The W hosts ‘Love Your Body Party’ in recognition of Eating Disorders Awareness Month
Mississippi University for Women’s Counseling Center will host the Love Your Body Party on Tuesday, Feb. 3, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in Pohl Gym, offering students and community members an engaging, movement-based event focused on whole-person wellness.
February is Eating Disorders Awareness Month, and the event is designed to promote positive body image, mental health and physical well-being in a supportive and fun environment. The W’s Counseling Center has partnered with Stark Recreation’s February Fitness Challenge to create the event to emphasizes holistic health.
“The Love Your Body Party is about shifting the conversation from appearance to well-being,” said Monique Tillman, a licensed mental health therapist at The W’s Counseling Center. “We’re creating a supportive, upbeat space where students can move their bodies for joy, energy and connection, not punishment. The goal is to raise awareness of eating disorders and body image struggles while also offering students practical, positive ways to reconnect with their bodies.”
The event is open to campus and community members and is free to attend.
The Love Your Body Party will feature a variety of movement-based activities led by campus and community instructors, including POUND, Zumba and hip-hop line dance. A short welcome message from the Counseling Center and Student Success will highlight the importance of whole-person wellness and introduce available campus resources.
Several campus and community partners will also host informational tables throughout the event. The Baptist Nutrition Department dietitian staff, The W Health Center and the Department of Kinesiology will provide education and resources related to nutrition, physical health and overall well-being.
Downtown Nutrition will provide product samples and share information about the nutritional benefits of its offerings.
“We want participants to leave feeling supported, empowered and reminded that health includes both mental and physical well-being,” Tillman said.
The Love Your Body Party reflects the Counseling Center’s commitment to prevention, education and fostering a campus culture that supports body respect and holistic health. The event also aligns with The W’s seven dimensions of wellness encouraging physical activity, emotional well-being, social connection, intellectual awareness, financial wellness, digital wellness and overall environmental wellness.