What is it?
The Body Project is a 4 week evidence-based program designed to increase body acceptance and decrease body dissatisfaction. It is run as a group where we confront, discuss, and fight against appearance ideals pressed upon us by society and social media.
The Body project is FREE and offered in collaboration from UW LiveWell and the UW Counseling Center. This group is facilitated by trained Peer Health Educators from UW LiveWell. This is NOT a therapy group; it is a prevention based educational group.
All groups are open to all students.
What is my commitment?
Participants engage in dialogue with each other in small groups of 6-8 people and are expected to attend all four sessions. Groups will have weekly 1 hour sessions for four weeks. There are “at-home exercises” participants are expected to complete on their own between sessions, that we then share and discuss in group. We ask that all members speak in group and take up space, as our shared reflections and engagement build the strength of the group.
Who is this for?
Anyone experiencing body dissatisfaction (which we know is the majority of adults). If you feel that your relationship with your body could be better, then this group is for you!
83% of women and 74% of men report being dissatisfied with how their bodies look, and for younger adults it’s 86% of those aged 18-34 that report dissatisfaction (Source). Additionally, the Trevor Project shared high rates of body dissatisfaction for non-binary and transgender folks with 90% of those surveyed expressing dissatisfaction with their bodies (Source).
What is the More than Muscles group?
More than Muscles is our male-identifying Body Project group. We recognize that body dissatisfaction can impact people differently depending on their gender. We’ve created More than Muscles to be a space for men and others interested in learning about body dissatisfaction in the context of masculinity.
How do I sign-up?
Sign-ups for Spring 2025 groups here! If none of the group times work for you, please add your name to our future interest list and we’ll send you an email when we open groups for Autumn 2025.
Questions? Email bodyproject@uw.edu
What students have said about the Body Project:
“Thank you for facilitating a beautiful environment that feels safe enough to explore damaging costs of pursuing the thin ideal and expressing body image issues. This experience has been invaluable.”
Anonymous Student
“Thank you so much for initiating this group and crating a safe space for those important conversations! The facilitators did an excellent job fostering an open, non-judgmental environment that allowed for honest discussion. Their approach was both supportive and insightful, making it easier to share and learn from one another.”
Leo L.
“I loved it. I wished it was longer, but all good things must come to an end. It helped so much to focus on myself (truly and shamelessly) rather than on what is on trend or considered pretty right now.”
Sofia G.
