Body image isn’t a mental construct, a picture that’s stuck in our heads and in need of an upgrade. It is a social construct. Multiple outside forces affect body image, and some of them benefit when it suffers.

This Masterclass examines the social context of body image and the cultural forces that shape our self-to-body relationship. It addresses:

• what body image is and how it develops
• the most important scientific findings on body image
• the surprising science of embodiment- and how it can rejuvenate the way we view and relate to our bodies
• innovative ways to nourish our self-to-body relationship
• methods for amplifying body agency and body ownership

We’ll discuss the implications of this research for yoga, fitness, psychotherapy, contemplative practice, and healthy eating.

Learning Objective:

Participants will understand four key elements of the emerging science of embodiment as they relate to body image, as well as describe the social context of body image.