Bodies in Motion (BIM) is an evidence-based program based within Mindful Self-Compassion and Cognitive Dissonance that teaches athletes psychological tools and strategies for long term impact. In groups of 4-8, athletes participate in five 75-90 minute, interactive, experiential, and discussion-based sessions. Athletes stay connected to each other throughout the program via a BIM specific social media group. BIM is led by Program Leaders from participating schools, and may include nutritionists, athletic trainers, psychologists, and sport psychologists to name a few. All Program Leaders are trained in BIM and supported by its development team.
Across the five sessions, BIM helps athletes develop a healthier, more positive, and more confident stance toward their bodies and themselves, both as athletes and individuals. Sessions include:
Session Title |
Sample Content |
|---|---|
| Session 1: Becoming Acquainted with the Program, Each Other, and How Everyone Has Been Affected by Societal Appearance Ideals | Icebreakers; Intro to workbook, social media platform, and confidentiality. Discussion of why athletes have joined BIM and developing an understanding of athletes’ intersecting identities |
| Session 2: Seeing Is Believing: Understanding How We Come to View and Assess Our Bodies Across our Intersecting Identities | Continue to build relationships. Discussion on sociocultural and sport-related body pressures and body duality; Introduction to mindfulness and mindful breathing |
| Session 3: I Am Not Who I Think I Am: Examining Our Body Attitudes in Terms of Our Intersecting Identities | Discussion on Mirror and Self-Monitoring exercises; Introduction to and practice of Self-Kindness; Engage in Body Affirmations and Mindfulness (i.e., mindful walking) |
| Session 4: Taking it One Day at a Time: Ways to Become an Advocate for Yourself and Your Body | Discussion on the media’s presentation of appearance ideals; Using Mindfulness and Self-Kindness to Counter the media; Engage in Body activism exercise; Mindful Self-Compassion meditation |
| Session 5: Bodies in Motion: Celebrating Our Bodies and Empowering Ourselves for Life | Discussion of Body Activism; Sharing of Body celebration videos; Engage in Mirror exercise; Development and practice Self-Compassion mantra; Becoming a BIM advocate for life |
BIM’s time-limited approach promotes engagement and retention and fits within the realities of athletes’ very busy schedules. It is innovatively structured so learning continues after each session ends. Athletes complete workbook exercises between sessions and interact with each other through the program-specific social media group to deepen their connections, critically evaluate societal appearance ideals, and build a culture of shared body acceptance. At the end, athletes are encouraged to become BIM advocates for life, sharing their newly developed awareness, perspectives, and skills with teammates and coaches, family, friends, etc.