Get Her to the Green: The Role of Outdoor Experiential Education in the Development of Body Image Resilience

While existing in a patriarchal society, women are taught that they are merely their body, an object to be viewed, accepted or rejected and ultimately discarded. Research has shown a need for body image resilience curriculum and media literacy courses. However, most of the curriculum or content being created is for college-aged women and younger and taught in a passive way. This study introduced outdoor experiential education to body image resilience curriculum by looking at the experiences of women ages 25-40 in a body image resilience workshop. By examining these experiences, this study offers recommendations for Beauty Redefined, a Salt Lake City 501c3 who's curriculum was used for the body image resilience workshop, and how they can have a more sustainable impact on the participants. This study found that community and connection were an important outcome of an experiential outdoor curriculum.

Running Head: GET HER TO THE GREEN Get her to the green: The role of outdoor experiential education in the development of body image resilience Carly A. Cahoon Westminster College A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment Of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in Community Leadership Westminster College Salt Lake City, Utah April 2017 GET HER TO THE GREEN ii Dedication Grief is an all-encompassing loss. A loss of a loved one, or hope, or understanding, or of a future that could have been. A loss of community and connection, or understanding, or purpose. Grief can last for what feels like an eternity. A never-ending reminder. But you do the work. Head down, heart out. Process and proceed. But grief, she shows back up. Sometimes with a gentle knock on your heart. But sometimes, she will knock you off your feet with the wind of a thousand storms. "I'm here," she says. Not in a way that is malicious. She doesn't want to keep you down and disconnected. No. I believe she is there to remind you, that you are undeniably human. A human that feels breathes and exists. A human that encompasses empathy and kindness, because you too, know how that feels. Grief can make you feel alone. So. Very. Lonely. But loss is a reminder that our lives are interwoven and connected. We breathe. We love. We connect. With the pain of loss, your heartstrings tug, and those who are connected are pulled towards you closer. Reconnecting and tying together the loose strings and broken dreams. And if you are lucky, there will be the few who even weave webbing for reinforcement. They feel your pain, your heartache, your need. So perhaps, it's not grief this thesis is dedicated to after all. It is the people connected to my heart that felt the tug and pulled ever closer. My heart. My heart. My heart. My tapestry of life is expansive and colorful. My thesis is dedicated to connection. May my future daughters know they are more than their body. They are love. They are bravery. They are resilience. They are connected to a tapestry rich in love and acceptance because they are already enough. GET HER TO THE GREEN iii Acknowledgements Grit. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines grit as firmness of mind or spirit: unyielding courage in the face of hardship. As a child, every year, my parents would come up with a yearly theme that was probably made into a hat or t-shirt slogan. My dad took after his dad, finding ways to pass on a legacy; A family tradition. I do not remember most of these yearly themes, but one, in particular, has always stood out to me: No Regrets: Love unconditionally and without hesitation, persevere, and have grit. I am grateful for parents who taught me to think not only with my head but also with my heart. Who taught me to ask questions. Who continue to push me to be kind, thoughtful, and ambitious. Who love me for my vulnerabilities, shortcomings and opposing views. And who listen, advise, then trust. All the good in me is because of them. Grit. My cohort from beginning to end. These soulful, ambitious, kind and thoughtful humans taught me to look at things from an entirely different angle. They taught me the true meaning of compassion and vulnerability. These beautiful people showed me what it means to live with purpose and to live loudly. And I will never lose my voice because of them and their examples. I will be a better leader because of them. Dr. Jamie Joanou, you saw me through some of my worst. "Work on wording" and "unpack this" also meant "work on your soul" and "unpack your emotions." Both have been important to me through this process. Thank you for your patience with both processes as the latter sometimes took precedence. Carrie Celeste Tonks Francis, you let me call you by your full name, text you all the bitmoji's and you see the best in me. You are an absolute pleasure to work with and for, and I am grateful that I have had your support while going to graduate school and working full time. Thank you for trusting me and helping me stretch to reach new goals and aspirations within the workplace, and allowing me to go into PTO debt to finish this damn thing. Beans and Brews on 33rd and 33rd. What can I say? You have the best booths. And you know my order. 20 oz. herbal mint tea. I walk in and its ready to go, as if you could sense the dread coming your way, in the form of an un-showered female in distress. MACL, the program that taught me to use my voice, to check my privilege and to love fiercely. I will always be forever grateful for this season of life. Dr. Peggy Cain, may I always practice your quiet and bold leadership. Beauty Redefined, thank you for your kindness in taking me under your wing, and putting into words through your research, what my soul didn't know how to say 8 years ago. Participants of the body image resilience workshop. You saved me from just getting through it. Your grit, compassion, commitment, and resilience will be something that will always stay with me. I am so grateful for your participation and the many lessons and insights you taught me. I again found my voice in a new and enlightening way because of you. May we all practice vulnerability and authenticity the way you did, by choosing to show up. Thank you, thank you, thank you. GET HER TO THE GREEN iv Abstract While existing in a patriarchal society, women are taught that they are merely their body, an object to be viewed, accepted or rejected and ultimately discarded. Research has shown a need for body image resilience curriculum and media literacy courses. However, most of the curriculum or content being created is for college-aged women and younger and taught in a passive way. This study introduced outdoor experiential education to body image resilience curriculum by looking at the experiences of women ages 25-40 in a body image resilience workshop. By examining these experiences, this study offers recommendations for Beauty Redefined, a Salt Lake City 501c3 who's curriculum was used for the body image resilience workshop, and how they can have a more sustainable impact on the participants. This study found that community and connection were an important outcome of an experiential outdoor curriculum. GET HER TO THE GREEN v Table of Contents Chapter I: Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 Background ..................................................................................................................... 2 The Proposed Project ...................................................................................................... 3 Significance..................................................................................................................... 5 Chapter II: Literature Review ......................................................................................... 7 Body Image Resilience ................................................................................................... 7 Patriarchy. ................................................................................................................... 7 Feminist movements ................................................................................................... 9 Objectification Theory .................................................................................................. 12 Normative discontent ................................................................................................ 13 Women and the media's objectifying messages. ...................................................... 14 Experiential Education .................................................................................................. 15 Women and the Outdoors ............................................................................................. 18 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 19 Chapter III: Research Methods ..................................................................................... 20 Context .......................................................................................................................... 20 Beauty Redefined ...................................................................................................... 20 Salt Lake City, Utah. ................................................................................................. 21 Participants .................................................................................................................... 21 Melissa ...................................................................................................................... 23 Leslie ......................................................................................................................... 23 Shea ........................................................................................................................... 24 Andrea ....................................................................................................................... 24 Melanie ..................................................................................................................... 25 Tiffany....................................................................................................................... 25 Samantha ................................................................................................................... 25 Leslie ......................................................................................................................... 26 Beth ........................................................................................................................... 26 Data Collection Methods .............................................................................................. 26 Workshops. ............................................................................................................... 26 Digital Stories ........................................................................................................... 31 GET HER TO THE GREEN vi Analysis......................................................................................................................... 32 Field notes ................................................................................................................. 33 Online journals .......................................................................................................... 33 Personal journals ....................................................................................................... 33 Digital stories ............................................................................................................ 34 Validity ......................................................................................................................... 34 Ethical Concerns ........................................................................................................... 35 Sensitive topic. .......................................................................................................... 36 Researcher's role ....................................................................................................... 37 Problems encountered ............................................................................................... 38 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 39 Chapter IV: Findings...................................................................................................... 40 The Importance of Connection and Community .......................................................... 40 Experiential learning creates connection. ................................................................. 42 Creating new communities. ...................................................................................... 44 The Power and Importance of Nature ........................................................................... 46 Nature and the female body. ......................................................................................... 47 Nature and mental health .......................................................................................... 51 Normative Discontent ................................................................................................... 54 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 59 Chapter V: Discussion .................................................................................................... 61 Implications................................................................................................................... 61 Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 62 Beauty Redefined. ..................................................................................................... 63 Universities and community content ........................................................................ 66 Limitations .................................................................................................................... 67 Diversity. ................................................................................................................... 67 Time Commitment .................................................................................................... 67 Time of Year ............................................................................................................. 68 Comfort level and ability .......................................................................................... 68 Future Research ............................................................................................................ 70 Learning Objectives ...................................................................................................... 71 Personal Impact ............................................................................................................. 72 GET HER TO THE GREEN vii References ........................................................................................................................ 76 Appendix A: Beauty Redefined Curriculum Outline .................................................. 83 Appendix B: Social Media Recruiting Script ............................................................... 86 Appendix : Participant Consent Form .......................................................................... 89 Appendix D ...................................................................................................................... 91 Appendix E ...................................................................................................................... 92 Appendix F ...................................................................................................................... 93 GET HER TO THE GREEN 1 Chapter I: Introduction I grew up in a culture and household that emphasized the value of the human body through constant conversations regarding diet and exercise. From a young age, I was highly aware of my body and how it looked and functioned within society. I felt empowered and righteous when my body was recognized for being strong and desirable, but felt worthless and disposable when my body appeared to be less than perfect. The dissatisfaction others had with their bodies influenced the way I thought about my own. It was a constant tug-of-war between seeing my body from the perspective of others, therefore seeking to control my life in a way that validated those gazes, and knowing that I was so much more than my body, made up of complex emotions, ideas, and ambitions. I lived most of my life stuck between these two worlds. After years of processing the duality of this internal dialogue, I started to recognize that some of the most influential moments in my life have been the lessons I learned while feeling connected to nature. When I was in the mountains, experiencing my body as an instrument of movement and connection, I felt empowered and as though I had a place and purpose. It was these experiences that ultimately led me to a career that has included leading others through outdoor experiences, where they too have felt the empowerment and connection to something bigger than themselves. Throughout the years, I looked to others in their expertise of body image resilience and had worked closely with them to access their curriculum and insight for activities and group facilitation. It was through these experiences that I learned that without shared experience and interaction, girls and women are less likely to connect to body image resilience in a sustainable way. Other experiences led me to understand the importance of outdoor programming and its impact on participants. Therefore, my research set out to explore women's GET HER TO THE GREEN 2 experiences in a body image resilience curriculum and the illumination of the impact of outdoor experiential education on the women's experiences. The women's experiences demonstrated the pervasive manner in which body image dissatisfaction has become normalized and the importance of community connection in unpacking this normative discontent, as well as the powerful impact nature had on their perspective of self as well as their mental health. Background I have worked with several nonprofit organizations where I have created curriculum and led outdoor experiences for women and girls. Through this work and the relationships I have built with these women and girls, it has become apparent that society is providing a powerful message of what it means to look like and be a woman. In the last year alone, the U.S. saw a 1.5billion-dollar increase in expenditure in cosmetic surgery. Furthermore, in the last 20 years, cosmetic surgery procedures performed have increased nearly 900%, with an increase of 39% in just the last five years (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2015). The National Eating Disorder Association (2016) reported that 42% of 1st-3rd graders want to be thinner, 81% of 10-year-olds are afraid of being fat, and over one-half of teenage girls use unhealthy weight control behaviors. Additionally, of American elementary school girls who read magazines, 69% say that the pictures influence their concept of the ideal body shape and 47% of those girls say that the pictures make them want to lose weight (NEDA, 2016). When girls grow up being aware of their "imperfect" bodies, they become women who don't know how to live outside the paradigm of being more than a body because they accept body dissatisfaction as a normal comfort zone (Cash & Henry, 1995). Women and girls need to learn to overcome and build resilience against the harmful messages about what it looks like to be a woman. GET HER TO THE GREEN 3 In 1995 a study of women ages 18-70, indicated that almost one-half of the women reported feeling negatively towards their bodies and their looks (Cash & Henry, 1995). With a societal acceptance of women feeling dissatisfied with their bodies, it is important to indicate resources and tools that will allow a shift in building resilience to body shame and disapproval. Research shows that the more time women spend in nature, the more positive their body image becomes (Schreiber, 2011). Contrarily, most women find themselves situated in a society where they are hyper-focused on their physical appearance, and thus are less connected to the world beyond their bodies. And the less women feel connected to nature, the less regard they have for nature (Schreiber 2011; Scott 2010), which has both personal consequences, like lower selfesteem and self-worth, but also societal consequences of a lack of environmental concern (Schreiber, 2011). We know that body image resilience education is important and has a positive impact on women's self-image. And we also know that a high rate of connectedness to nature can result in positive body image. It is through this research that we can see that creating a connection between the two, learning about body image resilience and a connection to nature, that the participants were more likely to create lasting practices in overcoming body image dissatisfaction. The Project The purpose of this study was to explore the questions "What are women's experiences in a body image resilience workshop? And how does facilitating this workshop through outdoor experiential education impact those experiences?" The workshop included an established body image resilience curriculum created by Beauty Redefined that focuses on media literacy and body image resilience. The curriculum was created in 2013 as part of Beauty Redefined's CoExecutive Director's Ph.D. Dissertations. This curriculum combines the research of both Lindsay GET HER TO THE GREEN 4 and Lexie Kite, guiding individuals through an eight-unit online course, with the desired outcome of body image resilience and critical media engagement. My purpose in engaging women in a body image resilience workshop through outdoor experiential education was to understand if utilizing active learning techniques and connecting women to nature is a sustainable tool in building resilience to objectification and selfobjectification. Objectification theory states that as women's bodies are commodified through marketing and media, women start to internalize this gaze and value their beauty as a currency for social and economic success; the internalization of this external gaze is called selfobjectification (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). Beauty Redefined's curriculum takes individuals through the process of recognizing, rejecting and redefining media's objectifying messages about women, to build resilience to self-objectification. Beauty Redefined's outcome-based curriculum has been used successfully. Until now, the curriculum was only being utilized on an individual level, with participants sitting in front of a computer screen completing one unit per week, which is a passive form of education (Howden 2012; Shellman 2014). Active, or experiential education, is learning by doing. Experiential education focuses on physical experience as a key to the learning process, creating an environment in which the learner is physically, mentally, and socially engaged (Howden, 2012). As challenges arise, the student can overcome, reflect and create a basis for future decisions and actions (Howden, 2012). Experiential education is a catalyst for sustainable and empowering learning (Shellman, 2014), and can empower individuals through authentic experiences, improving not only their personal lives but also positively affecting their communities (Howden 2012; Shellman 2014). Not only was this study facilitated experientially, but also with activities in the outdoors. An outdoor component was critical because it has been shown that levels of self- GET HER TO THE GREEN 5 esteem and positive body image increase when women feel more connected to nature (Swami, Barron, Weis & Furnham 2016; Swami, Nordheim & Barron, 2016). This study looked at combining three proven theories of body image resilience, experiential education, and women's connection to nature, to illuminate the experiences of women overcoming self-objectification. Significance An understanding of the three theoretical frameworks of objectification theory, experiential education and women's connection to nature, is essential for the comprehension of the impact of outdoor experiential education on the participant's experiences in the body image resilience workshop. Starting with puberty and continuing into adulthood, girls and women are twice as likely to experience depression as boys and men (Nolen-Hoeksema, 1990; Steingraber, 2007). The plunge in girls' self-esteem at puberty is directly associated with self-objectification (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). Self-objectification leads girls to evaluate and control their bodies more regarding sexual desirability than to focus on individual desires, dreams, health, achievements, and ability (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). Self-objectification has been linked to disordered eating, unhealthy sexual practices, diminished mental performance, anxiety, and depression. These consequences occur in epidemic proportions among white, African-American, Latina, and Asian-American young women (Fredrickson, Roberts, 1997). Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) aptly stated: "the habitual body monitoring encouraged by a sexually objectifying culture may reduce women's quality of life" (p. 184). The purpose of this study was to gather women's experiences of understanding selfobjectification, the associated consequences, and techniques for building body image resilience. As stated above, it was important for this study to add a physical component because research has shown that if individuals are physically involved in an event, they are engaged in what they GET HER TO THE GREEN 6 are learning (Shellman, 2014). Being physically involved makes the process of learning feel genuine and the outcomes meaningful and personal (Howden, 2012). The participants were physically engaged in the outdoors during reflection and debriefing the content of each unit from the curriculum. Connectedness to nature has been shown to nurture experiences through which individuals gain a perspective of self-respect and ownership of their bodies (Swami, Barron, Weis, & Furnham, 2016). In addition to those benefits, connectedness to nature may also afford people the tools to better cope with indicators and outside sources, such as media, that threaten body image (Swami, Nordheim, & Barron, 2016). This study enlightened the experiences of women learning about body image resilience in a group setting. The findings of this study illustrate the way in which we teach about body image resilience. Recognizing and rejecting the objectifying messages about women, should not be done in isolation, which could result in women entering a cycle of shame. Instead, the importance of connecting with others while learning about body image resilience shows that the way in which women talk about women's bodies and their relationship to them needs to change. It was through the engagement of the community that was built through the workshops, that the women were able to start to interrogate the normative discontent the participants had with their bodies. Some participants didn't even realize they were experiences dissatisfaction prior to the workshops, because it had become such an accepted and normalized way of experiencing life in their bodies. It was through the connection they felt in the group that they were able to recognize their dissatisfaction and start the process of building resilience. Creating connection and community, engaging with the outdoors and overcoming the normative discontent that has so readily been accepted is critical to the field work of body image resilience. GET HER TO THE GREEN 7 Chapter II: Literature Review In this chapter, I examine the literature surrounding body image resilience, experiential education and women and the outdoors. While looking at body image resilience, it is important to discuss patriarchy as a root cause of women evaluating their lives based on their bodies, discuss the feminist movement, illuminate objectification theory and the consequences of objectification for women, and examine media's objectifying messages about women. Next, experiential education and its sustainability will be highlighted. And finally, I will conclude by discussing literature around how women's connection to nature can have an impact on their selfesteem. It is this literature that will provide a framework for understanding the significance of the research findings. This literature informed my research questions of illuminating the impact of outdoor experiential education on the experiences of women in a body image resilience workshop. Body Image Resilience Women today, overall, feel dissatisfied with their bodies, so much so that dissatisfaction is unquestioned, common and even expected (Kite & Kite, 2016). Lindsay and Lexie Kite (2016), of Beauty Redefined, explain that in today's world too many women have settled into a comfort zone that is a tumultuous relationship of body shame and appearance anxiety. It is important to understand the root cause of body dissatisfaction in women and why it is being accepted and even expected. Patriarchy In gaining insight into the normative nature of body shame and the importance of the combination of body image resilience and women's connection to nature, it is imperative to understand a societal structure that has facilitated the objectification of women. Patriarchy is a GET HER TO THE GREEN 8 system of beliefs that places male experiences and perceptions above those of women. Johnson (1997) states: Patriarchy's defining elements are its male-dominated, male-identified, and male centered character, but this is just the beginning. At its core, patriarchy is a set of symbols and ideas that make up a culture embodied by everything from the content of everyday conversations to literature and film. Patriarchal culture includes ideas about the nature of things, including men, women, and humanity, with manhood and masculinity most closely associated with being human and womanhood and femininity relegated to the marginal positions of "other." (p. 84) Bigger social constructs, such as patriarchy, cannot be reduced to just the people who participate in it, however (Johnson, 2007). When referencing patriarchy as a root cause to the objectification of women, it is important that the blame is not placed on individuals or just the dominant gender. "The crucial thing to understand about patriarchy or any other kind of social system is that it's something people participate in. It's an arrangement of shared understandings and relationships that connect people to one another and something larger than themselves" (Johnson, 1997 p.79). It is not just something that men participate in. Patriarchy is a societal structure that places the male experience above that of women, but both men and women have normalized this way of experiencing life. Feminist movements offer a call to action against this normalization, and it is through the theorizing of patriarchy that we have learned several critiques. For example, patriarchy oversimplifies the definition of gender in a homogenous and unidimensional way (Acker, 1989; Crenshaw, 1991; Patil 2013). Also, the marginalization of women is not as simple as saying all women experience the same oppression (Crenshaw, 1991; Hooks 2014), and all men are responsible for this oppression (Johnson A. G., 1997). These GET HER TO THE GREEN 9 critiques are important in understanding that if patriarchy is stated as the root cause of the objectification of women, it isn't fair to say all men use their power to dominate, control, or objectify women. It's a more complex system, as all humans are complex, not just neatly fitting into gendered norms and roles. Feminist movements Feminism has a long history of producing and rearticulating society's understanding of gender issues. Bringing to light gender issues has radically altered a patriarchal society's understanding of reality and women's desire and ability to seek out change (Ebert, 1992). In the continued efforts of seeking change for women, it is important to understand how the feminist movement has evolved and what it looks like today. The feminist movement has influenced societal endeavors to see women as more than their body. When addressing patriarchy using Johnson's (1997) definition of "manhood and masculinity most closely associated with being human, and womanhood and femininity relegated to the marginal positions of other" (p. 84), it is imperative to question if collectively all women have the same experience in the position of other. When considering women's experiences as a marginalized group, it is important to look at race and class, not just gender (Crenshaw 1991; hooks, 2014). Intersectionality proposes that women have intersectional identities, intersecting oppressions that could be influenced by race, ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation. If we ignore difference within groups, including the identification of women as a group, it may contribute to tension within that group (Crenshaw, 1991). Middle-class feminism fails to recognize the importance of race and class when understanding the oppression of women and patriarchy (Crenshaw 1991; Harding & Norberg 2005; hooks 2014). Gender, race, class, and sexuality are interdependent and interrelated (Patil, 2013), therefore, without looking at intersectionality, a GET HER TO THE GREEN 10 complete understanding of oppression is not possible. And often, White women dominate feminist discourse (Crenshaw 1991; hooks, 2014). The following sections will look at two different movements of feminism and how they influence patriarchy and the objectification of women with keeping in mind intersectionality. Postfeminism. At about the same time intersectionality research and recognition of its importance was surfacing (Crenshaw, 1991), we also entered what is has been called a postfeminist era or third wave feminism. Postfeminism promotes challenging the understanding of a need and a drive for a feminist movement. Harris (2010) paints a broad picture of a postfeminist era, identifying three findings. She states that "young women are not inclined to call themselves feminists; that they believe that, to a large extent, the women's movement is a thing of the past; and that they privilege a narrative of individual choice" (p. 476). Postfeminism exists in the creation of the narrative that a women's movement is a thing of the past and the goals of feminism have been achieved. This way of looking at feminism invokes the framework for understanding female oppression as no longer a societal or structural problem, but in fact, the fault of the oppressed themselves (Piepmeier, 2006; Ortner 2014). This blame-the-victim approach is damaging because it allows the patriarchal construct to be invisible or ignored. The postfeminist narrative suggests that choice on an individual and personal level and pulling oneself up ‘by your bootstraps,' can bring equality and empowerment, which negates the need for collective action (Piepmeier, 2006). This individual approach is dangerous because it makes invisible the ways in which women, in general, are fearful and underprivileged (Piepmeier, 2006; Ortner 2014). Today, women continue to exist in a society that views them as less than, with layers of further oppression when intersectional identities are taken into consideration. And yet, the postfeminist movement has created the vision that society has overcome the need for equality GET HER TO THE GREEN 11 because it has already been reached. Therefore, women continue to be stuck in the cycle of minimization, othering, and objectification. Ecofeminism. Another theoretical framework of feminism is that of ecofeminism. Ecofeminism is a movement that illuminates the idea that sexism is tightly woven with classism, racism and environmental destruction, which adds a layer to intersectionality (Strzalkowski, 1997). Sexism, classism, racism and environmental destruction are all "dependent on the continued domination of male decision-making in the world" (Strzalkowski, 1997, p. 175). Ecofeminists argue that the feminine has long been associated with the natural, the body, and emotion, symbolized in metaphors such as the nurturing image of Mother Nature. Alternately, the masculine is tied to traits such as rationality and civilized (non-natural) progress. Shared logic perpetuates these dualisms-female/male, nature/culture, body/mind-which are overlaid with corresponding value judgments: Rationality, male traits, and culture are good; expressions of the body, female traits, and nature are bad. Ecofeminism seeks to understand and address these dualisms. (Goralnik, 2015, p. 1) An ecofeminist lens is relevant to the research because connecting with nature was an important finding. Connecting with nature allowed participants to perceive their bodies in a different way. They approached their connectedness to nature with intentionality and thoughtfulness surrounding learning about body image resilience. Nature incorporates a connection to something bigger than our bodies. But if sexism, classism, and racism continue to exist, so will the destruction of nature, and an inability to connect with it. "Where women are degraded, nature will be degraded…" (Strzalkowski, 1997 p. 263). In a society where exploitation of the environment is normal, overusing resources, littering, a lack of consistent recycling and high consumerism, women feel the degradation, and therefore are GET HER TO THE GREEN 12 inherently in a subordinate position, their bodies becoming degraded as well. Later in this chapter, women's connection to nature will be looked at as a tool in increasing positive body image (Swami, Barron, Weis, & Furnham, 2016). It is important to gain an understanding of patriarchal society and the effects it has on women. While this perspective is not new, some are unaware of the position is has on the actual lives of women. With the understanding of the value of one gender over another, it starts to make sense why women are perpetually dissatisfied with their bodies, a very thing that is most valuable in society. Women's bodies are commodified in a patriarchal society and are offered as accessories to what men are experiencing. And though there is work that is being done to illuminate the consequences of objectification, third wave feminism is clouding the reality of the need for change. Men and women believe that the work that has been previously done is enough for women, and not much more is needed to create equality, though the prevalence of objectification is far reaching in our technological society. As a form of power, women are marginalized and minimized through objectification. Objectification Theory Objectification Theory sets the groundwork for illuminating why there is a need for body image resilience, and how women can best learn about body image resilience. We live in a patriarchal social construct that has facilitated a culture that objectifies the female body. Women's day to day thoughts and actions are interrupted by images in their minds of how their bodies may appear to others (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). This monitoring of one's body can become habitual, meaning the focus of living becomes answering the gaze of others. Living with this intent has significant consequences for women, including disordered eating attitudes and GET HER TO THE GREEN 13 behaviors, depression, shame, and appearance anxiety (Fredrickson & Roberts 1998; Tiggeman & Slater 2001). Objectification theory hypothesizes that the cultural environment in the United States uses objectification to socialize girls and women to treat themselves and their bodies as objects to be looked at and evaluated, eventually leading to the internalization of the observer's perspective of their bodies (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997; Greenleaf, 2006). The internalizing of the observer's perspective is known as self-objectification (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997), while sexual objectification is being treated as a body or parts of a body valued for consumption by others (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). Intersectional Identities among women (Crenshaw, 1991) create unique experiences with objectification, however having "a reproductively mature female body may create a shared social experience and a vulnerability to sexual objectification" (Fredrickson & Roberts; 1997, p. 175). Understanding objectification (including self-objectification and sexual objectification) and its consequences while looking at a media culture of idealized bodies, both digitally and surgically enhanced, can start to paint a picture of why female self-esteem is plummeting. Women and girls are exhausting their efforts to monitor and change their bodies regularly to cope with shame, depression, and appearance anxiety (Fredrickson & Roberts 1998; Tiggeman & Slater 2001). With the exhaustion of women's efforts to monitor their bodies, it is critical to talk about normative discontent and how that plays into the everyday lives of women. Normative discontent. Normative discontent illuminates the normalized perspective of dissatisfaction women experience with their bodies.. In our society, being obese or overweight comes with a lot of stigmas, and is met with psychological and social consequences (Rodin, Silberstein , & Striegel-Moore, 1984). Women do everything they can do to either avoid obesity, GET HER TO THE GREEN 14 and may go to extreme lengths, or they deny the impact of the stigma and ignore the consequences, feeling dissatisfied in other ways. When women become preoccupied with their bodies, with tactics of control or avoidance, they become participants of life. Women are almost expected to be dissatisfied with their bodies, because there is an unobtainable ideal, that no one can reach. Women have set their comfort zones in body dissatisfaction, and have to decide when a disruption to that comfort zone occurs women have a choice to either rise to resilience or sink to shame (Kite & Kite, Beauty Redefined , 2014). Normative discontent does not need to be the accepted way of living. Women existing with the normative rhetoric of body dissatisfaction on a daily basis, are influenced by media and its objectifying messages. The next section will examine the messages and impacts that media has in women's lives. Women and the media's objectifying messages. In a postfeminist era, an era where feminism is seen as no longer needed, we find feminist and antifeminist discourse has started to become intertwined through media messaging (McRobbie, 2008). Gill (2006) states: On the one hand, young women are hailed through a discourse of 'can-do' girl power, yet on the other their bodies are powerfully re-inscribed as sexual objects; on one hand women are presented as active, desiring social subjects, yet on the other they are subject to a level of scrutiny and hostile surveillance that has no historical precedent. (p. 25) Today, through postfeminist messages, women are not only taught their body is central to femininity and a false idea of feminism, but women must now also understand their objectification as normal, and self-chosen. And when objectification is chosen, selfobjectification becomes habitual and normal to everyday life (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1998), which is leading to epidemic levels of negative consequences including body shame, disordered eating, and cosmetic surgery. GET HER TO THE GREEN 15 New Media is a powerful, unrelenting, and market-driven business, that if not recognized, can invade our understanding of consumerism, body objectification and internalization of current body ideals (Lopez-Guimera, Levine, Sanchez-Carracedo, & Fauquet, 2010). The images that women see through new media, such as the objectification of women, solidifies the standards of beauty and sexuality (Fredrickson & Roberts 1998; Lopez-Guimera et al., 2010; Swami & Smith 2012). Women then internalize those images and self-objectify (Lopez-Guimera, Levine, Sanchez-Carracedo, & Fauquet, 2010). There is evidence to state that engagement with mass media is, at the very least, a variable risk factor for negative body image (Hargreaves & Tiggemann, 2004; Levine & Murnen, 2009 as cited in Swami & Smith 2012). Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) urge both individual and collective action in changing the meaning our culture assigns to the female body. They emphasize that if education efforts are transformed, in schools, at home, and in communities, there can be critical change: A first step would be to make girls and women more acutely aware of the range of adverse psychological effects that objectifying images and treatment can have on them… Such awareness, in turn, could fortify girls and women to resist these negative effects, and create space for them to experience their bodies in more direct and positive ways. (p. 198) Looking at the education of females is where experiential education becomes an important tool. If girls and women are to become educated about the effects of objectification, passive and active learning strategies could make a substantial difference. Experiential Education With the urge from Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) for education around selfobjectification, it is important to look at the literature surrounding the educational strategies of GET HER TO THE GREEN 16 women about the objectifying messages of the media and the negative consequences of selfobjectification. The following section will explore the inefficiency of a patriarchal educational framework and the efficiency of an experiential education framework. If education is grounded in patriarchy, the following elements are present: Hierarchal structures, the value of external structures, and obedience and authority (Mathis, 2003). These three elements of education grounded in patriarchy lend themselves to a passive way of learning (Howden 2012; Shellman 2014). In a passive and patriarchal learning environment, students are more likely to be indifferent toward learning (Mathis, 2003). The teacher and the student, whether at home, in a community setting, or in the classroom, both must be participants in learning. A passive learning environment does not result in long-term impact. The education about objectification should be taught in an active learning environment. Several scholars have examined current practices in educating women on objectification (Archer 1983; Chambers & Alexander; Copeland 1989; Gemma et al. 2010; Swami & Smith 2012; Zink & Kane 2016). One study, in particular, looked to illuminate the best way to educate college-age girls about body image and mass media. They concluded that adding several elements of learning, including watching both video and reading text impacted behavior in a more sustainable way, affecting retention of information (Chambers & Alexander). This is important in recognizing sustainable ways of teaching, which is important when learning about body image resilience. Content is being created around best practices to educating women and girls on self-objectification, however, there is a gap in the literature of proposing the education of women and girls using an experiential way of learning.Experiential education promotes women and girls to utilizetheir bodies while learning, while becoming an active participant in education. Using an experiential education theory promotes utilizing the feminist rhetorical options of joint GET HER TO THE GREEN 17 efforts (Piepmeier, 2006), engaging self in understanding body image resilience, and understanding inherent values. Howden (2012) states: Time spent in hands-on efforts tend to engage learners physically and emotionally in both the process of learning and the outcomes of the experience. This type of embodied learning is memorable exactly because it looks and feels different from what has come to be commonplace in education, learning through lecture or other passive means. (p. 43) Experiential education focuses on physical experience as a key to the learning process. It creates an environment where the learner is physically, mentally, and socially engaged, so that as challenges arise, the learner can overcome, reflect and create a basis for future decisions and actions (Howden, 2012). Experiential education is a catalyst for sustainable and empowering learning (Shellman, 2014), and can empower individuals through genuine experiences, improving not only their personal lives but also positively affecting their communities (Howden 2012; Shellman 2014). This is essential to the education about body image resilience because it facilitates an active way of learning, allowing the women to be part of the learning process while encouraging the empowerment of sustainable decisions when engaging with media and recognizing and rejecting self-objectification norms. Engaging physically as well as mentally in the learning process has the potential to increase self-esteem, enhance interpersonal relationships and improve leadership capabilities (Howden, 2012). This type of education can help the learner, especially in adult education, to free the mind from habitual ways of thinking and acting, while also reducing the rumination of negative self-talk (Bratman et al., 2015; Howden, 2012; Warren et al., 2014). This was seen through the research findings, where the importance of connection and community is highlighted as important to creating sustainability and the overcoming and uncovering the normalized internal dialogue of body image dissatisfaction. GET HER TO THE GREEN 18 Women engaging with the outdoors is a way of experiencing experiential learning and has also been linked to reducing rumination on negative self-talk (Bratman G. N., Hamilton, Hahn, Daily, & Gross, 2015). This was also seen as an important findings, as connecting with nature created an environment for the participants to view their bodies differently and change their normalized internal dialogue.The next section will look the impact that nature can have on women. Women and the Outdoors We currently live in a society that does not value nature or spending time in it. From the perspective of ecofeminism, we do not value nature because environmental destruction is intertwined with sexism, classism, and racism (Strzalkowski, 1997), and as long as those still exist, so will the destruction of nature. Women's bodies are turned into objects, to sell products, and nature is also viewed as a commodity, something to exploit and use. Restorative environments, green exercise, and nature-based activities can certainly influence our health (Louv, 2008). Nature Deficit Disorder, a journalistic term coined by Richard Louv, describes the harmful effects of people's isolation from nature (Palomino, Taylor, Goker, Issacs, & Warber, 2016). Louv argues that the human cost of spending less time in nature is measured in "diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses" (Louv, 2008). He proposes that direct exposure to nature is a necessity for both physical and emotional health for children and adults. Levels of self-respect, self-esteem, and body image increase when women feel more connected to nature (Swami, Barron, Weis & Furnham 2016; Swami, Nordheim & Barron, 2016). With having increased respect and ownership of one's body, being connected to nature, additionally, may provide individuals the tools to better cope and build resilience with outside sources that threaten body image (Swami, Barron, Weis, & Furnham, 2016). Women who have a GET HER TO THE GREEN 19 lower connection to nature have a greater likelihood of self-objectification and the internalization of the media's messages of the feminine ideal (Scott B. A., 2010). These results, as other results of women's connectedness to nature research, come with limitations. Many of these studies, showing women's connection with nature and its impact on self-esteem and positive body image, have not had diverse groups of women participating (Scott & Derry, 2005; Swami, Barron, Weis & Furnham , 2016; Swami, Nordheim & Barron 2016; Warren, et al, 2014). With a lack of diversity, results are inconclusive because nature experiences influencing women with intersectional identities have not been recorded. Though it was the hope of this study to fill this gap, I was unable to secure a racially and ethnically diverse group of women. Conclusion In summary, this chapter has addressed the harmful effects of the objectification of women, and how this has been normalized in a Patriarchal society, therefore affirming the importance of a body image resilience workshop. It is clear that experiential education and the active participation of the learner has the potential to empower and engage the student to retain the information they are learning. And finally, women who are connected to nature report higher self-esteem and positive body image. Therefore, it is through these three theories, that I answered the questions "What are women's experiences in a body image resilience workshop? And how does facilitating this workshop through outdoor experiential education impact those experiences?" Participants learned to recognize, reject and redefine media's harmful messages of minimizing women to just their bodies while participating experientially in outdoor activities and group discussion. GET HER TO THE GREEN 20 Chapter III: Research Methods To answer the research questions "What are the experiences of women participating in body image resilience workshop? And how does facilitating this workshop through outdoor experiential education impact those experiences?", I facilitated a body image resilience workshop in a group setting through outdoor experiential education. This chapter describes the curriculum and the data collection methods used. In conclusion, I discuss how I ensured the validity of my research findings. Context My research explored women's experiences with a body image resilience workshop facilitated through outdoor experiential education. This research was done to illuminate and share the experiences of a group of women and their journey in building body image resilience. To understand the impact of experiential education in challenging objectification behaviors in women, I utilized one organization's body image resilience curriculum. This particular curriculum was created with the idea that it would be completed by individuals. I had to adapt the content to be utilized in experiential group settings. Beauty Redefined Beauty Redefined is a 501©3 based in Salt Lake City that focuses on media literacy and body image resilience with an audience of over 60 thousand1 individuals. Sisters, Lindsay and Lexie Kite, Executive Directors of Beauty Redefined, utilize their platform to share educational content on the harm of media's messaging to women. Together, Lindsay and Lexie developed an 8-unit online program for individuals (see Appendix A for example). The program can be done at the discretion of the individual, on their time frame, because this curriculum is 1 st Retrieved November 1 , 2016 from https://www.facebook.com/BeautyRedefined/ GET HER TO THE GREEN 21 set up to be done as an individual. This curriculum helps girls and women acknowledge their pain, critically dissect and understand the pressures placed on them to monitor their bodies and then utilize that understanding to build resiliency to future challenges with body image. Salt lake city, utah. This research is relevant in Salt Lake City, because of a dominant patriarchal culture that exists here. Girls and women tend to experience their body as belonging less to them, and more to other people and this culturally built understanding of the body causes girls and females to be more at-risk for violence (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). Though this study is not specifically focused on violence against women, violence is a byproduct of the normalized objectification of women. Therefore, understanding violence against girls and women is critical in Utah because it is estimated that 36.9% of women aged 18 and older in Utah have experienced rape, and 47.8% of women in Utah have experienced sexual violence other than rape, both percentages higher in Utah than reported for women in the rest of the county (Insitute For Women's Policy Research, 2014). These statistics show the need for body image resilience for both women and men in Utah. Participants The participants of this study were women between the ages of 25-40 years old who selfselected to participate in the body image resilience workshop. This age group was identified as a target demographic that Beauty Redefined wanted to see utilize their curriculum. Before this study, their curriculum and content has been targeted towards girls in grades 6-12. Participants were recruited through social media, including Facebook and Instagram, asking for local women in the Salt Lake area, who are interested in completing the curriculum in an experiential GET HER TO THE GREEN 22 environment (see Appendix B for recruiting script). All participants had to be willing to commit to five in-person sessions (one orientation meeting and four outdoor experiences), between the months of January to March. With the parameters stated in the recruitment, those interested were asked to fill out a survey with their contact information, age, self-identified gender, race, ethnicity, income bracket, acknowledgment of timeframe and availability, the level of accessibility to transportation and residence. The intent of recruiting a diverse group of women was essential to this study. Research indicates that in regards to body image, media literacy, or increased self-esteem through outdoor experiences, there is a lack of diversity in research participants (Swami, Barron, Weis, & Furnham, 2016). I was hopeful that this research could start to fill that gap in the literature because of the consequences of self-objectification effect women of all ethnicities (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). However, this research did not fulfill the object of finding a diverse group of women regarding race and ethnicity. Though I had selected a diverse group of non-white participants, several had to drop out due to time commitment. The participants that ended up committing to the whole-time frame resulted in a majority white sample. Though, as you will see, there is diversity in socio-economics and ages within the given parameters. Of those who filled out the survey, there ended up being a group of 10 women who committed to participate in the workshop, with the understanding that a few of them failed to complete the full workshop. In the end, a total of 9 women completed the workshops. Each woman brought a different dynamic and perspective to the group. I recognize that my time with these women was limited, so my descriptions I offer below of each participant is just a glimpse of their lives, through data gathered and my perspective. GET HER TO THE GREEN 23 Melissa. Melissa was a white 36-year-old stay at home mom to 3 kids. She had been married for 16 years at the time of the study, was working on her Bachelor's degree, and had an annual household income of $61,000. Melissa started the workshops quiet and reserved. She consistently waited for others to speak up first and indicated through her journaling that she wished she would have spoken up more. She did not regularly spend time in the outdoors but found a connection with nature while walking her children to the bus stop. When she was asked to create her story, she often recorded in her journal about the struggle she felt to come up with something that felt authentic. She settled on the establishment of a story for her children about how they should love themselves for all the complex parts that make up who they are. In her digital story, she did not talk about her journey to body image resilience, though her personal journal talks of this journey. It just wasn't something she was ready to discuss publicly. Leslie. Leslie was a single, White 26-year-old full-time special education teacher with a bachelor's degree. At the time of the study, she earned an annual income of $34,000-46,000. Leslie identified herself as someone who recognizes the importance of nature in her life. She wrote in her journal often of her outdoor experiences teaching her the most about her body and what it was capable of, not just how her body looked. She struggled with the curriculum and with identifying as a feminist. She believed that the ‘feminist agenda' she felt while completing the curriculum was contributing to the divide between men and women. She often was quiet during the workshops, but her journal entries were insightful and thoughtful. After sending her the final of her digital story, she sent a message that said "Wow! I love it way more than I expected to! Thank you for making it so awesome!" She had a hard time being vulnerable for her story, as she was nervous and shy during the recording of her digital story. She is committed to her story being shared and has since asked if GET HER TO THE GREEN 24 she can rerecord her audio, so it sounds like she believes what she is saying because she feels very connected to it. Shea. Shea was a married white 36-year-old mom and part-time recreational therapist. She had a bachelor's and master's degree in therapeutic recreation and earned an annual income of $22,000-33,000. She indicated that her connection with nature was incredibly important to her. She was an avid rock climber, hiker, and lover of mother nature. She often spoke about how she is always open to learning, but that prior to starting the workshop, she had positive body image. It was through this curriculum that she realized some of her norms were that of body dissatisfaction. She wrote about her realization of monitoring her life based on what her stomach looked like in clothing, which had occasionally made her feel insecure while climbing. Shea was always willing to contribute to the group discussions and was always looking for ways to be inclusive of all the members of the group. As much as she was willing to share her opinion and experience, she wanted to hear from the other women as well. Andrea. Andrea was a white 28-year-old full-time professional with a bachelor's degree and earned an annual income of $34,000-46,000. Andrea was most critical of the curriculum but most complimentary to the workshops. She was upset that someone was trying to tell her what she already knew. She always shared her opinion the group, most of the time being opposite of what others were saying. However, she consistently was supportive, kind and inclusive to others in the group. At the end of the workshops, Andrea indicated that the reason the curriculum content was so hard for her, was because it was making her confront norms in her life that she was not ready to face. She showed up for her appointment to record her digital story, and after an hour of conversation had decided she wasn't quite ready to record it. She stated that by recording her story, she would have to admit that there are issues that will need to be addressed. She did GET HER TO THE GREEN 25 indicate at this time that this was the first winter she had not experienced seasonal depression and she attributes that to the workshops and being outside. Melanie. Melanie was a married, 33 years old biracial (white/Hispanic) women. She worked part-time, and was a full-time graduate student, with an annual income of $15,00021,000. Melanie was always participating in the conversation, getting to know the other participants and the online curriculum. She was aware of the need for body image resilience and was ready to do the work of the curriculum. She was thoughtful and intentional in her responses and group engagement. She indicated that she surprised herself during these workshops by trying new outdoor experiences and finding a sense of empowerment while doing so. Tiffany. Tiffany was a married white 38-year-old full-time teacher and mother to 6 with a personal annual income of $34,000-46,000. She missed two workshops and did not follow through with the curriculum. When she did come to the workshops, she often spoke about her experiences, but also would share the experiences of other participants that were discussed in small groups. She was not afraid to speak up, nor share that she was satisfied with her body. She was very vocal from the beginning that she was in this workshop to learn how to have these conversations with her students. She was not in this workshop for herself. In the final workshops, she was willing to admit that as much as she thought of her body image as positive, she was now able to identify that her worth was placed on her body and her looks. Samantha. Samantha was a single, biracial (Latina, White & Native American) 26-yearold artist who earned an annual income of $15,000-21,000 a year. She had recently applied and was accepted into a graduate program. She was always thoughtful and detailed in her comments, her journals, and contribution to small group discussions. Samantha experienced a lot during the eight weeks of the workshop and was able to utilize things she was learning through the GET HER TO THE GREEN 26 curriculum in real life experiences. Samantha put a lot of time and effort into her digital story and is proud of the final product. Leslie. Leslie was a single white 37-year-old full-time editor who made $22,000-33,000 a year. She had a bachelor's and master's degree. She started the workshops reserved and quiet, keeping to herself and not reaching out to other participants. As the workshops went on, she started to come out of her shell and share her insight. She was incredibly vulnerable with her journaling, both online and personal. She recorded a digital story but indicated that she still was not comfortable being identified within the story. She has valued being a person that doesn't care about their body for better or worse, but in the end, realized that she is very dissatisfied with her body but has masked it with overconfidence or lack of care. Beth. Beth was a white 31-year-old full-time customer service professional who made $34,000-46,000 a year. She was working towards completing her bachelor's degree. She had little to no interaction with nature and was looking forward to the challenge. Beth was incredibly frustrated with the ‘feminist agenda' of the curriculum, and like Leslie, felt like the message of objectification was causing the divide between men and women to be even larger. She selected to record a digital story about why she thinks everyone else in her life is beautiful. She didn't address her story very often and had a hard time identifying with the rest of the group during the workshops. Data Collection Methods Workshops To understand women's experiences with body image resilience curriculum, I facilitated Beauty Redefined's body image curriculum through outdoor experiential education. At the orientation meeting, each participant received a consent form (see Appendix C) explaining the GET HER TO THE GREEN 27 process of the workshop, the dates of commitment, and physical/psychological considerations. The entire group was guided through the consent form, opening up space for discussion as questions arose. After receiving consent forms back, the orientation meeting continued with a discussion of the process of the upcoming workshops, details of the units and how to complete them online, as well as the sharing of information as to why the outdoors are a component in this workshop. During the eight weeks, the participants were given small articles to read about different ideas surrounding outdoor engagement, to prepare them for their experiences in the outdoors (see Appendix D for example). They were also given instruction to complete Units one and two before the first group outdoor experience. Each workshop took place in person on five Saturdays for an hour and a half each time. The workshops began on January 7 and ended on March 11. Participants completed each unit of curriculum on their own time, with group reflection activities in the outdoors every other weekend. Participants were each given a journal at the orientation meeting and asked to record their experiences throughout the eight weeks on top of the online journal that was associated with the curriculum. Throughout each week, they were sent prompts for journaling (see Appendix A). Recording their impressions helped in the creation of the 3-minute digital stories each participant created at the conclusion of the workshop. I compiled their digital stories to share on Beauty Redefined's webpage. I did not interview individuals specifically for this project but offered questions to promote group discussion and guidance. All questions were designed to be "open-ended, structured, [and] ethnographic" (Spradley, 1979). It was hard to determine what each outdoor experience looked like prior to the workshop, therefore, each session lead to different discussions. GET HER TO THE GREEN 28 For this study, I took extensive field notes through observation and transcribed both an online and physical journal to identify common themes, as well as allowing individuals to share their experiences through digital storytelling. Through observation, I was able to provide detailed and concrete field notes that allowed patterns or themes to emerge (Marshall & Rossman, 2006). Field notes and journaling were crucial to gathering information for each outdoor experience, as this component was not present in the curriculum itself. I facilitated each outdoor experience and reflection based on an outline of the units completed (outdoor experience #1 was based on units 1 & 2 of the body resilience curriculum). Before arriving at the outdoor experience, each participant had already completed the units online as well as self-reflection in their personal journals. I came early to each outdoor experience and took notes of the area where we were meeting, details of the day, as well as the temperament and behavior of participants as they arrived. Each outdoor experience included time for reflection on the topics studied, which allowed the conversation to expand to the content that was relevant to the individuals. They were then asked to note in their journaling if their conceptualization of the topic changed due to the group conversation. If the conversation led too far off course, I would redirect the group back to specific content from previous units completed. During the time that was given for individuals to reflect, I took detailed field notes, to capture the behaviors, interactions, as well as comments