ABSTRACT
This chapter presents body empowerment as the ideal response to body image “traumas.” This chapter describes examples of body image traumas and points to empowerment as the healthiest response to body image traumas. Richardson’s Resiliency Model describes three responses to trauma: reintegration with loss, reintegration back to comfort zone, and resilient reintegration. Resilient reintegration is the healthiest and most adaptive response to trauma and disruptions. A common body image disruption is puberty, as it is highly correlated with the beginning of many initial struggles with body image and/or eating disorders; therefore, this chapter outlines the incredible biological functions of the human body. These explorations will not only provide universality for readers who can relate but will also document how to process and heal from shame in order to pursue empowerment. Finally, subsections further discuss body image stressors faced by all: media, constant weight loss and dieting advertisements, and diet culture in general. The first activity in this chapter, “Resilient Reintegration,” explores readers’ individual experiences with body image disruptions and what resilient reintegration looks like. Activity two titled “Empowering Memories” asks readers to reflect on their childhood or recent years and list the moments in which they experienced contentment, neutrality, and/or empowerment in their bodies. Activity three is “Creating Body Empowering Moments.” Readers are asked to identify a current challenge in their body image and create action steps to challenge themselves.
