Cultivating Body Positivity for System Involved Youth

Ursula Elsa

Training Description

Creating a safe container of acceptance, nonjudgement, body positivity and belonging is critical for the well being of system-involved youth. In this workshop you will learn how to support at risk youth in processing unaccepting attitudes from dominant culture, peers and families systems. You will be guided in practices that support cultivating resilience, developing self awareness, and a strong self love. For youth, a mindfulness based approach around body awareness can support healthy choices and habits. This foundation can be especially transformative by providing compassionate practices, awareness practices, and healthy honest conversation around these challenging topics. You will gain tools to deepen your allyship with system involved youth, in a way that truly honors the intersectional layers of their identities. Participants will receive guidance and tangible ways to support facilitation of mindfulness practices to cultivate body positivity in a virtual setting for at risk and system involved youth.

Learning Objective

• Understand and identify the impact of systematic oppression, capitalism and consumerism on youth’s bodies
• Practice self acceptance and radical self love and guidance for at risk or system involved youth 
• Engage in at least 1 activity to support youth in their self acceptance of their bodies 
• Exploring the impact of social media on body image
• Learn how to cultivate your allyship and advocacy as a youth worker 
• Learn and practice how to utilize at least 1 mindfulness based nonjudgement practice for system involved youth pertaining to their choices they make with their body
• Engage in at least one activity to support development of self confidence for system involved youth 
• Practice and learn at least 1 breathing technique for youth to cope with stress and anxiety around body image issues and dysphoria for system involved youth

Agenda 

11:00am - 11:30am Welcome, Housekeeping, Intros and Mindfulness Practice

11:30am - 12:00pm Introduction to Mindfulness and Body Positive Culture for Youth 

12:00pm - 12:15pm Activity 1: Exploring the impact of social media on body image 

12:15pm - 1:15pm Activities 2 and 3: Self Acceptance practice and Expressive Arts Activity 

1:15pm - 2:00pm Lunch (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

2:00pm - 2:30pm Activity 4: Cultivating Body Positivity and Allyship

2:30pm - 3:00pm Closing and Feedback

Meet Our Trainer

Ursula Elsa (she/they) was born and raised in the beautiful land of the Bay Area, Ohlone Territory. She has been teaching mindfulness and nature connection to youth in the Bay Area for over 6 years and is currently leading rites of passage work for Gaia Passages. Ursula is passionate about creating programming for LGBTQI+ and neurodiverse communities. She is also a trained doula and an advocate of parent’s rights in the birth community. Ursula has been developing curriculum at the intersection of mindfulness, social emotional development and nature connection to support organizations and families that she collaborates with.

This course meets the qualifications for (3.25) BBS CEUs for LCSWs and MFTs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.