of the participants (Johnson, 2017). workshop #1. This workshop took place at Tanner Gully, during a white out snow storm. This location was selected through a group poll. It was given as an option because I perceived the trail to be inclusive for all participant fitness levels and accessible to where each participant lived. With the threatening weather, two participants were not able to make it to the location. GET HER TO THE GREEN 29 Before this workshop, participants were to complete units 1 and 2 of the online curriculum. The topics covered the recognition of the objectification of women with a challenge to complete a 3day media fast. Unit 2 included self-objectification and a challenge to identify when the participants self-objectify and to change one thing that week that was a norm for them when it came to self-objectification. We all geared up for the snowy walk down into the gully and discussed what it was like to read about objectification. Was objectification a new idea? Had they known about it prior? How did it make them feel? After the walk, the group gathered under a covered patio, and as a parting activity, an energy circle was done. Per conversation on the trail, the participants identified that the things they started to recognize in their lives, especially the way they spoke to themselves, they would never say those things to someone else. This energy circle provided an opportunity for each participant to come up with the positive thoughts they wanted to focus on for the following week. The group then circled up, with the right hand over left, placed between shoulder blade of the person in front of them passing along the positive thought, in a continuous circle. It was after this workshop that it became evident that I would need to reevaluate locations for the workshops. Not all participants were able to complete the walk as a group, and I wanted to ensure all felt comfortable with their workshop experiences. workshop #2. This workshop took place at Liberty Park. This location was picked because I felt it was necessary to find more inclusive outdoor experiences for the group. Having done Tanner Gully taught me about the group limits. I had gotten a donation from a local yoga studio for the participants after they had heard about this workshop. They had put together small care packages of water bottles, snacks, hand warmers and lip balm. I passed out the care packages to the participants, and we sat down at a table to have a small discussion before heading out for a walk. We discussed experiential education, and how processing is an important part of the GET HER TO THE GREEN 30 experiential cycle. So not only is discussing the curriculum and experiences necessary with the group, but it is also important for the individuals to process what they were learning through the curriculum with people in their lives. Creating social support is established as important further on in the curriculum. . Participants were supposed to finish units 3 and 4 before workshop #2. The topics they were learning about was how many have comfort zones when it comes to their body image. Comfort zones could be positive or negative, but that all experience disruptions. This unit goes through what choices there are when faced with disruptions. The choice is to rise to resilience or sink into shame. Participants took a solo walk around the park, then paired up to talk about what types of disruptions each person had recognized in their lives. After pairing up, participants were asked to return to the table where a group discussion took place addressing what each pair had discussed. We also did an activity called cross the line. Each participant stood on one line facing north. There was an imaginary line drawn between two trees running east and west. I would then read out a series of questions; examples included, cross the line if:  In the past year, you have been in a relationship and been hurt?  Your parents have either divorced, separated, or never married?  You have cried at least once this year for someone or something other than yourself? Participants would then cross the line and face those who did not cross the line. The point of this activity was to provide a visual that as a newly built community, each person is coming from different backgrounds and perceptions. The following units and workshops included content and disucssions surrounding resilience.Unit 4 was about physical fortitude, and how using one's body physically, can help build resilience to body shame. This unit talked about physical movement and how essential it is to overall health, not just about losing weight. GET HER TO THE GREEN 31 workshop #3. Workshop number 3 took place at Red Butte Gardens. It was important to introduce outdoor experiences that weren't all about physical activity, but also taking the time to just connect with nature. Participants were given a chance to wander the gardens by themselves to think about what type of story they want to tell for their digital story. Units 5 and 6 were about building resilience through mental might and spiritual strength. Mental Might was about gaining and practicing self-compassion, why spiritual strength is connecting with something that is bigger than self. After having time in the gardens by themselves, participants returned to discuss what these topics meant to them. Participants gathered in a large circle and took turns discussing life events and how this curriculum was impacting those events. This week seemed to carry a strong feeling of stress and burden, and it was interesting to hear how the group utilized one another for support. workshop #4. Workshop number 4 took place at the Jordan River Parkway. Units and 7 and 8 were about using social skillfulness as a way to build resilience and talking about their digital stories. The weather made it incredibly difficult as it was very windy and hard to hear. Participants walked along the Parkway and continued the conversation with one another about building social circles and how impactful it has been to create this particular social circle of support. After collecting journals from the participants for the last time, individual meetings were set up to record digital stories.Digital Stories As mentioned, participants were given the opportunity to have their experience heard through digital storytelling. After a couple of workshops, participants viewed the digital story that I created sharing my journey of learning to reject self-objectification and then were asked to start to journal about how their stories could look. They were able to begin to conceptualize their stories from day one, as this was something we talked about from the beginning. Not only were GET HER TO THE GREEN 32 participants asked to be documenting their stories, but they were also requested to keep a journal about their experience with the curriculum and workshops and how those experiences may have impacted their stories. During the orientation meeting, participants were given the opportunity to take a disposable camera (had they not had access to their camera) to document their experiences. They were encouraged to take photos of their experiences, which could have been done by camera, cell phone or disposable camera. Ultimately, individuals used a mix of photos they already had that were important to them and pictures they had taken during their outdoor experiences throughout the curriculum. At the end of the 4th outdoor experience, individuals signed up for a time the following week to record their 3-minute story about their experience in the workshop and their relationship with themselves and their bodies. I then took those recordings, collected the photos that the participants took or collected, and compiled the digital stories. These 3-minute stories will be shared on Beauty Redefined's website as well as a storytelling project they are working on. Digital stories are a powerful educational tool. Storytelling helps people connect to others (Lowenthal, 2008) by sharing personal insight and information and relating to others through collective experience. These digital stories will be used to help Beauty Redefined's audience connect to the experience of the women who completed their curriculum and offer insight to what they learned. Being able to provide real life insight into women's experiences is a major component in building a community of support among women. Analysis Data were collected from several different sources. Fieldnotes, online journals, personal journals and digital stories. Below is a description of how data was collected from each source. I relied on open coding to organize and analyze data (Saldana , 2016). Open coding involves a line GET HER TO THE GREEN 33 by line reading of all content, allowing themes to emerge themselves (Johnson, 2017). Themes were color coded and systematized, helping in the organization and focus of emerging themes. Fieldnotes. Careful attention was given to writing and compiling description notes of the in-person workshop sessions. After each group meeting, I scheduled time in to write a detailed account of each experience, focusing on interactions between the individuals and demeanors. It was from these notes that I recorded stories and experiences that were note captured through online and personal journaling. Online journals. Secondly, I transcribed and analyzed, through open coding, participant online journals. Each participant was asked to record their experiences with each unit's challenge. Each unit had a particular challenge associated with the content being learned. These challenges included a 3-day media fast, recognizing disruptions, and practicing self-compassion. Each journal was downloaded and copied into a word document where each response was open coded to capture emerging themes. Personal journals. Each participant was given a personal journal to keep throughout the eight-week workshop. Participants were given journal prompts each week as well as an overall theme of recording their feelings and experiences while participating in the workshops. Weekly prompts included:  Have you increased your connection to nature in the last 2 1/2 weeks? If so, please describe your experience.  When have you noticed disruptions to your comfort zone? What were they? If you recognized them, what did you do to overcome them? GET HER TO THE GREEN  34 What things, if any, have you changed or aspire to change since starting the body image resilience curriculum? If you haven't wanted to make any changes, how come? Participant journals were transcribed and coded to identify themes. After that, participants were given each of their journals back as a way to reflect on their experience in the workshop. Digital stories. Harper (2002) describes that through photos, researchers can identify and bring visibility to the parts of the individual's identity that are not easily or typically seen. Digital stories allowed the participants the chance to show parts of their personalities that may not be visible and give voice to what might not be heard. With a focus on implementing an experiential component to body image resilience, it was just as important to implement an experiential component to story gathering. The digital stories offered an empowering experience that encouraged each to examine their personal beliefs and behaviors and their ability to change and shape those behaviors if needed (Shellman 2014). This aided in the analysis of the experiences of the women engaged in the body image resilience workshop. Validity I was mindful going into this research that I was a biased contributor for this study. I approached this research with my mind made up that body image resilience and outdoor experiential education together will be a strong force. I have worked I the field of outdoor experiential education for ten years, and have done so while working individually with women and girls. I have seen firsthand the impact that it can make in their lives. I have been an advocate for getting women and girls in the outdoors and found it difficult to separate being a facilitator of a program and being a researcher. I know how to frontload an activity, giving ideas of what I want participants to learn. Having to step back, and allow the participants to engage with the GET HER TO THE GREEN 35 curriculum and draw their conclusion was difficult. I have also professionally partnered with Beauty Redefined in the past, and have been familiar with their work, their objectives and what I can offer the Organization. Before the study, I believed this research to be relevant to the Organization, and after the workshops, can conclude the same. Lather (1986) reminds us that there is no such thing as unbiased research. Our biases influence how we engage with participants, how we understand the research problem, and how we interpret findings. From my perspective, I have seen a change in women through outdoor experiences. It was important for me to practice researcher reflexivity (Creswell & Miller, 2000), so I shared my experiences with the participants before starting to build rapport with them, being mindful not to influence their experience and personal insight. I also recognized and understood how different paradigms could affect my participation. Cresswell and Miller (2000) give us procedures to ensure validity. I used one method in particular to ensure the validity of my findings. Member checking was used at the beginning and end of each outdoor experience. In the beginning, I disclosed information gathered from the last session and ensured that my perception was accurate to the participant's experiences (Cresswell & Miller, 2000). At the end of the session, I also concluded the day's experience and checked in with the participants to ensure there was nothing important missing or something that was being misrepresented. Member checking in this way ensured that my assertions are authentic. Ethical Concerns Several ethical concerns arose with this project. I sought and received approval from the Westminster College Institutional Review Board to confirm that this project adhered to ethical GET HER TO THE GREEN 36 guidelines and caused no harm to the participants. I worked with a population regarding a sensitive topic and participated as a facilitator in data collection. The individual participants had the opportunity to use pseudonyms and non-identifying pictures when creating their digital stories because the content of the stories could prove to be sensitive or vulnerable to express. I asked the group to identify on their consent forms if they would like to keep their identity hidden with the creation of the digital stories. Three of them selected this option. I was interested to see if, by the end of the workshop, they would feel more confident in claiming their stories. The workshop's intended outcome was to empower participants to feel confident in authoring their story, and identifying this information speaks to the reaching of this outcome. Of the nine who completed the workshops, 8 of them recorded digital stories. Of the eight digital stories collected, 7 of them selected to use their real names and identifying pictures. All research records that identify private information, such as the interest survey and the consent forms were kept private. I was the only one that was allowed access to their private information. All records with personal information were stored in a password protected computer, or a locked cabinet in a private office. Sensitive Topic There were possible risks to the participants. Individuals experienced physical discomfort during the outdoor experience while some experienced anxiety, stress, fear or embarrassment about topics discussed and the outdoor experiences. Participants experienced this due to the sensitive nature of the subject of body image resilience. Participants were engaged in discussions that were both personal and emotional, which in some cases caused strong emotional reactions. GET HER TO THE GREEN 37 Conversations and content were triggering for one participant in particular of past events, personal feelings, or recognition of destructive negative self-talk. However, the benefits participants experienced significantly outweighed the risks. The workshops offered a supportive group setting where participants critically engaged with the issues. Within this environment, participants learned to reject self-objectification, overcome negative self-talk and thoughts, develop a critical eye for media, and build body image resilience. As the facilitator of the curriculum, I took precautions by addressing the group before all conversations. I stated what we were doing and discussing for the day, and made sure that participants knew that at any time they could opt not to answer questions or prompts, and if needed may ask for a break from the conversation or activity. I was also aware of adapting the plan for the day in the case that the group dynamic shifted due to an immediate need, like realizing the outdoor experience is too physically demanding for the group as a whole, impeding weather, or emotional needs. The adaptation of planned workshops happened with every workshop, as weather and air quality were a significant factor, as well as participant need. We made time every outdoor experience to self-reflect and connect with how participants were feeling, through journaling and group activities. As the facilitator, I always came prepared with tissues, paper, pencils and a list of resources for additional support and help (See Appendix D). Researcher's Role Because I was in a position of perceived authority, I found that sometimes participants responded to me in a different way than what they recorded in their journals. What was helpful was being able to read their journals and then ask questions about their experiences based on their authentic feedback. Also, to make sure the participants were comfortable with being candid with their responses during the group outdoor activities, I constantly checked in with the group at GET HER TO THE GREEN 38 the beginning and the end of each class, with quick activities to gauge comfort and understanding. I also reminded the participants that they were free to withdraw at any time or take time away from the group discussion. Problems encountered In addition to some ethical dilemmas, there were other problems I encountered during the facilitation of this workshop. Because of the time commitment of 8 weeks for the proposed project, I had participants not finish components of the curriculum or not come to a workshop. I attempted to recruit higher numbers to try to alleviate the impact of a participant attrition. To this point, I had picked 10 participants in the beginning, and only 7 of them record digital stories in the end. Each workshop had at least 1 participant missing. What was interesting was that only 5 of them finished the curriculum to the very end, as 4 of them got behind, but all of them kept coming to the workshops. I did my best to work with each individual, building rapport to understand all situations and needs. As far as external issues, these workshops took place in the outdoors during the winter months. As a precaution, several days before each session, everyone was contacted about the upcoming weather. When there was weather that posed a threat, the individuals were given an option to postpone or press forward and still attend the workshop. Workshop #1 was a white out blizzard. All participants but 2 came. Hand warmers, gloves, and jackets were available for use if the participants needed them during our outdoor experiences. The two individuals that were unable to make it that day were given resources to read and discuss with people in their lives, to ensure that practical application was happening. GET HER TO THE GREEN 39 Conclusion Through my methods in data collection, I was able to collect enough data to conclude overarching themes that will prove helpful to both the organization and further research. Though the diversity of the group did not pan out the way I had hoped, I believe that the experiences from those involved will prove insightful and thought-provoking. GET HER TO THE GREEN 40 Chapter IV: Findings The purpose of this study was to gather the experiences of women participating in a body image resilience workshop and to determine if facilitating this workshop through outdoor experiential education impacted those experiences. This chapter will focus on the most prominent themes revealed during data analysis. The first theme is while learning about body image resilience, there is a need for doing so in a community of other women where a connection can be made. The second theme is creating a connection to nature increases self-awareness, empowerment, and connection to one's body while also increasing positive mental health. The third theme is that the majority of women accept body dissatisfaction as normal, acceptable and something that is in common when connecting with other women. This is called normative discontent. Before diving into the findings, I think it is important to note again, that this was a pilot run of the curriculum for Beauty Redefined. They have not released the curriculum to the public, as of yet. Some of the findings lend recommendations for change, and the Organization has been open to discussing these changes. Beauty Redefined has been nothing but supportive, helpful and receptive, which has made these findings exciting and important. The Importance of Connection and Community The first emerging theme to be distinguished was that while learning about body image resilience, there is a critical need for doing so in a community of other women. A group dynamic creates connection and camaraderie, both of which are important to the sustainability of body image resilience. Creating a connection and community with others who are also learning about body image resilience is a critical finding for Beauty Redefined's curriculum. As has been discussed, the original curriculum is written and presented for individuals to complete. I had the GET HER TO THE GREEN 41 challenge of creating a community of a group of strangers and creating an environment of connection as a support to one another. What I found was how important the group dynamic ended up being. Without the group meetings, about half of the participants would not have finished the workshop, and while these women did not complete the curriculum, they found it important enough to continue to show up for the outdoor activities, because they felt invested in the group and learning from one another. One participant, Samantha wrote the following in her journal on February 14th, 2016: I have been sick for the last 2 weeks. I have been alone most of the time being sick, and everything I am feeling and experiencing is by myself. I keep thinking back to our experience as a group in Liberty Park (workshop #2), how all these women came together to share and connect in sharing our thoughts, disruptions, goals, and accomplishments, it was really nice. And the activity we all did together, it is something I keep thinking about because it was really intimate and special. I feel I am part of something special, and important when I go to the study meetups. (As a group) we are trying to change, find meaning, and are vulnerable in what we are feeling and expressing. Even though I feel weak and deflated now, I know it is because of this group, the experience I have had and the things I have learned, I am slowly learning how to become stronger than I ever have been before. In this journal entry, Samantha indicates the feeling of connection she gets when she