Calgary, AB)

"You really opened my eyes this weekend. It got through my head that I should be very proud of who I am. I thank you with all my heart."
 (Grade 12 student, Fort Nelson, BC)

"Sandy is awesome! She is real, knows how to connect to the group, has wonderful experiences communicated through stories and brings and appropriate dose of humour into her facilitation. Thank you for this fabulous experience."  (Nutritionist, Abbotsford, BC)

"I enjoyed the energy, reference to real life, practicality." (Teacher, Brandon, MB)

"I appreciated learning how to remove weight loss from physical activity. (Physical education teacher, Halifax, NS)

EATING DISORDER INTERVENTION
Restoring girlpower

This workshop presents a framework for understanding female development, the societal influences on girls and boys, their developmental issues before and after puberty and the challenges of adolescence. Itt will present an overview of a comprehensive model of prevention and intervention that addresses the issues and risk factors that arise from the changes in girls' bodies and lives during adolescence. It will demystify eating disoders and provide participants with basic counseling skills to intervene when someone is at risk of developing an eating disorder.

Participants will:

·         Develop an understanding of female development and of what happens to girls in the process of growing up female that encourages them to define themselves by the bathroom scale.

·         Have an opportunity to explore and challenge their own beliefs and attitudes around weight and body shape.

·         Develop an understanding of a comprehensive model of eating disorder prevention that includes obesity prevention.

·         Have an overview of eating disorders that is set in the context of girls' lives, experiences and socialization.

·         Develop skills to work with girls using a relational approach.

·         Learn the 'golden rule of counseling' and basic skills to intervene when someone is a risk of developing an eating disorder.

"I found the 'golden rule of counseling' most helpful—that it's not our job to fix our clients." (School counselor, Sudbury, ON)

"There is no right way or perfect counselor. It may take many to open a pickle jar. It's ok to ask for help."( Counselor, Grande Prairie, AB)

"I liked the way the handouts were a follow-along format. I could get into the session and not worry about taking notes." (Family support worker, Edmonton, AB)

"I now have some concrete activities to use, a sense of direction and structure with the young women I work with." (Teacher, Athabasca, AB)

"I appreciated the discussions and the small table activities." (Counselor, Regina, SK)

"Sandra is interactive with the participants, provocative, looking for solutions that 'we' could engage in." (Public Health Nurse, Moose Jaw, SK)

"Sandra has a very compassionate, very real approach to working with girls; this really shines through." (Public Health Nurse, Jasper, AB)

"The most useful part of the training was the real life examples."
(Youth worker, Terrace, BC)

"Your work is extremely valuable. You break up an overwhelming problem into small steps that I now feel that I can use to help others."
(School counselor, Dawson Creek, BC)

"This was an extremely useful workshop. I don't think it would have been as effective if you hadn't made it so personal. You've done an excellent job at connecting everything to those who attended the workshop. Thank you for teaching the skills needed to better understand the issues behind disordered eating behavior."  (Community health nurse, Abbotsford, BC)

Workshops are tailored to meet the needs of your community or organization. They can be designed to address eating disorder prevention and intervention, promoting and sustaining healthy development in girls and/or in boys, girls' development and issues, boys’ development and issues, facilitating groups for girls or for boys or designed around topics that are of particular concern to you such as bullying and understanding gender in coaching girls, body image issues in girls or in boys, etc. Half-day, one, two and three-day workshops are available.

Professional Consultation is available in person or by telephone.

If you would like more information about my work or would like to arrange an engagement or consultation, please click salal@salal.com  to leave an e-mail message or contact me by phone or fax: 

Sandra Friedman
Salal Communications Ltd.
Tel + Fax: 604-885-5998