Eating disorders are serious conditions related to persistent eating behaviours that negatively impact on ones health, emotions and the ability to function in important areas of life. The reasons behind eating disorders can be complex and many, and are NOT necessarily about the desire to lose weight. 

 

Having noted this, for a large number of people who struggle with disordered eating, the desire to become smaller, thinner and look a certain way is a driving force behind their eating habits. Very often a large proportion of the therapeutic work is spent with clients helping them to make peace with their body, undoing messages that they have constantly received, suggesting that their body is not good enough and does not conform to ideal beauty standards. Gill realised that as well as being a therapist and helping clients to recover, she also had a desire to be more proactive in preventing young people becoming so dissatisfied with their unique bodies.

 

‘It would break my heart when I would have these amazing young people, sat in front of me telling me that they hated their bodies, and that they felt disgusted in their own skin. Why are we allowing companies and business to convince our beautiful children that there is something wrong with their bodies. I couldn’t help but become more proactive, I wanted to educate them not to listen to the toxic messages that they will be bombarded with in their lives’ 

Gill Wilson

 

In 2017 Gill formed ‘Just Embrace’ which enabled her to approach schools to offer workshops, presentations and talks

to students and parents on the subject of ‘Body Image’. Schools that have been visited include ‘The King’s School’,

Ottery St Mary, ‘Clyst Vale Community College’, Broadclyst, ‘The Maynard School’ in Exeter and for the first time in

2019 Gill was asked by a primary school to give lessons to Year 5&6, due to young children not wanting to do PE

because of body image issues.

 

Gill has also been appointed as a ‘Body Image Movement Global Ambassador’ (BIMGA), and represents and advocates

the values and visions of the Body Image Movement (BIM). Ambassadors are positive role models to those around

them and take accountability of the language they use in relations their bodies, which in turn inspires others to do the

same.

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If you would like to arrange Gill to come and speak at your school, group, or an event that you are organising, please feel free to call for an informal chat today on 07980 182118.