Three Peaks

School staff, what can you do to support a body positive space. Here are some ideas.

It’s Provincial Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2026! Here are some tips for activity spaces when conversations come up about food.

Dance studios, local gym, soccer team, baseball diamond. Food is a topic that arises often. How can you contribute to keep things neutral and positive.

This time of year can be heavy for youth and teens.

New year messages everywhere: “fix this,” “change that,” “be better.” For young people already questioning their bodies, it can quietly say: you are not enough as you are.

When a youth says, “I am fat,” it’s rarely about weight. It’s often about feeling not good enough, unsafe in their body, or afraid of not belonging.

Before correcting, pause. What they need first is to feel seen and held.

From an emotion-focused lens:

Validate the feeling: “It sounds really hard to feel uncomfortable in your body.”

Get curious, not corrective: “What’s been making it feel worse lately?”

Reassure connection: “You don’t have to change to be loved here.”

Why New Year’s resolutions can hurt:

When the message is “new year, new body,” kids hear: who you are right now isn’t good enough. This can deepen shame, anxiety, and disordered eating patterns.

About dieting as parents:

Children don’t just hear what we say—they absorb what we model. Diet talk, body criticism, and “earning” food can teach them that bodies are problems to be fixed, not homes to be cared for.

If you’re worried, watch for signs like:

Skipping meals, rigid food rules, or frequent dieting.

Increased body checking or negative self-talk.

Anxiety around eating or changes in mood, energy, or confidence.

A growing belief that their worth depends on appearance.

Ways to support youth right now:

Lead with empathy before fixing

Keep bodies neutral: avoid comments on size (theirs or yours)

Model self-compassion in how you speak about your own body

Shift the focus from “changing bodies” to supporting wellbeing (rest, play, nourishment, connection)

Remind them often: their worth is not tied to appearance

If you’re worried about your child’s eating, dieting, or if they’re struggling with confidence and who they are, you don’t have to navigate it alone. I offer counselling support for parents and youth.

Reach out: [email protected]
www.three-peaks.ca

You don’t have to love your body every day.
But every young person deserves to know:
You are already enough. Just as you are.

Amazing news. Squamish has some new support available. Come try it out. Can’t wait to see you there. 💕

The event is just over a week away. I’m so excited to be hosting the M-Factor movie screening. Let me introduce our incredible group of panelists.

I am so grateful for all the support of my friends and family to get this event up and running. The encouragement, offers to help, and support navigating the theatre tech are all appreciated.

Carin Strydom - General Practitioner and Women’s Health Specialist

Angela Simpson - Functional Medicine and Physiotherapist

Dr Natasha Wrenshall - Naturopathic Doctor

Petra Walter - Pharmacist

Dr Liz Joa – Gynecologist

Tara Firma - BCRMT

Julie Clarke - Personal Trainer and Menopause coach.

Rachel Richards - Physio Therapist (pelvic floor re-education and rehabilitation)

Thank you to for your very generous food sponsorship. will be at the event with a beautiful charcuterie table sponsored by Carin Strydom at Lezara.