"Bravo
to the women brave enough to share their stories in this book. Doing so invites
all of us to similarly share the experiences about our bodies. By telling our
stories, we can unmask the damaging and unattainable images of beauty. Together,
we can and must reject such a narrow definition of what is beautiful. We
must challenge any definition of beauty that does not include ourselves not only
because self-love and self-acceptance are fundamental to health and well-being,
but simply because we deserve to enjoy and love our bodies unconditionally and
to feel good about ourselves just as we are." Barbara
Harris Editor in Chief, Shape Magazine � "These
stories clearly demonstrate how today�s rigid and unrealistic beauty standards
inflict pain and health-threatening pressures on women and men of all ages. We
must seek out a new, more inclusive definition of values to meet the psychological
and emotional needs of women and the men who love them, making us all winners." Dick
Lyles, Ph.D. President/COO, The Ken Blanchard Companies Author, Winning
Ways � "Never
before have I read such poignant, truth-telling stories of what damage is done
to girls and women by parents, family, so-called friends, and the media who promulgate
the notion that �you are what you weigh and how you look.� A Waist is a Terrible
Thing to Mind is a real wake-up call to the world that such gross and distorted
beliefs produce enormous sadness and lack of self-esteem at the very least, and
illness and tragic consequences at the most. Surely this ground-breaking book
will be a critical step in a healing process in which we all must participate."
Marjorie
Hansen Shaevitz Psychotherapist
� Author The Superwoman Syndrome and The Confident Woman
Chair, National Advisory
Panel Stanford
Institute For Research On Women And Gender �
"A Waist is a Terrible Thing to Mind is a wake-up call for us all.
It poignantly documents the insidious and negative influence the diet and fashion
industries exert on women�s self-esteem. The book challenges all of us, men and
women, to redefine beauty in a way that will promote self-acceptance and wellness.
Let us accept the challenge!" Mimi
Guarneri, M.D. � Cardiologist Medical
Director, Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine � "This
book exposes our cultural obsession with weight and the misogynistic toll it takes
on women with a unique, heartfelt and articulate collection of personal stories.
The compelling women�s voices on these pages expose our pervasive, ubiquitous
psychic abuse around being thin, with an immediacy and urgency that we all need
to understand. This is an important and necessary read." Belleruth
Naparstek Author,
Your Sixth Sense Creator
of The Health Journeys, a guided imagery audio series
�
"A revelatory treasure
of human experiences, opening the reader�s eyes to the torments imposed by the
mindless worship of pop images of beauty." Erving
Polster Ph.D. � Miriam Polster, Ph.D. Authors
� Co-Directors, Gestalt Training Center San Diego, California � "This
outstanding book gives a voice to countless women�s struggles with body image,
revealing the magnitude of this crisis. These stories cannot be read without affecting
the readers. This book challenges women to reclaim their bodies and create their
own healthy, attainable beauty ideals." Ann
Kearney-Cooke, Ph.D. Director,
Cincinnati Psychotherapy Institute Scholar,
Partnership for Women�s Health Columbia University, New York � "This
book is a gold mine. As one who has always been awed by the marvelous complexity
of the human body since I first began my medical training, I feel despair in the
recognition that so many women are so unhappy with their miraculous bodies. Yet
I also feel hope that this book will begin to change what has become a very real
problem for over half of our population. Reading this book is something we all
owe ourselves." Lana
Holstein, M.D. Author
� Director of Women's Health Canyon Ranch, Tucson, Arizona � .
|