is with the group. She reports the group dynamic as being important in her journey of empowerment. Her journal shows that she was going through a tough time during this workshop with personal situations. During the workshops, she was willing to share that part of her life with the group, and the group responded with support and positivity. It was the cross the line activity that was GET HER TO THE GREEN 42 discussed in chapter 3, where Samantha felt connected to the group and a part of something special. Small group learning has been shown to be a useful tool in creating positive attitudes towards learning. Small group learning also creates value in the work of the group, support of others, creates accountability all while allowing continued monitoring on the progress of the goal, which encourages the success of each individual in the group (Samson, 2015). Small group learning in conjunction with experiential education creates a sustainable approach to learning because it looks and feels differently from that which we have become accustomed to (Howden, 2012). In the workshops, I was able to create an environment where the theory of experiential learning was consistent. Kolb (1984) states there are four modes that are essential to learning: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract realization, and active experimentation. It is important to mention experiential learning because it was essential to the sustainability of small group learning. And when communities are learning experientially, they engage in structured reflection, which helped the participants make a connection with their experiences and the theories of objectification (Eyler, 2009). At the core of experiential education practices is the idea that these programs can create a group dynamic out of strangers. The importance to creating groups, speaks to much of the infrastructure of modern society which celebrates and values individual contribution (Ewert, 1991). As previously mentioned, the original curriculum was set up as a passive way of learning. The workshops of this study added concrete experiences by meeting every other week, as well as provided group reflection and abstract realization. Abstract realization is being able to combine theory and practice or experience. When reflecting with a group, participants are given the GET HER TO THE GREEN 43 opportunity to learn from one another, provide support for one another and process plans for resilience. Through reflection, an important step of experiential learning, participants were invited to share how they have been influenced by what they were learning to continue to create connection and community. Experiential learning, while in a group setting, allows the group to have a focus. I recorded the following observation on February 4th: Today was the day that I think we had a major breakthrough with the group dynamic. It isn't as though the group wasn't getting along, or wasn't participating with one another, it was just that prior to today, they still acted as strangers. Granted today was only the third time that they had met together. We did an activity today called cross the line. We had spent quite a while talking about body image comfort zones, and what that meant to each participant. However, I felt strongly that it was important to create understanding that everyone is coming to the conversation with different backgrounds and norms. After asking several questions of the participants, such as "cross the line if you have cried for someone other than yourself in the last year", the last question I asked was "cross the line if you need a hug". About half the group crossed the line, while they faced the remaining participants. I thought quickly, I guess I will make my way down the line and hug everyone who needed a hug, but before I could move, the half of the participants who didn't cross the line, met those in the middle and offered hugs. There was a special feeling of comradery and support, that hadn't been there yet. I feel as though this will be the moment that shifts things going forward. It was this moment in the workshops that took a group of strangers to a support group. They started to see each other as complex beings, but ones who could offer support in time of need, because they had found a commonality with one another. Several participants identified this GET HER TO THE GREEN 44 activity as the solidifying force that kept them coming to all the workshop meetings. Another identifying moment of the importance of the group was during the final circle up after the last workshop. I recorded the following observation on March 5th: Today was the last workshop and there were a lot of mixed feelings. I know that the participants sacrificed a lot of their personal time to be a part of the workshop, and had to do personal rearranging to continually engage with the curriculum and each other. I had anticipated that everyone would be ready for the workshop to be over quickly, as this was the finale. We gathered in a final circle looking at one another, getting ready to discuss the pros and cons to their experiences. But what I was not prepared for was the continued sentiment shared of sadness that the group was ending. The group started to discuss how they wanted to keep a monthly meeting for outdoor experiences and continue meeting. There was a sense of unity and connection with these women like they had gone through something hard with one another and come out on the other end, stronger. This excerpt underscores the group unity that was developed. They made plans to stay in contact with one another and continue these outdoor experiences because of a shared learning experience (Samson, 2015). Not only did this workshop inspire the creation of community out of strangers, but participants also modeled the community and connection they built, with those in their own lives. Creating new communities. The women spoke often of the empowerment they felt while discussing the topic of objectification and body image resilience with the group. What was interesting is how often the participants spoke of sharing what they were learning with other women in their lives. They were modeling in their personal lives what they were learning in the workshop. Alyssa noted in her journal on January 25th, 2016: GET HER TO THE GREEN 45 I volunteered for the Sundance film festival the past week. And I had a lot of experiences and moments to talk to people/other women about this study I am involved with and what I have learned. It was a really unifying experience because it is something we can all relate to. Whether it is feeling body shame or guilt, to being treated badly by a boy or a man, women have this ability to find each other, nurture each other, and connect. Connecting as a collective is what will make the difference. Alyssa felt a connection with others, by realizing that most women could relate to what she was experiencing. She indicates a strength that is felt when women collectively nurture one another in their shared oppression. In another study, women participating in a focus group to identify resilience strategies, were inclined to describe their well-being regarding the relationships in their lives. They identified promoting interpersonal connections, building community and realizing equality for women as some of the strategies for improving health (Kasle, Wilhelm, & Reed, 2002). With modeled community interaction, it made it easier for participants to create the same type of atmosphere and health in their personal lives. Most of the participants reported that sharing vulnerabilities about their bodies was not something they regularly did with people who they were close to. The participants indicated the importance of keeping up an appearance of confidence in all areas of their lives. On March 5th, I recorded in my field notes: As we gathered in our last group circle, I found it informative to hear their comments about participating in the group. Many spoke about how they found the recruiting flyer and how they felt compelled to learn more, and how it was not what they had expected. However, one of the more interesting things that came out of the discussion, which was unexpected for me, was the emphasis that the group collectively agreed, being asked GET HER TO THE GREEN 46 specifically if they did, that doing this workshop with a group of strangers was essential to their experience. If they had started talking about their insecurities with someone they knew, they would not have been able to dig as deep and uncover the normative discontent that was illuminated. Being able to practice the vulnerability that the original group of strangers were able to accomplish empowered the individuals to seek that same type of connection with the circles of women who already surrounded them. It was as if the group needed to practice first, before entering the territory of body image resilience with those they are closely tied to. Shea noted in her journal on February 24th, 2016: I was sharing some of the thoughts from the [workshops] with my sister. The next time we met, she said something like "Since you were sharing your thoughts with me the other day, I wanted to share my insecurities with you." I love that when we share our vulnerabilities with others, it opens the door and makes it safer and more accepted for others to do the same. Shea's experience highlights the connections that were made with the original group of strangers that helped model the kind of connections she could make with people she knows much more intimately., The women continually shared storied about the importance of creating a community with one another, but also the found ability to create additional communities of support around them, having felt empowered through the experience of sharing with the workshop group of women. The Power and Importance of Nature A significant part of this research was to see if connecting with nature would impact the women's experience with the body image resilience workshop. Below are two themes that came GET HER TO THE GREEN 47 from the data analysis. First, I examine how women and their understanding and connection with their bodies shifts while in nature. And secondly, I discuss how nature effects mental health. This is an important finding, as it is important to create a space of positive mental health when learning about body image resilience. Nature and the Female Body Before this study, the importance of nature within Beauty Redefined's body image resilience curriculum had not been fully explored. The curriculum touched on being connected to nature as a way to build spiritual resilience but did not explore the connection to nature and body image positivity. Creating a workshop with the facilitation of the curriculum in the outdoors proved to be beneficial and necessary for learning body image resilience. Without the nature component, more than half the participants indicated they would not have continued doing the curriculum. Connecting with nature allowed the women in the group to see themselves differently than they had before the workshops. Each participant was asked to record their personal findings and experiences while engaging with nature in an intentional way. Melissa recorded in her journal on March 1st: Through my nature experiences, I felt empowered to exist as I am. Mother earth is teaching me to be kind to myself. Melissa found a connection to nature in an intimate and empowering way. She found that her thoughts and ways in which she viewed herself could be changed as she engaged with nature. It is through outdoor experiences, where women can connect with something bigger than themselves, and connect to the dualism between the negative value judgments placed on ‘expressions of the body, female traits, and nature (Goralnik, 2015, p. 1). GET HER TO THE GREEN 48 Before the first workshop, each participant took a body image quiz. I was able to look at the results of those quizzes the night before the first workshop. Two participants, both Shea and Tiffany rated their body satisfaction at an 8 or 9, the other 7 participants rated their body satisfaction between 2-4. Those 7 participants are the ones who showed up to the workshop, in what was a white-out snowstorm. After that experience, Melissa wrote: Even with the gray sky, it's nice to be outside. It's like the cold air clears my mind and helps me think. Maybe walking and moving gets my blood flowing and get me happy to be alive too. I don't know-but I am very grateful to have a body. Connecting with nature changes the way in which women engage with their bodies. Melissa was able to recognize, after spending time in the outdoors, how grateful she was for her body when she had previously indicated during the workshop, the dissatisfaction that she had kept buried. But moving and existing in nature, shifted her mind frame to one of gratitude. Women who tend to internalize the feminine ideal, tend to also rate lower in a connectedness to nature, while those who rate a high body appreciation also rate greater connection to nature (Swami, Nordheim, & Barron, 2016). With further discussion after the first workshop, it was evident to me that those coming into the workshops, already having a connection with nature, were the ones who rated higher body satisfaction. This is indicated from the following excerpt from my field notes on January 21st, 2017: Before starting the first workshop, I wanted to check in with online journals that the participants were keeping alongside of the curriculum. I wanted to see who had completed units 1 & 2, but I also wanted to get a feel for where we were starting with our upcoming conversation at workshop #1. The first thing the participants were asked to do was take a body image survey. They were able to rate their personal satisfaction. I made a GET HER TO THE GREEN 49 mental note of who rated themselves on the high end of the scale, and who rated themselves on the lower end. As the weather got increasingly worse today, I received two text messages from 2 participants who had decided the weather was bad enough, that they wouldn't be coming today. These two just happened to be the two who rated their body satisfaction the highest. They also made note that on average, they spend the most time being physically active in the outdoors. I couldn't help but think about the women who made their way through a white out snow storm, having been given the opportunity to postpone the workshop. The seven who came all rated their body satisfaction between a 1-3 (being the low end of the scale). Prior to the first workshop, the indivdiuals sensed there was an importance to connceting with nature. And the body image satisfaction survey, indicated that those who were dissatisfied with their bodies, felt an immediate need to be with the group, engage with others and connect with nature. The two who identified their body satisfaction as high, already connected with nature regulary. While they didn't initially identify this as being a factor in their body satisfaction, it became a theme of these 2 participants often relating their body satisfaction back to feeling connected to nature. These two turned into the advocates in the group, that would discuss their connection with nature with the other participants inspiring the others to seek the same connection. Upon discussion at the end of all of the workshops and analyzing their journal content, it became apparent just how impactful the outdoor experiences had become for the remaining participants. Leslie on February 20th, 2016 stated: GET HER TO THE GREEN 50 Through my nature experiences, I felt empowered to exist as I am. Mother earth is teaching me to be kind to myself, and finds ways that while I exist, I am not always thinking about how I look, she (mother earth) doesn't do that, so why should I. Leslie identifies the importance of connection, with mother earth as a teacher. She recognized that nature is not just a passively existing, but instead of active part of her learning experience. She can reengage with nature, reminder herself that she can continue to exist as she is, through kindness and acceptance, allowing nature to be a continual teacher. Lindsay said on February 17th, 2016: I was thinking about the following during the curriculum: One of the best ways to improve your body image is through physical activity. Using your body and experiencing your capabilities can help shift you away from a focus on your looks. The more I have been trying to be outside, the more I find this true. When I think of the happiest times in my life, it was when I felt a connection to Nature. Lindsay indicates that there is a direct correlation to utilizing her body as an instrument while in nature, instead of something to be looked at. She identified that when she is existing with nature in this way, she is at her happiest. The recognition of this is important in the sustainability of body image resilience. Melanie said the following after spending time walking around Red Butte Gardens reflecting on what the last six weeks have meant to the participants: What I have noticed is a small but steady shift in perspective, that manifests in behavior(s) that surprise me: Trying snowshoeing, night walks, even spending more time at the atrium in my office building. I do think that connecting more to nature makes me more comfortable in my own GET HER TO THE GREEN 51 skin, less anxious, less likely to take things personally. I even appreciate silence more, as clichéd as that sounds. At this point, I will consider this essential self-care. These data is important to identify because it is showing the lived and meaningful experiences of the women in the group. They were mindful and thoughtful about their connection with nature and took the time to record their thoughts and feelings while doing so. The research of Beauty Redefined points to the significant of physical movement in overcoming body image dissatisfaction. A large factor in overcoming body dissatisfaction is engaging in physical movement, teaching our minds that our bodies are instruments, not ornaments, therefore, boosting our perceptions of our bodies (Kite & Kite, Beauty Redefined , 2014). Add that movement in nature and the outcome is solidified. Having direct exposure and engagement with nature is known to have positive effects on self-esteem (Swami, Nordheim, & Barron, Selfesteem mediates the relationship between connectedness to nature and body appreciation in women, but not men, 2016). Nature and Mental Health Connecting with nature not only influences how women connect with their bodies, but it also affects positive mental health. Connecting with nature then, turned into a two-fold process of not only building resilience to objectification but also became a resource in the creation of positive mental health. When the participants were able to create an environment of positive mentality, they were far more receptive to learning about objectification and body image resilience. From my field notes on February 4th, I identify mental health for the first time: I noticed a marked difference in the participation on the 2nd workshop. I recognize that on the first workshop, participants were still new and unsure of the outdoor activities and the curriculum content. There have now been two weeks in between workshop 1 and GET HER TO THE GREEN 52 workshop 2. They have all been given instruction to increase their connection to nature at least two more times in the week than they normally would have. I heard continual comments about the difference they felt about life in the last two weeks. Melissa talked about feeling more connected to her kids because she felt clear headed and Leslie talked of the ease of stress. Samantha talked about how for the first time in a long time, she felt like her thoughts had somewhere to go when she was in nature. They all also seemed more connected to the curriculum content this week. I can't help but think there is a correlation between a connection with nature and its ability to ease the mind. The above is a picture of the dynamic of the group shifting from one workshop to the next. There was a clearer connection with the group, but it is also indicated that through the outdoor experiences, each participant was able to recognize and identify a shift they had experienced. Sharing these experiences and realizations with the group, allowed the group to become even more cohesive. As one participant would share her insight of a mental shift during the prior weeks, other participants were able to recognize their own shifts and share their insights, building on what the previous participant had shared. Time and time again, participants recorded their thoughts on recognizing that in their experiences with nature, they found happiness, clear mindedness, and peace. Samantha recorded on January 25th, 2016: When I was living in Iceland, I was really happy. I lived on the foothills of mountains and was always hiking, sitting outside, and traveling in the beauty of and wilderness in Iceland for 2 ½ months. I realized there is, there must be, a correlation to happiness and experiencing nature. I was truly at one of my happiest points in my life when I lived there. GET HER TO THE GREEN 53 Because of the current connection with nature and a time out from her regular hectic schedule after moving back from Iceland, Samantha was able to recognize the happiness and contentment she felt while being connected to nature. There is continued research looking at the harmful effects of the lack of connection individuals are getting with nature (Louv, 2008). One study in particular looks at urbanization, and how an increase of such has been linked to increased levels of mental illness, including depression (Bratman G. N., Hamilton, Hahn, Daily, & Gross, 2015). Melissa recorded in her journal on January 30th, 2016: This last fall/summer I would drop my kids off at school and take my daughter to a nearby park. While my two-year-old played on the playground, I would walk around it and was able to sort through my thoughts. I noticed that it helped me have clarity and feel more positive about life. Melissa, in small increments, was able to notice a marked difference in her mental clarity when she took the time to connect with nature, in a very accessible way. She didn't have to travel to the mountains or some remote location, to connect in a meaningful way that was impactful. Instead she connected with nature that was immediately around her. This is important to highlight the impact that accessible surroundings can have. Shea recorded in her journal on February 5th, 2016: Yesterday we met as a group at Red Butte Gardens. We were given the opportunity to wander for 20 ish minutes to ponder about the program. I feel like I had better/clearer thoughts in this 20 minutes than I had all week. Again, in a short time, Shea was able to feel a difference in her mental clarity. It didn't take long to make a noticeable difference. It's this type of clarity, that is important when engaging with GET HER TO THE GREEN 54 hard topics and discussions. One of the most prominent realizations came from Alyssa. She recorded in her journal on March 2nd, 2016: This was the first winter that I did not experience seasonal depression, and I really believe that was because I was getting outside with this group and on my own. Alyssa struggled with the curriculum and often would want to play ‘devil's advocate' when comments were made about body image resilience. She often thought that the curriculum was telling her something that she already knew. However, for her to experience such a shift in her positive