The organization is dedicated to supporting the mental health of Jewish girls through programs that improve self-compassion, self-esteem, and body acceptance.
Some people think that mental health issues only happen to “other” people, but this is a myth, especially when it comes to eating disorders and body image issues. Empirical studies show that up to 24% of the female Jewish community are at risk of contracting this devastating disease at some point in their lives. In response to this disturbing statistic, Dr. Marcy Forta, an Oak Park woman, EdD, MBA, founded her organization, Atzmi. The organization is dedicated to supporting the mental health of Jewish girls through programs that improve self-compassion, self-esteem, and body acceptance.
discovery of needs
The idea of such a program began to seep into Forta’s mind more than 20 years ago. That’s when you see up close how many women are struggling with body image issues. For her 15 years, she owned and operated the Berkeley clothing boutique The Room Downstairs with her sister-in-law, Shoshana Her Folta. As women and girls shopped, Folta listened to their self-criticism and struggles.
“I’ve noticed that many women and girls seem to want to hide their bodies and are almost apologetic about their appearance,” Folta said. “They decided to buy dresses in a smaller size and try to lose weight to fit them. As a result, my body did not return to its pre-baby shape.”
By the time the business was sold, the seed had been sown. The body image issue was Folta involved and understood. She too struggled with her painful eating disorder during her teenage years.
Forta, who had a business background at the time, said: She was passionate about this issue and she wanted to do something, but what?
“I felt that my contribution would have the greatest impact if I could use my business background, personal experience, and research to work to prevent these problems. Previous These devastating diseases take hold,” Folta said.
In 2015, Forta returned to school and studied for the next five years, earning a PhD in Educational Leadership in Behavioral Health. Her PhD focused on risk factors unique to the Jewish Orthodox adolescent community, particularly those prone to eating disorders and body image problems.
Program development
Forta has also been certified with existing prevention programs available that have been scientifically tested and proven to be effective. She then made it her mission to tailor such programs to the unique needs of the Orthodox community.
“I have developed this entire Torah-based curriculum for girls on a topic called ‘My Best Self Project. The focus is not just on eating disorders. We reduce the importance of appearances and discuss self-compassion, emotional regulation, boundaries, priorities, and even developing healthy relationships. , to help them discover their inner talents, abilities and beauty – what makes them truly special.
So she called the program Atzmi, after the Hebrew e.Zem — means “my essence, myself”.
The program consists of three aspects. Part 1 introduces girls to this topic through her four sessions, In-School Workshops for Grades 8, 10 and 12. Forta offers training her videos for schools so girls can learn and run the program on their own. Because she is so passionate about this topic and so determined to reach as many Jewish children as possible, she does not charge for materials or time, and each student can participate in the program. As part of the beautiful workshop you will receive only one of her journals.
The second part is parent education through talks and workshops.
“Mothers grew up in the same culture. They suffer from the same problems,” says Forta. “I’m not preaching a positive body image, I’m preaching a neutral body image. Sometimes we feel negative about ourselves. naturalHow do we feel about our bodies anyway – that shouldn’t indicate who we are. “
The third part is to educate teachers on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of eating disorders, the dangers of dietary culture, and weight biases, to ensure they understand what the struggle really is. is.
Forta said that if a student is suspected of having an eating disorder, it is imperative that they be evaluated by a therapist or doctor trained in eating disorders. An untrained doctor may not be fully aware of what the symptoms are.
Atzmi has only been live for a year, but it’s already deployed in seven schools, with more in the pipeline.
“This is very necessary and important,” Folta said. “We all know someone who has an eating disorder, or who has been affected in some way by an eating disorder. If we can give girls the tools they need, this will not only help today, but it will also be an investment in the future.”
Communities at risk
Why are Jews at higher risk of developing body image issues and eating disorders?
“It’s hard to say exactly,” Folta replied. “There’s a genetic component, and that’s part of the reason it’s seen in families.”
For some, there may be another underlying mental illness, such as OCD, depression, or anxiety, which may contribute to feelings of worthlessness and increase risk.
Another cause is cultural and can be attributed to learned behavior. For example, a common mistake is feeding a child. According to Forta, this can be dangerous and skew your relationship with food.
“Food is nutrition. We need three meals a day for the rest of our lives,” says Forta. “Using food as rewards and behavioral reinforcement undermines healthy eating habits and may impair a child’s ability to accurately recognize and respect the signs of hunger and satiety, leading to a sense of accomplishment. And may make food about alleviating negative emotions.Emotions.”
Folta continued. They know when they are full and stop drinking. These innate cues that we are born with often fade over time due to the messages we receive about food from people around us. Help rebuild relationships. “
This is a particularly important message for Jews. It’s practically ingrained in our DNA.
Well-intentioned comments from family and friends can also have an impact. When someone loses weight, it can get a lot of positive reinforcement and attention. This contributes to the message that looks come first and can ultimately contribute to eating disorders.
“Hello, long time no see. How are you doing; have you lost weight?” Similarly, constantly complimenting a little girl with “You’re so beautiful” or “You look so pretty” sends a subtle message about priorities.
“‘You’re so skinny. I wish I had your self-control’ or ‘You just can’t eat?’ looks like they’ve put on weight,” Folta said. “These things are very painful for them to hear.”
Saying so much that it’s better not to say can make an innocent conversation feel like a landmine. Forta said her most calming emotion has always been, “I’m here for you, I care about you, how can I help?”
Eating disorders can affect a person’s cognition, mental, emotional, and physical function. Many people have recovered from eating disorders and are doing well. But sadly, the problem can linger even into adulthood.
“Depending on the severity and duration of the disease, they may suffer from osteoporosis, heart disease, metabolic disorders, esophageal erosion, tooth damage, electrolyte imbalances, and more.
looking to the future
Eating disorders and body image issues are also men’s issues, Folta said. After receiving a lot of feedback about Atzmi, Forta hopes to one day adapt a similar program for Jewish men.
“We are teaching girls a whole new way of thinking and how to relate to their bodies. have these beliefs taught and reinforced by – fat is bad, food makes us fat, we need to be skinny to be good – but thankfully these young girls It’s open to questioning society’s long-held beliefs and understanding things in new ways,” Folta said. “These are small steps that I hope will impact the next generation of mothers to lead their own children as role models and reduce the risk of future generations developing these painful diseases.”
Atzmi’s “My Best Self” project is a completely free program fully funded by generous donors. Atzmi is online Atzmi.orgPlease consider supporting the mission at . Atzmi.org/DonationDr. Marcy Forta welcomes your comments and thoughts. You can contact her at [email protected].
