Parent & Guardian Formation
The purpose of the program is to offer a variety of opportunities for parents and guardians, who are the primary educators, to learn more about relevant issues facing their adolescent sons/students and to understand practical ways to support them.
These 60 minute sessions will be facilitated by a member of the Saint Ignatius High School administrative team with the primary presenters being experts in their field.
Monday, October 12 at 6:30 p.m.
COMPANIONS CENTER
Strength Training, Fat Loss, and Supplements: What We’re Learning About Boys and Body Image and How Adults Can Help
For many adolescent boys, thinking about their bodies increasingly means thinking about getting stronger, building muscle, losing fat, or using protein powders and other supplements. Where does healthy interest in fitness end and potentially harmful preoccupation begin?
In this presentation, psychologists Dr. Caitlin Martin-Wagar and Dr. Lisa Damour will share early findings from their ongoing research with students at Saint Ignatius and other high schools, placing what they are learning in the context of the broader research on boys, body image, exercise, eating, and supplement use. They will address what may be part of typical adolescent development, what deserves closer attention, and how parents and educators can talk with boys about food and their bodies without inadvertently increasing appearance pressures. Parents will leave with practical guidance for supporting healthy attitudes toward strength, fitness, food, and body image—and for recognizing when a young person may need additional support.
Dr. Caitlin Martin-Wagar is a licensed psychologist, Associate Professor of Psychology, and Director of Clinical Training at the University of Montana. She directs the Laboratory for Eating Disorders and Equity and the University of Montana Eating Disorders Training Clinic. Her research and clinical work focus on eating disorders, body image, and weight stigma. She is the Principal Investigator on the research study being conducted at Saint Ignatius High School.
Dr. Lisa Damour is a clinical psychologist and the New York Times bestselling author of Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers. She is the co-host of the Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Parenting podcast and has written and spoken widely about adolescent development and mental health.