mental space, to make a statement about not experiencing seasonal depression, is impactful for this finding. These participants statements reveal the power of connecting with nature. Several studies have suggested the impact of green space on mental health, but continued research is needed. Green space has been linked to increased health encouraging behaviors such as physical activity and community building, as well as mental health benefits such as stress reduction, and a reduction in mental fatigue (Beyer, et al., 2014). Nature, in all its forms from neighborhoods, backyards, houseplants, and the wilderness, is all considered green space. So with the creation of green space in the participant's lives, they were able to experience stress reduction and positive mental health. Normative Discontent One of the most interesting and surprising findings for this study was the repeated theme of normative discontent. The theory of Normative Discontent helps us in understanding the acceptance, and normalizing women engage in about the shame they feel about their bodies and appearance (Rodin, Silberstein , & Striegel-Moore, 1984). The social pressure to adhere to societal beauty standards can lead to several psychological consequences including body GET HER TO THE GREEN 55 dissatisfaction, decreased self-esteem and feelings of helplessness (Rodin, Silberstein , & Striegel-Moore, 1984). Of the 9 participants who signed up for this program, 8 of them identified that they were signing up for this program so they could be better informed on how to help others, whether that be through conversations with friends, raising daughters, or teaching (within schools and churches). Only one participant stated she signed up because it was something she recognized she wanted to change in her life. Over the eight weeks of curriculum, it became very apparent that many of the women who thought they were signing up for the sake of others, in turn, had normalized their dissatisfaction with their bodies in their lives. I saw this over and over again in the journals of the participants. Samantha recorded on March 2nd: I realize at the beginning of the study, I saw my changes in my body as bad and things to be changed. But I see myself in an entirely different way than a month ago. I am not my body. Samantha had anticipated that she was going to be doing the workshops with the intent of changing her body. She felt this was a good intent of building body image resilience. But it was through the workshops that she learned that this was masked body dissatisfaction. It had become so normal for her to think this way about her body, that she didn't realize all the ways she wanted to change her body until the 3rd workshop. It was then that she was able to shift the way in which she was viewing herself. Shea, a participant who often spoke of her connection with her body and appreciation for it, counting it as a ‘blessing' recorded in her journal on February 7th, 2016: Your body is constantly changing. Your body has been protecting you, keeping you safe while you have been going through tough things. Your body houses your soul, a being beautiful and sacred. Even though I know these are true statements, I don't know why it is still a struggle to truly believe and trust in these words. GET HER TO THE GREEN 56 Shea was one of the participants who from the beginning of the workshops, rated her body satisfaction at an 8. It wasn't until she was challenged to look at disruptions in her life to her body satisfaction, that she started to deconstruct the norms that she had internalized. She recognized, that though she felt gratitude for her body, she also had a hard time really trusting in that gratitude. Tiffany relayed an interesting experience she had while interacting with another woman. The following is from my field notes from the 2nd workshop on February 4th: As we gathered around the picnic table to discuss disruptions in our lives, I found the following situation intriguing and interesting. One of the participants (tiffany) who generally speaks for others in her group, with excitement and a sense of knowledge about everyone and everything, brought up an insightful story. She told of changing backstage, and an exchange she had with another teacher during one of their Holiday performances. Another teacher asked Tiffany if she could help zip her up in her dress. She noticed this woman as someone who did not have an "ideal" body and was squeezing to get into this dress. They tried multiple angles and finally got the dress zipped up. What stuck with Tiffany for days after this experience, was not once did this woman make a comment about her body. She didn't apologize for needing help, she didn't say how much weight she had gained in the last year, nor did she put her body down in any way. And Tiffany thought that was odd. It made her almost feel uncomfortable. Other women then chimed in about how if another woman has positive body image, they tend to not trust her perspective, or assume she is lying. One participant (Melissa) even said she would think the woman to be cocky or stuck up, because of course we are all dissatisfied with our bodies, that is how we connect. GET HER TO THE GREEN 57 After Tiffany relayed this story, many of the other participants spoke up about their distrust of women who claim they have body satisfaction. To accuse others of lying if they don't find fault with their bodies, speaks to the normalization of body dissatisfaction. Women do not trust that other women can be satisfied with their bodies, because of the normalization of dissatisfaction. Women have come to expect women to find fault with themselves, putting womens minds at ease, that they are not the only ones who have these negtive thoughts. When women are taught through media, society and perhaps even personal relationships, that obesity is the worst thing that can happen to a women, this influences the way in which women think about their bodies. Women are taught to believe that their body is what makes them valued and this becomes the standard way of living (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). Learning about objectification and self-objectification is difficult because it requires a significant amount of self-reflection and realization. Shea, who reported feeling confident and happy with her body and its ability to amazing things recorded the following: While doing the 2nd section on the program, it challenged us to do the things we normally may hold back or be embarrassed to do (because of our body image). My initial reaction is that I will hardly have to change anything I feel confident to try things, speak up, and all while not worrying how I look that day. But when I really thought about it, most days of my life I get dressed thinking "hmmm what will be most flattering for my belly?" I have totally been sitting in a comfort zone of being self-conscious about how my stomach looks in clothes. Shea identifies the key concept that women have settled in a comfort zone of dissatisfaction. Women no longer view self-objectification as something that is out of the ordinary or dangerous. It is perceived as normal, and as a way to connect with each other. If one women mentions her GET HER TO THE GREEN 58 lack of comfort with her stomach, it may cause ease and comfort for another woman to admit the same. The solidarity in recognition is not the dangerous thing, it is in fact, that we live in a societal structure that accepts this as a valued way of living (Kite & Kite, 2016) Lindsay relayed multiple experiences about how she had masked her dissatisfaction with the perception that she didn't care. From her online journal on January 15th she records: I didn't feel that my body was an actual part of my self until sometime in my 20s. I couldn't enjoy exercise until I was about 24, living away from my family for about two years. My oldest brother (17 years my senior) is also obsessed with food and diets, and I remember him pinching my upper arm once when I was about 11 and saying "there should only be about an inch between your fingers when you pinch your upper arms." There was more than an inch. I just felt ashamed but also really mad. And that anger made me basically eschew all focus on weight loss/body stuff, or at least outwardly. Lindsay recognized that in her life, at a young age she felt shame for the body that she had. And as a coping mechanism, she projected an image that she didn't care about weight loss or body image. Lindsay went on to say: I also think the copious numbers of fashion magazines I pored over as a young girl and teenager didn't help. Even if I don't think I ever consciously thought I had to look like those ultrathin women, those magazines were all about how to look. How you looked was the most important thing. Clothes, makeup, blah blah blah. I was interested in fashion and everything, though I don't think I ever looked like I cared about fashion. When I stopped wearing makeup and jewelry and shaving my legs and underarms, I must have been revolting against something. I think my narrative has always been that I'm too depressed or lazy to deal with those things. But it's probably more than that. GET HER TO THE GREEN 59 Lindsay recognized during the workshops that she has projected this image for so long of not caring, that she was in fact, denying herself from doing things she enjoys, like wearing makeup and jewelry, because she didn't feel worthy to be able to like these things because she didn't look a certain way. Again, she masked her dissatisfaction with disassociation. And in fact, with the pressure to be so many things, some find dissociation a way of survival. Female gender roles are closely linked with pressure and expectation to fulfill traditional female characteristics but also to be independent and career minded. Women are expected to be physically attractive, passive, nurturing, cooperative, and to deny their own needs while simultaneously valuing achievement in the workplace, intelligence, assertiveness, self-reliance, and separations from parents and other significant relationships (Choate, 2005, p. 324) When women struggle to accomplish all of these roles, they often refocus their energy on something they do have control over, and that is their body. And so, the focus stays on the control of the body, and solidifying a surveyors view (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). This view of normative discontent reinforces a patriarchal societal structure, ensuring the continued oppression of women and the power that is associated with misogyny. The first step to change is recognizing normative discontent, then rejecting this as normal, and finally redefining what a healthy comfort zone of body satisfaction looks like (Kite & Kite, 2016). And each participant went on their own journey of being able to conceptualize what this process looked like for them, all identifying this as an important part of the workshop. Conclusion After spending ten weeks in a body image resilience workshop with the group of participants, collecting and analyzing my personal field notes and the participant's journals, I was GET HER TO THE GREEN 60 able to see these overarching themes quickly. The group of participants, coming from diverse backgrounds, and different levels of comfort with nature and the topic of body image resilience, all stated how important the above themes were to their experience. GET HER TO THE GREEN 61 Chapter V: Discussion This chapter will address the implications of this research project, with recommendations for future body image resilience curriculum. I will then illuminate the limitations of this particular study and finally offer personal insight into my experience with this research. Implications When women are taught that they are their bodies, it isolates them by teaching them that the constant monitoring and control of their bodies, solidifies their worth within society. This teaches women that their connections to humanity, their ambition, their kindness, or their voice, is secondary to the way they look. . It was through the community of women and connection that was made through the workshops, that the women were able to find the tools to build resilience and the support to overcome shame. This is critical to the field of body image resilience, informing research of the importance of connection and community building. Teaching women about objectification and hoping for the best is not enough. We must be experientially teaching women while connecting them to a community of women who together, can overcome the normative discontent so often felt. Normative discontent reinforces the power associated of one gender over another in a patriarchal structure. Keeping women concerned with the one thing they feel like they can control, their bodies, perpetuates domination and subordination. With the creation of new communities for women in nature while addressing body image resilience, this can change the narrative of body dissatisfaction. Women can begin to trust in each other, support one another, and see their bodies as more than objects to be admired, looked at, and controlled. Society is attempting to address issues of equality and objectification. Educational content addressing objectification is starting to appear. Celebrities are starting to talk about GET HER TO THE GREEN 62 objectification issues. Social media sites are being set up for ‘body love'. However, simply informing society is not enough. There needs to be sustainable and accessible resources to aid in the process of engaging women in body image resilience. Women need to be in the right frame of mind to be able to address and reject objectifying beliefs, and nature aids in creating positive mental health. This study illuminates the potential that connecting women with nature has. If society continues to commodify nature, and find ways to utilize land for resource and consumerism, women will continue to be commodified as well. So as women connect with nature, they too must become advocates for environmental stewardship. And as they do so, and build connections with each other and nature, shifts can happen within society, aiding in overcoming a patriarchal structure. Recommendations This study revealed what I already knew was important, but also some surprising insights to both myself and the participants. Beauty Redefined offers content for their audience but should work towards building interactive communities for connection, through both online forums, and in-person opportunities. Hoping that with the creation of content, individuals will interact with it, is not enough. If there are going to be systematic changes in society, we must create components of connection, not continue individualized content resulting in a lack of sustainability. The current curriculum that is designed by Beauty Redefined quantitatively gathers data of pre and post impressions of body image satisfaction, but doesn't go any further to imply the importance of connecting with others and creating communities of learning, sharing and overcoming objectification. Without an experiential component, curriculum participants will not retain as much information, or have a sustainability of content learned. When engaged in the GET HER TO THE GREEN 63 learning process, both through reading, speaking, moving and connecting, participants have a higher chance of making lasting changes. Within a patriarchal structure, women need to connect with one another to build communities of support and understanding. The oppression of women within this structure is not always seen and acknowledged, though with or without that acknowledgment, the harmful effects are still acquired. Whether it is recognized, women are objectified, and therefore, are susceptible to self-objectification, creating women who are not active participants in their lives. Self-objectification will continue to keep women isolated and not connecting with others in a real, vulnerable and needed way. To change a patriarchal system, we first must create small connections and communities of women who recognize and reject this model, with sustainable tools in overcoming objectification. The objectification of women, by society or self, will continue oppression and inequality. Beauty Redefined. The following are recommendations for Beauty Redefined to enhance the program experience as they are getting ready to release their curriculum to the public. Through the research, these findings have been illuminated as sustainable components to the curriculum. A simplified and readable executive summary has been provided to the organization (see Appendix E). Create experiential content. The content must have more components than just reading and putting that content into practice. If participants are going to purchase Beauty Redefined's online curriculum individually, it is important to add additional components that will engage more senses. It is my recommendation to add more interactive elements, like video and group chats with a moderator who can interactively answer questions, validate comments and concerns, and build comradery. Though building a community in an online format was not the basis of this GET HER TO THE GREEN 64 research, I recognize that the form in which this curriculum has been developed is for online accessibility. Therefore, I recommend continuing creating experiential learning opportunities, in addition to each challenge given to participants (i.e., media fast, Bechdel test, etc.). Individuals should also be given the challenge to connect with someone else about what they are learning, creating a connection through the empowerment of shared knowledge. When sharing knowledge, individuals will also have an opportunity to practice vulnerability, which is a connecting emotion. It was very evident in the study that individuals felt shame associated with their selfobjectification, and in fact, had internalized that as normal, hence the finding of normative discontent. Many participants found that when connecting with others about their most vulnerable parts of themselves, they were able to realize they, in fact, were not alone, which can reduce the shame felt. Create resilience content surrounding nature. The curriculum mentions connecting with nature, in unit 7, but only briefly. Though this is not part of the original research, including challenges to connect with nature would be a useful piece of research to add to the curriculum, because it is a sustainable and accessible resource to all participants. Nature can include neighborhood walks, gardening, creating green space in your home, going to the mountains or engaging in outdoor activities. Each component is beneficial and relevant to individuals learning about objectification theory and self-objectification. With many women living in a comfort zone of body image dissatisfaction, sharing the harmful effects of objectification can feel isolating, and my recommendation is reading about overcoming it is not enough. Some challenges encourage limiting media consumption, or challenging the media that is consumed, however it is my recommendation that those are not sufficient. This study illuminates that connecting to nature increased a different kind of self-awareness, while also improving mental health. Creating an GET HER TO THE GREEN 65 environment of positive thoughts and connection to your body enhances and solidifies what the individual will be learning about media literacy and body image resilience. Individuals must change their environment to modify the outcome, or else they will go back to what they were doing beforehand. Providing tools to learn how to change one's norms was an important part of the workshops offered. Group facilitation guide. As indicated by Beauty Redefined, there are some who purchase or will buy the curriculum to run in a group setting. Without the proper guidance or experience of group facilitation, the outcome will not be as beneficial for the group. The following are suggestions for setting up a group facilitation guide. Creating a safe community. It is essential before starting the curriculum that activities are designed so that a safe space is created for participants to feel confident in sharing vulnerable feelings and experiences. Safe spaces are built through team building activities (see Appendix F), that engage participants in building commonality and connection. Without a strong team foundation, individuals may still feel disconnected and less interested in sharing their personal experience. Creating outcomes. When creating outcomes for group facilitation, it is also important to produce outcomes to continue to foster and nourish the group dynamic. If the outcomes stick solely to the individualized curriculum, the group dynamic is not placed on an equal plane of importance, and the safe space may be compromised. Each group facilitation should have clear outcomes that link both the curriculum and the importance of connection, to ensure that the most sustainable and impactful outcomes can be reached (see Appendix F). Dissonance. Each group meeting must present a conflict of comfort, challenging the participants to reach outside of their comfort zones, which may cause discomfort. Creating an GET HER TO THE GREEN 66 environment where individuals are challenged outside of their comfort zones, but then offering support and resources to ensure a feeling of success, is a state of learning referred to as flow. Flow is an important element when learning about body image resilience because, in this realm, individuals are more likely to make lasting changes in their personal lives. The only way that individuals can experience a state of flow is by creating an environment that might cause participants to reach outside their comfort zones, which in most cases causes discomfort. Reaching flow is when a participant reaches a receptive state when they are engaged in something of interest but it is also challenging (Norman, 1996). The critical component is then giving participants the opportunity to overcome that discomfort and challenge by providing opportunities to feel successful. Building success after discomfort is where the state of flow is achieved and where the outcomes become more sustainable. Participants will have experienced learning through all senses and found success what they are learning and experiencing. Universities and Community Content. It appears there is a new buzz around body image resilience and talking about the objectification of women. Some colleges are creating courses on media literacy for women, popular media outlets are discussing body image, and celebrities are addressing the importance of feminism and equality. It is one thing to read about a topic and another thing entirely to engage with a topic. In the current political climate, now is the time to educate and create sustainable solutions for the drive of equality. It is important that those who engage with educating communities and individuals about body image resilience do so with resources available for creating sustainable changes. If women are only made aware of the damage that the objectification of females causes, society will continue to divide and enter the 4th wave of feminism with frustration and no solution. Education, community connection and willingness to engage with vulnerability will start to create space for sustainable change. GET HER TO THE GREEN 67 Limitations There were several limitations of this study because of time of year, accessibility to participants and timeframe. The following section will detail those limitations as they presented themselves in the research. Diversity