The Renfrew Center Foundation Launches 5th Annual Campaign in Conjunction with National Eating Disorders Awareness Week Asking Individuals to Reflect on their Natural Selves
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- These days the act of snapping a photo with a smartphone has been practically raised to an art form, involving posing, retouching, and using special apps to make subjects look thinner, sun-kissed and desirable. News articles and stories abound with tips and advice for capturing stunning supermodel and celebrity-caliber images.
The nation's obsession with social media, which seems to grow on a daily basis, and the desire to present a 'perfect' face to the world certainly has its downside – fueling competition and derailing self-esteem in many who feel they just don't measure up. In conjunction with National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, February 21-27, 2016, The Renfrew Center Foundation is once again launching its annual Barefaced & Beautiful campaign. The campaign, in its 5th year, emphasizes the importance of "reflection" — a word derived from the Latin meaning a thought occurring in consideration and meditation.
To remind the public of the strength and beauty of our real, unaltered and most natural selves, The Foundation is encouraging individuals to post a makeup free or unaltered photo to social media networks on Monday, February 22nd. Once this posting is completed, individuals are asked to consider ways in which this experience affected them and how others responded. Photos and comments can be shared using the hashtag #barefacedbeauty.
Taking time to reflect on one's own true feelings provides an opportunity to perceive oneself in a non-judgmental way, but often is bypassed in the service of striving for perfection. The foundation of a healthy body image is not built on a created image, but requires a balance of many qualities within our whole self.
"I am very excited about the theme selected for the Barefaced & Beautiful campaign this year," said Adrienne Ressler, Vice President, Professional Development, The Renfrew Center Foundation. "We feel that every individual can understand the importance of reconnecting with and accepting one's authentic self."
According to The Renfrew Center Foundation, 50 percent of the population surveyed feels pressured to edit and alter their "real" selves before posting on social media. (See Harris Interactive Survey Results here.) This behavior around social media may often heighten anxiety and set the stage for the development of eating disorders or addictions. Underlying the Reflections on Being Real theme is the message that revealing your natural self can be a liberating and self-affirming experience.
To learn more about participating in "Barefaced & Beautiful Presents: Reflections on Being Real", please go to www.renfrewcenter.com or https://www.facebook.com/RenfrewCenter.
The Renfrew Center Foundation
The Renfrew Center Foundation, founded in 1990, is a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to advancing the education, prevention, research, advocacy and treatment of eating disorders. The Renfrew Center Foundation is supported financially by private donations and funding from The Renfrew Center, the nation's first residential and largest network of eating disorder treatment facilities. A pioneer in eating disorder treatment and research for 30 years, The Renfrew Center has treated more than 65,000 women with eating disorders and other behavioral health issues and trained more than 30,000 professionals around the world since its establishment in 1985. It has facilities in California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. For more information, call 1-800-RENFREW or visit www.renfrewcenter.com.
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SOURCE The Renfrew Center Foundation
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