University Marketing & Communications: Layton Shumway | 801-863-6863 | LShumway@uvu.edu
Written by: Barbara Christiansen | 801-863-8208 | BarbaraC@uvu.edu
Women can and do have a great impact in the world; however, there are numerous things that can affect them and their willingness to use their impact. “Strengthening the Impact of Women: Body Image, Crucial Conversations, and Perfectionism” will address those issues from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on March 7 in the Ragan Theater in the Sorensen Center of Utah Valley University. Women 12 and older and those who influence them are invited to attend the free event, which is part of the Utah Women & Leadership Project’s speaker and dialogue series. UVU President Matthew S. Holland and first lady Paige Holland will address the full group in a brief session about the importance of a college education for women, including how that education can help them strengthen their impact in homes, churches, schools, communities and beyond.
Attendees will then select one of three workshops to learn how to strengthen their own influence. The choices are “Beauty Redefined: The Impact of Body Image on Girls and Women,” “Crucial Conversations: Strengthening the Impact of Women;” and “The Impact of Perfectionism on the Wellbeing of Women.”
Identical twins Lindsay and Lexie Kite, the founders of the non-profit Beauty Redefined Foundation, will lead the first group. They will address women living in a state of self-consciousness, in which they monitor their appearances for what they look like to outsiders. This can lead to feelings of body shame and low self-worth, and disordered eating, opting out of social activities and exercise, self-harm and dangerous and expensive cosmetic surgery. The Kites will present about body image resilience, which their research shows is central to mental and physical health, confidence, happiness and empowerment.
Dr. Emily Hoffman will address crucial conversations and the more than 30 years of research that has shown top leaders employ skills that turn thought into synergy and results through those conversations. The best individuals speak up and encourage others to do the same. When people share their best ideas, they can make wise decisions and act on them with conviction. Hoffman is the Master Facilitator of Crucial Conversations at VitalSmarts and the company’s Vice President of Product Development and Client Delivery.
Women often believe they have to work twice as hard to be considered half as good as their male counterparts. While working hard is good, working too hard can result in job and life dissatisfaction, strained relationships and burnout, according to Kris Doty-Yells, a licensed clinical social worker who will lead the group on perfectionism. She will share her research on toxic perfectionism, how to recognize it, and how to overcome it. Doty-Yells also applies her research to the local culture. She calls herself a recovering perfectionist.
“Women can have such a profound impact on families, communities, and society at large, and this event will help them strengthen that impact in various ways,” said Susan Madsen, of the UWLP. “We have pulled together a remarkable line-up of experts who will inspire and motivate us, while sharing the latest research on their topics. This is a ‘must attend’ event for any women who cares about positively influencing people and society. We really encourage people to bring young women, 12-18 years old, to help them understand that Utah women can and should positively impact others in so many ways.”
Those who wish to attend should RSVP at www.uvu.edu/uwlp.
Fourth region (Section 1)