As indicated in Chapter 3, the methods that were used to recruit partnerships resulted in more interest than I had intended. Thirty participants were interested in the workshops, of which 15 of them did not identify as white. With the intention of wanting a group of around ten women, it was important to have a diverse group of women to contribute to the research of women and nature. Studies done on women and nature have also identified ethnic and racial diversity as a limitation, as their studies have focused primarily on white women (Swami, Barron, Weis, & Furnham, 2016). It was the hope if this study to be able to provide insight into the diversity gap. I finalized the participants down to 15 members resulting in a diverse group, but after consideration of the time commitment, 5 individuals had to drop out of the study before the orientation meeting. These five of the individuals who dropped out did not identify as White. The final group consisted of 8 White and 2 biracial women. The final group of participants identified in diverse ways including through have intersectional identities, socio-economics, sexual orientation, religious/spiritual beliefs, and roles within society. These differences created a unique group dynamic as each participant was learning about body image resilience. Time Commitment This research was ten weeks long, which is a long time to commit to, especially if you get into the curriculum and decide you do not connect to it. Each participant was given the dates and times of each workshop and meeting and asked before participation if they could commit to all GET HER TO THE GREEN 68 the dates. Each participant answered yes, however, as it does, life happens, and several participants ended up missing some of the workshops. I do not feel this ultimately influenced the findings. However, the group dynamics shifted each time an individual missed and then came to the next workshop. They were aware that they had missed the connection that was made at the previous workshops and appeared to be trying to play catch up with the group. Time of Year Having to run this particular study during the months of January- March in Salt Lake City, Utah, proved to be a substantial limitation. Not only was the weather a limitation, but so was the air quality. The weather proved to be a limitation as the first workshop was the same day as a massive snowstorm. This limited accessibility for participants to make it to the first location, as well as made the workshop a little bit more difficult. Also, physical discomfort from the cold proved also to be a limitation in how long the participants were willing to stay at the workshop. Having the first workshop happen during the inclement weather set a precedence for participants comfort level within the outdoors that proved to be limiting for a couple of participants. The air quality was something that I constantly watched to ensure that while engaging in outdoor experiences, participants were not subject to unhealthy air. Having to monitor the air quality regularly caused location selection for each workshop to be a last minute decision. This created a little difficulty when creating content for each workshop as location would influence what we were specifically doing in each workshop. Comfort Level and Ability Each participant started this workshop with different levels of comfort with engaging with nature, a group of strangers and physical ability. Each component presented a different limitation to the study. GET HER TO THE GREEN 69 Comfort with nature. There is a perception that Salt Lake Valley has a large outdoor community, but you have to do certain activities to be "connected with nature". These activities would present themselves as inaccessible for the majority of people in the Salt Lake Valley because of cost and accessibility to the mountains. The outdoor scene in Utah includes activities such as skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing, and hiking. If you do not have the money to pay for the outdoor equipment, access to trails, or an innate comfort in trying something new without knowing exactly how to do said activity, this presents the "outdoor community" as a community that is inaccessible. Some of the participants in this study were not comfortable with engaging with the outdoors. They had a preconceived notion of what an outdoor experience looked like, and the perception of that was hindering them in experiencing something new for the first time. This research was helpful in part with redefining what a connection to nature can look like by creating inclusive ideas of connecting with nature. However, before the study, the preconceived notions of what this looks like for individuals proved to be a limitation in the first two workshops. Instead of relying solely on the workshops as the connection to nature, I adjusted my intention and asked all participants to connect with nature three more times a week than they normally would have, in conjunction with the curriculum to further redefine what connecting to nature looks like. Each participant was asked to engage with nature three more times than they normally would on a weekly basis. Connecting with nature included walks in the neighborhood, creating a green space indoors or visiting their local park. Group of strangers. Another limitation was the fact that each person was coming to this group not knowing the other people. That limitation was evident from the beginning orientation meeting as participants were not fully engaging with one another. Though the research GET HER TO THE GREEN 70 illuminated that being with a group of strangers, in fact, was not a limitation to the findings, it was a limitation in creating group cohesion and trust, until the 2nd workshop. Physical ability. Because participant's self-selected to participate in this study, the group had a broad range of physical abilities. I did not know until the orientation meeting, what the physical abilities of the group would be, making it impossible to plan locations for each workshop before starting. That on top of the weather, left each location up in the air. The first location that was selected was done so under the assumption that it was inclusive for all individuals to participate. After the first workshop, it became apparent to me that it would be difficult to create a dynamic of challenge and overcoming that challenge for each participant. What one participant found challenging, another found very dull. I overestimated abilities, and almost lost a participant because of it. Future Research This study took three seemingly disconnected theories of experiential education, objectification and women's connectedness to nature, with the intent of making a sustainable impact. It is important for future research to continue to look at the intersection and importance of these three theories. What was missing in this particular study was a diverse population of women and their experience within learning about body image resilience through outdoor experiential education. My recommendation would be to research diverse communities and their access to the outdoors and engaging them to find accessibility from where they are. I would also suggest continuing understanding experiential learning methods associated with the teaching of body image resilience. GET HER TO THE GREEN 71 Learning Objectives This project addressed the Master of Arts in Community Leadership program objectives in the following ways. I was a placed into a leadership role of facilitator for this workshop. Through this leadership, I also paved the way for being the first person to facilitate this curriculum experientially in the outdoors. Facilitating a program not created for group engagement, presented some challenges, but also allowed me to gain confidence in my ability to navigate turning an online curriculum into something that is done experientially as an in-person group. The group looked to me for direction, understanding, and leadership. To feel competent in this leadership, I worked closely with the Executive Directors of Beauty Redefined to gain overall management of the program, including recruitment, orientation, workshop facilitation, and the compilation of digital stories. I still believe that it is important for women to understand body image resilience. I also think the way in which body image resilience is taught is the just as important. I believe that this study is the first step for Beauty Redefined to implement ways for women to learn experientially. This project advocates for women by helping them recognize their voice and the power of their bodies. In this way, it is an advocacy project. Through the facilitation of the workshop, I was able to bring a group of women together, who might not otherwise have known one another. And through this group, I had the chance to better articulate the purpose of outdoor experiential facilitation of body image resilience curriculum. This project has significantly contributed to building my argument for creating experiential content or workshops for Beauty Redefined. I incorporated critical, analytical and integrative thinking throughout this program into the completion of this project. I analyzed the data and shared findings with Beauty Redefined. Through these conclusions, I helped increase the awareness of the impacts of media and body GET HER TO THE GREEN 72 image dissatisfaction in the lives of individuals. This knowledge will continue to help me make more informed and empathetic choices when pursuing continued goals with women's issues. I also strived to influence the women to think differently about the impacts of objectification, and the way they will talk about it with those they know and love. Through recognition of the harmful effects of objectification, the women were prompted to have a social responsibility in changing how they speak about themselves and other women, affecting patriarchal culture. Personal Impact "I want to apologize to all the women I have called pretty before I've called them intelligent or brave. I am sorry I made it sounds as though something as simple as what you're born with is the most you have to be proud of when your spirit has crushed mountains. From now on I will say things like, you are resilient or, you are extraordinary. Not because I don't think you're pretty. But because you are so much more than that." -Rupi Kaur This study proved to be far more impactful to me personally than I had originally anticipated. This subject is not new to me, as I have worked in the field of outdoor experiential education with women for several years. However, I grew immensely in my personal understanding of why I am passionate and invested in the topic of overcoming body image dissatisfaction and women's connectedness to nature. I distinctly remember on Monday, November 7th 2016, feeling as though my research might not be as important as I thought it would be. We would soon have a female President, who would change the way women are seen, creating a society that is moving in the direction of unity and equality. I was grateful for the future change but also felt as though my research was all of the sudden unimportant and something of the past. The days following November 7th, 2016, as we know, changed that GET HER TO THE GREEN 73 entirely, sending us backward. Instead of news stories sweeping the nation about the empowerment of women and leadership, we continued to see discussion about women and their bodies. Discussions of who has the right to grab women wherever they so choose and heated debates about women's reproductive rights. And right then, in the middle of my research, I watched the 4th wave of feminism come alive, with loud decrees of change and equality. The first workshop landed on the same day that women marches were happening around the country, and I couldn't help but think I was having my own personal women's march into mother nature herself. I watched as a group of strong, dedicated women sought to learn how to love themselves as they are, with a desire to feel like they too are enough, while feeling valued and loved. I felt the power of what I was doing. And it felt important and needed. Before experiencing this with the group, I had months of trying to understand my privilege within feminism and my voice within the communities of women begging to be seen for more than their bodies. I am a product of a patriarchal society, because my mother is a product of a patriarchal society, as is her mother. They taught me the best way they knew how, and yet, here we are, all believing that we are only as a good as our bodies look. Through this study, I had to face my own normative discontent. The beliefs about myself that were intertwined with my idea of equality, reverence for structure and obedience to something I thought I knew. And I, once again, felt the need to unravel a little more, connect more deeply with myself, and start fresh. This process forced me into getting to know myself again and yet again. As discussed in previous chapters, in one of the workshops, we did an activity called cross the line. All the women stood on one side of an imaginary line facing north. I then would read a statement, and if the women identified with that statement, they would cross the line and GET HER TO THE GREEN 74 face south, while looking at the other women who did not identify with that statement. The statements were made up of a wide variety such as:  In the past year, you have been in a relationship and been hurt.  Your parents have either divorced, separated, or never married  You have cried at least once this year for someone or something other than yourself  You consider yourself a Democrat  You consider yourself a Republican  You consider yourself a socialist  You consider yourself a feminist  You have experienced the effects of drug addiction in your family These are just a few examples. It was a beautiful experience to watch, as these women, so different from one another, stood and looked each other in the eyes, as they realized they come from diverse backgrounds and are made up of complex stories. The last question asked was to cross the line if you felt like you needed a hug. Half the group crossed the line, and then it happened, I watched as the other half of the group crossed the line themselves to offer the needed hugs. They connected over a divide because it was a need. My hope is that I can continue to connect over the divide and provide my voice, my spirit and my care to those who need it. This research connected me to a network of women who needed each other, and I needed them. We created something, small but mighty. We were all different, with different ideals and thoughts, but we found commonality. And though I was the researcher, I was also the participant, receiving strength, unity, and support from a group of strangers that became friends. I feel called to continue the conversation and find my space within my communities to lead and create. It made me aware of the different types of communities I have around me, including my family and GET HER TO THE GREEN 75 friends, but also women I meet on a daily basis. I feel inspired to continue gathering stories and connecting with women in the outdoors. GET HER TO THE GREEN 76 References Acker, J. (1989, May). The problem with patriarchy. 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Levine, S. (2015). The Feminine Mystique at Fifty. Frontiers, 36(2), 41-46. Lopez-Guimera, G., Levine, M. P., Sanchez-Carracedo, D., & Fauquet, J. (2010). Influence of Mass Media on Body Image and Eating Disordered Attitudes and Behaviors in Females: A Review of Effects and Processes. Media Psychology, 13, 387-416. Louv, R. (2008). Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Lowenthal, P. R. (2008). Online faculty development and storytelling: An unlikely solution to improving teacher quality. Merlot Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 4(3). Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. (2006). Designing qualitative research. Sage Publications. Mathis, S. (2003). Schools without patriarchy: A reconceptualization of our current educational system. Conference Papers-International Communication Association , (pp. 1-26). San Diego . McRobbie, A. (2008). Young women and consumer culture: An intervention. 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(2011, March 15). Outside in: Get her to the green. Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201103/outside-in-get-her-the-green GET HER TO THE GREEN 81 Scott, B. A. (2010). Babes and the woods: Women's objectification and the feminine beauty ideal as ecological hazards. Ecopsychology, 2(3), 147-158. Scott, B. A., & Derry, J. A. (2005). Women in their bodies: Challenging objectification through experiential learning. Women's Studies Quarterly, 33(1&2), 188-209. Shellman, A. (2014). Empowerment and experiential education: A state of knowledge paper. Experiential Education, 37, 18-30. Spradley, J. (1979). The Ethnographic Interview. Holt Reinhart and Winston. Spretnak, C. (1987). Ecofeminism: Our roots and flowering. Ecofeminist Perspectives: Culture, Nature, Theory. Steingraber, S. (2007). The falling age of puberty in us girls: What we know, what we need to know. Retrieved from The Breast Cancer Fund Publishing : http://www.breastcancerfund.org/assets/pdfs/publications/falling-age-ofpuberty.pdf Strzalkowski, J. (1997). Perspectives on Ecofeminism . Ecofeminism: Women, culture, nature, 175-178. Swami, V., & Smith, J.-M. (2012). How not to feel good naked? The effects of television programs that use "real women" on female viewers' body image and mood. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 31(2), 151-168. Swami, V., Barron, D., Weis, L., & Furnham, A. (2016). Bodies in nature: Associations between exposure to nature, connectedness to nature, and body image in U.S. adults. Body Image, 18, 153-161. Swami, V., Nordheim, L., & Barron, D. (2016). Self-esteem mediates the relationship between connectedness to nature and body appreciation in women, but not men. Body Image, 16, 41-44. GET HER TO THE GREEN 82 Tiggemann, M., & Slater, A. (2001). A test of objectification theory in former dancers and nondancers. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 25(1). Warren, K., Roberts, N. S., Breuing, M., & Alvarez, T. G. (2014). Social justice in outdoor experiential education: A state of knowledge review. Journal of Experiential Education, 37(1), 89-103. Zink, R., & Kane, M. (2015). Not in the picture: images of participation in new zealand'd outdoor recreation media. Annals of Leisure Research, 18(1), 65-82. GET HER TO THE GREEN 83 Appendix A Beauty Redefined Curriculum Outline Each unit will take approximately one hour to complete. Through the curriculum, participants will learn about the epidemic of body dissatisfaction among females of all ages in the US, how negative body image can contribute to anxiety, depression, disordered eating, diminished physical and mental performance, etc. Participants will also learn about strategies for developing and accessing resilient traits that can improve self-perception, body image, and feelings of self-worth. In each unit, participants will learn by reading, viewing embedded videos, listening to music, and completing personal journal entries and questionnaires Orientation: The orientation's location is yet to be determined. Depending on where individuals are coming from, a central location will be identified. At the orientation, individuals will get to know one another, sign the consent form, learn about the curriculum and outdoor experiential education, view my personal digital story, and discuss the upcoming schedule. This time will also be for answering questions and concerns. Disposable cameras will be available for anyone who may not have access to a camera. Journal Prompts:  What are you now recognizing that you have not recognized before: in media, in yourself, in your conversations, and in conversations around you?  Does this make you want to change anything?  If you were to turn around and share this with someone else, how would you tell someone about what you have learned?  Do you feel influenced by media in your life? Workshop #1, #2 and #3: The locations have yet to be determined. Depending on where individuals are located, central parks and entry points to the Jordan River Walkway will be identified. During workshop #1,2 and 3, while walking around the perimeter of the park or along the Jordan River, I will facilitate a discussion of Units 1-6. This will include open-ended questions, such as:  When going through units (1-2, 3-4, or 5-6) what is something that did not come as a surprise to you?  What is something that you learned?  What was most influential?  How did you feel when reading/watching (insert specific)  When have you experienced (insert specifics to units completed)  What, if anything, has changed in your life since completing (insert specific unit or topic) These questions will act as prompts for group discussion. At the beginning and ending of every workshop, I will do an experiential activity to get a pulse on how the group is feeling. An example of an experiential activity would be the process whip. This activity is quickly going around in a circle, pointing to each individual, asking them for one word that describes how they are feeling. They have the option of passing, but I have learned this quickly lets you know where the mood is starting and ending. Workshop #4 Weather permitting; this workshop will take place at the trail for Ensign Peak in Salt Lake City. Prior to this experience, individuals will assess if they need additional outdoor clothing for the experience. Because of my job experience, I have a GET HER TO THE GREEN 84 large amount of donated outdoor clothing that will be available for use of participants. As a group, we will take our time to get to the top of the peak, ensuring that all participants are comfortable and emotionally supported. At the top of the peak, after celebrating the group's accomplishment, individuals will have time to review what they have written out for their 3minute stories for the digital stories. This will have been given as a prior assignment to work on before workshop #4. They will be provided prompts for their stories, to relay their experience through the workshop. Should the group dynamic allow, stories will be recorded at the top of Ensign Peak. Having just accomplished the hike as a group, this will serve as an empowering moment. Should the group not want to record their stories at this time, individual times will be set up to meet one on one with the participants. The following is an overview of each of the 8 units: Unit #1 Recognize: This unit will shine a light on the ways women have been taught to see media, themselves and other women. Unit #2 Reflect: This unit will take the time to reflect on what it means for women to see things as they really are, rather than the distorted reality that society has come to accept as normal. Unit #3 Resilience: This Unit will walk participants through processing the lifealtering effects of learning to develop and tap into skills for body image resilience. Unit #4 Resilient Resource-Physical Power: This unit will equip women with practical strategies for measuring, achieving, and promoting health through effective and empowering ways. Unit #5 Resilient Resource- Mental Power: This unit will help participants engage and learn to be critical of media and less self-comparison and more self-compassion. Unit #6 Resilient Resource- Spiritual Power: This unit teaches that regardless of whether women subscribe to a specific faith or religion, relying on a source of a spiritual power bigger than self is a well-documented path to resilience. Unit #7 Resilient Resource- Social Power: This unit teaches that no woman is alone or unaffected by outside influences. The things spoken, thought, or done regarding women's bodies has an effect on others. This unit will help women give and receive social support. Unit #8 Redefine: This unit will help women redefine all previously held beliefs about who you are as a woman, what you believe as a woman and what you can do as a woman. Sample of Unit 1: GET HER TO THE GREEN 85 GET HER TO THE GREEN Appendix B Social Media Recruiting Script 86 GET HER TO THE GREEN 87 GET HER TO THE GREEN 88 GET HER TO THE GREEN 89 Appendix C Participant Consent Form PARTICIPANT CONSENT FORM BACKGROUND You are being asked to take part in a research study. Before you decide, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take the time to read the following information carefully. Ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Take time to decide whether you want to volunteer to take part in this study. This study is being conducted by Carly Cahoon, a master's student at Westminster College and will be used for her master's thesis. The purpose of this study is to understand women's experiences in a body image resilience workshop facilitated through outdoor experiences. This workshop will be using the curriculum created by the Executive Directors of Beauty Redefined, a 501c3 seeking to increase women's ability to overcome the negative consequences of self-objectification. Your participation in the study will help the researcher better understand the experiences of women who participate and if a group setting and facilitation in the outdoors influences those experiences. STUDY PROCEDURES You will be asked to complete 8 units of curriculum at a secure website online on your own time, and will complete one unit per week for eight consecutive weeks. Each unit will take approximately one hour of your time. Through this curriculum, you will learn about the epidemic of body dissatisfaction among females of all ages in the US, how negative body image can contribute to anxiety, depression, disordered eating, diminished physical and mental performance, etc. You will also learn about strategies for developing and accessing resilient traits that can improve your self-perception, body image, and feelings of self-worth. In each unit, you will learn by reading, viewing embedded videos, listening to music, and completing personal journal entries and questionnaires. You will also be asked to commit to 5 in person meetings. The first meeting will be an orientation meeting, where you will be able to meet other participants in the group, get instruction on how to access the curriculum, and calendar out the remaining meetings. You will also learn about the creating your digital story (For more information, see below). The remaining 4 in person meetings will happen every other Saturday from January to March. Each in person session will be in the outdoors, where the group will reflect on the 2 units that were completed prior to the outdoor experience. These outdoor experiences will be a walk around the neighborhood, at a park, the Jordan River walkway and the final experience will be hike to Ensign Peak. The outdoor experiences will not be at a competitive pace. You must have access to transportation and commit to completing all 8 units of curriculum and attending in person sessions between the months of January and March (dates to be determined) DIGITAL STORIES: During your experience between the months of January and March, you will be asked to document meaningful moments through photographs. These photographs can be of anything that is inspiring to you, both in and out of the workshop. At the end of the GET HER TO THE GREEN 90 curriculum, you will be recording a 3-minute story about your experience of body image resilience. RISKS The risks of this study are minimal. You may feel upset thinking about or writing about personal information related to your feelings about your body and your self-worth. These risks are similar to those you may experience when discussing personal information with the group. If you feel upset from this experience, you can tell the researcher, and he/she will tell you about resources available to help. BENEFITS We cannot promise any direct benefit for taking part in this study. However, possible benefits include unlimited access to an online curriculum you can use to combat negative feelings toward your body and self-worth and increase your ability to access and learn resilient traits to help you realize your power, potential, and value. You may also find effective use of the outdoors as a sustainable resource to reconnecting with your power, potential, and value. Another added possible benefit will be creating relationships with the community of women with whom you will be going through this process together. The digital story is also an opportunity to connect to your own story and find empowerment through sharing your voice. CONFIDENTIALITY All research records that identify your private information will be kept private. Only the researcher will be allowed access to your private information. All records with your information will be stored in a password protected computer. Your digital stories may or may not have identifying content. You will have the option of using a pseudonym and nonidentifying photos, should you choose to do so. PARTICIPATION It is up to you to decide whether to take part in this study. Refusal to participate or the decision to withdraw from this research will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you are entitled. COSTS Participating in this study will not cost you any money. CONSENT By signing this consent form, I confirm I have read the information in this consent form and have had the opportunity to ask questions. I will be given a signed copy of this consent form. I voluntarily agree to take part in this study. CONTACT INFORMATION If you have questions, complaints or concerns about this study, you can contact: Researcher: Carly Cahoon at 801-448-3790 [e-mail]. IRB Chair: Sheryl Steadman 801-832-2164 [e-mail] . By signing this consent form I certify that I ____________________________ agree to (Print full name here) the terms of this agreement. ____________________________ (Signature) ______________ (Date) GET HER TO THE GREEN 91 Appendix D Resources for Additional Help and Support Andrea Addley RD, CD Nutritional Counseling, Individual Therapy, Support Groups, Phone Counseling 1174 East 2760 South, Graystone Office Building #1A, Salt Lake City, UT Additional Communities Served: Logan Office: 801-664-2182 Website: www.nutritionwellnessandhealth.com Email: [e-mail] Wendy Hoyt, Ph.D., PC, License #5527692-2501 Utah Center for Eating Disorders Individual Therapy/Private Practice, Outpatient, Family Therapy, Couples Therapy, Group Therapy 349 E. 900 S., Salt Lake City, UT Additional Communities Served: University of Utah, Westminster University, Salt Lake valley Office: 801-532-3614 Website: www.utaheatingdisorder.com/ Email: [e-mail] GET HER TO THE GREEN 92 Appendix E Executive Summary Get her to the green: The role of outdoor experiential education in the development of body image resilience Carly A. Cahoon Research Question: What are women's experiences in a body image resilience workshop? And how does outdoor experiential education influence those experiences? Methods: 8-week body image resilience workshop facilitated through outdoor experiential education Theoretical Frameworks: Objectification Theory, Experiential Education, Connectedness to Nature (CN) Findings: The importance of connection and community: While learning about body image resilience, there is a need for doing so in a community of other women where a connection can be made. The power and importance of Nature: Creating a connection to nature will increase self-awareness, empowerment, and connection to one's body while also increasing positive mental health. Normative Discontent: The majority of women accept body dissatisfaction as normal, acceptable and something to that is in common when connecting with other women. This is called normative discontent. Recommendations: Connect. Connect. Connect.  Connect with each other by creating communities of women who are striving for body image resilience.  Connect with Nature.  Connect & commit to using positive language in regard to your body "I want to apologize to all the women I have called pretty before I've called them intelligent or brave. I am sorry I made it sound as though something as simple as what you're born with is the most you have to be proud of when your spirit has crushed mountains. From now on I will say things like You are resilient or you are extraordinary. Not because I don't think you're pretty. but because you are much more than that." -Rupi Kaur GET HER TO THE GREEN 93 Appendix F Group Facilitation Guide Example Workshop: #2 Units 3 & 4 Comfort Zone Disruptions Objectives: Build team unity while establishing a safe space to explore curriculum content of comfort zone disruptions Supplies needed: flip chart and markers, cross the line activity sheet, and the open air Opening Activity: Weather Check In- Have participants stand in a circle. While explaining the following activity, make sure that you express that if anyone in the group would like to skip their turn, they may do so by saying ‘skip'. Give the group about 30 seconds to think about how they feel about the content so far- this includes the curriculum, the workshops and the challenge to connect with nature 2-3 more times than they normally would a week. After those 30 seconds are up, as the group to associate how they are feeling with weather. Give an example:  "I am feeling like I am in the middle of a tornado and I cannot see the wind every dying down"  "The skies are clear, but an approaching storm is coming in fast" "Partly cloudy, but mostly sunny and pleasant" Discussion: Have participants take a 10 minute walk by themselves around the park. Ask them to think about how they would describe their comfort zones and what disruptions they have noticed in their own lives. At the end of the 10 minutes, have them pair up and share what they had discovered during the first 10 minutes. The pairs can find a quiet place to sit down and discuss, or they may continue walking around the park. After another 10 minutes, have them return back to the group for a group discussion. Pairs than can share what they discovered about each other and connect to the group. Questions:  Ask the group if they have felt any of the disruptions that the other members have identified?  If so, when?  If not, why? It is important to discuss that everyone's norms and comfort zones are different because individuals have different life experiences. Closing Activity: Cross the Line INTRODUCTION: When facilitated right, "Crossing the Line" is a powerful, interactive, and effective activity that builds diversity awareness within a group. The goals of this activity include helping participants learn about themselves; give participants an opportunity to reflect upon their self- and cultural identity; allowing the community involved to appreciate its own diversity more and learn to treat each other like the diverse human beings we all are, instead of as homogenized, singular, cultureless beings. GET HER TO THE GREEN 94 DIRECTIONS: The following is a list of recommended instructions for Crossing the Line. This activity requires thorough facilitation, and should not be conducted carelessly or lightly. Time needed About 35 minutes for the activity. About 45 minutes for discussion.     Room set-up Plenty of open space (All chairs to the side or out of the room) Note on the door (Workshop in Progress, DO NOT DISTURB!) Dim the lights a bit if possible. Facilitator should be off to the side so he is not the center of attention. Content Introduction of the facilitator Be careful not to draw too much attention to the facilitator; the focus should be on the exercise and the group. Statement of Purpose "This is a diverse organization and we have spent the last couple days exploring that diversity. In this exercise we continue exploring that diversity. Much of our earlier exercises addressed diversity that was obvious. We want to acknowledge and address those differences but also bring to the surface other differences that we may not have recognized. This process might prove difficult at first, or a bit awkward. This afternoon we want to break down stereotypes and make it easier to know one another as full human beings." Description of the Process "I would like everyone to gather on one side of the room and face towards its center." (Wait for everyone to move.) "I will call out specific categories/labels/descriptions. I will ask that all those who fit this description walk to the other side of the room and turn around, facing the rest of the group." (As an example, the facilitator names a category that only he or she would fit, and then walks to the other side of the room, and turns around.) "After several seconds I will ask you to return to the group." Guidelines "Over the next half hour or so, we will share some of our experiences and vulnerabilities with one another. This will demand a safe atmosphere. To insure that we remain sensitive to one another's feelings, we need to follow two critical guidelines." "The first involves LISTENING. Let's have silence throughout the exercise--no talking, snickering, giggling, etc. Silence will allow all of us to participate fully. Silence will also enable us to experience our personal thoughts and feelings more clearly." GET HER TO THE GREEN 95 "The second guideline is RESPECT. It is imperative that we respect the dignity of each person who is here this evening. Everything that is shared should remain confidential. Nothing that is offered should leave this room. However, if--having gone through the workshop--you truly need to talk to a particular individual about something he or she has shared, be sure you ask that person's permission." "I need a nod of the head to indicate that you understand the importance of our keeping an atmosphere both silent and respectful..." "Before we begin there are several other guidelines that we need to consider." NO PRESSURE. "No one here is under any pressure to respond in any particular way to any of the questions. If you have any doubts about sharing some part of yourself, you should feel perfectly comfortable with your decision not to walk across the room." "One final point. Each of the categories I use will have some GRAY AREAS. If you find yourself stuck in a gray area, simply define the words from your own point of view. In other words, define the terms as you yourself understand them when thinking of yourself. For example, suppose the question asks everyone who is religious to walk across the room. If you think of yourself as religious, then the word fits, regardless of whether or not someone else would use the word "religious in the same way, and regardless of other meanings the word might have. If you have serious reservations about the clarity or meaningfulness of any particular category, then the best things to do is to not cross to the other side of the room." Suggestions to Facilitator Speak clearly. If the group is large, people may have trouble hearing you, and their questions will cause an interruption. Don't rush the process. Allow time for reflection. Don't ask the next question too soon. Beginning "So that's it for the format and the guidelines to he followed. Any questions?" "If you cannot stay for the entire exercise, don't feel comfortable with the guidelines, or simply don't believe like the workshop is going to he beneficial for you, it's OK to wait outside the room during the exercise." "To start, let's try a simply category. It will help me clarify the process." "CROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM IF YOU WEAR GLASSES OR CONTACT LENSES. THANK YOU. Once we begin, please, no interruptions. GET HER TO THE GREEN 96 ONCE WE BEGIN, PLEASE DO NOT ASK ANY QUESTIONS. Often during the process you may feel like you want to say something. There will be plenty of time at the end for discussion about the process." The Questions  Cross to the other side of the room if you are not from ___________.  Cross to the other side of the room if you feel your home is ________. REMINDER ABOUT GRAYNESS REMEMBER, all the legal and philosophical questions about "home" don't matter. What matters is what the word "home" means to you. If you are confused or uncomfortable, the best policy is NOT to cross to the other side of the room.  You are male  You are female  Since joining (this program), you have broken off a serious relationship. REMINDER No talking... (Consider issuing this and other reminders as an ounce of prevention, even if a problem isn't coming up at the moment.)  In the past year you have been in a relationship and been hurt.  You feel that you have not formed a close friendship in national service.  You take pride in your work in national service.  You are Catholic  You are Protestant  You are Jewish  You are another religion other than those three major U.S. religions.  You are an atheist or agnostic.  You are a person of color.  You know little about you cultural heritage  You wish you had more money  You consider your family as working class  You consider your family as middle class  You consider your family as upper class (VERY FEW WILL GO, BECAUSE THAT NOT HOW THEY THINK OF THEMSELVES, BUT THAT'S OK)  You have felt embarrassed about the economic class your family is in REMINDER Walk across the room only when you feel comfortable identifying yourself in this way.  You come from a family of four or more children you are an only child  You live independently of your parents  You have taken primary responsibility either for raising another member of  your family or caring for an elderly member of your family  You have low self-esteem  You would like to lose ten or more pounds  You feel lonely (ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION) GET HER TO THE GREEN 97     You have been to college or plan to go to college You have not graduated from high school You have had serious thoughts about leaving national service You feel physically unattractive Note As the workshop is structured it makes one dip into the personal with the previous question. Then we back up to what is easier before making a deeper trip.  You consider yourself a Democrat  You consider yourself a Republican  You consider yourself a socialist  You consider yourself a feminist  Your parents have either divorced, separated, or never married  At least one of your parents have died  You feel estranged or unconnected  There have been times when you have seriously felt that, if you could choose, you would not choose the ethnicity into which you were born  You find yourself thinking about food considerably more often than you want  You have medical problem  You have a learning disability  You have a physical disability  You have questioned your sexual orientation  You have experienced the effects of alcoholism in your family  You have experienced the effects of drug addiction in your family  You have had a sexual experience that you regretted  You have experienced suicidal thoughts at some point in your life  You have cried at least once this year  You have cried at least once this year for someone or something other than yourself  Since you joined _____________, you have laughed at yourself at least once  Cross the room if you could use a hug right now. (People generally begin hugging each other during this time.) Discussion Afterwards REMINDER OF GUIDELINES "I want to remind the group again of the guidelines. During this discussion we must have the utmost respect. Again, no talking while others speak, no side comments, giggling, etc. "I also want to remind people that everything spoken in this room stays in the room." DEBRIEF OF DISCUSSION (The discussion should feel a bit confessional. If the exercise has run well, people will be very introspective and quiet. FOCUS THE DISCUSSION ON TWO QUESTIONS: "How are you feeling right now?" "Is there anything you want to say to your fellow participants about why you crossed the room on a particular questions?" GET HER TO THE GREEN 98 (Use the discussion to allow people to EXPLAIN, SHARE, AND TELL STORIES about any of the statements. Use the discussion to allow people to talk about HOW THEY FEEL right now and how the feel about the exercise.) WARNINGS BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE DISCUSSION CENTERING THE MERITS OF THE WORKSHOP. One person says they did not like how we had only two choices, crossing the room or not. Another defends the workshop and the workshop becomes the center of the discussion. (If someone makes a comment about the workshop, thank them for their comment and refocus the discussion towards people's feelings and stories.) BE CAREFUL ABOUT COMMENTS THAT FOCUS ON OTHERS RATHER THAN THEMSELVES. (The discussion can become a group of people questioning other people why they crossed. Try to gently steer the discussion to give space for those who really feel the need to explain and tell the group something about themselves.) Closure End the discussion by thanking everyone for participating. You may want to describe how this workshop has affected you. REMINDER Remind everyone again that whatever was said in the room stays in the room. It is a serious breach of respect and trust if you share any of this with anyone outside this room. If you feel like you need to speak with an individual about something he or she said, please ask them first. Citation Fletcher, A. (2002). FireStarter Youth Power Curriculum: Participant Guidebook. Olympia, WA: Freechild Project. Retrieved from http://www.freechild.org/Firestarter/CrossingTheLine.htm APPROVAL of a thesis/project submitted by Author(s): Carly Cahoon School Department: MACL Title of Thesis: Get her to the green: The role of outdoor experiential education in the development of body image resilience The above named master's thesis/project has been read by each member of the supervisory committee and has been found to be satisfactory regarding content, English usage, format, citations, bibliographic style, and consistency, and is ready to be deposited and displayed in the Westminster College-Institutional Repository. Chairperson, Supervisory Committee: Jamie Joanou Approved On 5/10/2017 4:38:42 PM Dean, School: Dr. Melanie Agnew Approved On 5/16/2017 9:08:16 AM STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO DEPOSIT & DISPLAY THESIS IN THE INSTITUTIONAL REPOSITORY Name of Author(s): Carly Cahoon School Department: MACL Title of Thesis: Get her to the green: The role of outdoor experiential education in the development of body image resilience With permission from the author(s), the staff of the Giovale Library of Westminster College has the right to deposit and display an electronic copy of the above named thesis in its Institutional Repository for educational purposes only. I hereby give my permission to the staff of the Giovale Library of Westminster College to deposit and display as described the above named thesis. I retain ownership rights to my work, including the right to use it in future works such as articles or a book. Submitted by the Author(s) on 5/10/2017 4:27:15 PM The above duplication and deposit rights may be terminated by the author(s) at any time by notifying the Director of the Giovale Library in writing that permission is withdrawn.