Body image may sound all too familiar to students, for it is a mental and physical health concern possibly overexposed to young demographics. But those who are concerned hope students do not roll their eyes just yet – perceptions of body image exist in many forms for people around the world.

The Illini Art Therapy Association, an RSO that counts itself as one of the concerned groups, wants to help students recognize and transcend their personal troubles. Nearly every week, IATA meets in a selected area on campus where they host creative workshops for students to express themselves through their own artwork.

The workshop topics change with every meeting and so do the mediums of the students’ artwork. Last week, for example, members collaborated on collages made from magazine clippings to celebrate their diversity. Another recent project involved using colored pencils and pastels to create pieces that illustrate their cherished friendships.

Elka Kazmierczak, Ph.D. candidate in Education and the co-founder of IATA, said body image is only one of the issues in how people see themselves. She added that the club’s focus encompasses acceptance of all kinds.

“Our atmosphere is noncompetitive and supportive, something that college students sometimes really need in order to breathe,” Kazmierczak said. “A lot come here to help move past their feeling worthless and ugly … some things like body image, they can be a vicious circle.”

Melanie Marklein, a clinical counselor at the University, said that body image problems occur among people of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds. The reason why some people put more importance on body image than others is complex and probably depends on the interaction of many factors, she said. Several IATA members described their experience with the club as liberating, and Marklein agreed that self-expression through art can be a powerful way of healing from “body image disturbances” and related issues.

“Getting your feelings out through art allows people to release and process feelings rather than holding them all inside,” Marklein said in an email interview. “It can also be empowering to speak out about these issues through writing or art as a way to critique the ridiculous standards and pressures that we all face.”

Zack Berent, senior in Engineering and president of IATA, said he enjoys helping people discover themselves in new ways. He said that he joined the club because his schoolwork took away from his creativity. After joining, Berent said his imagination quickly came back to him and he was able to apply it to his academics as well.

“My major’s usually plugging-and-chugging with numbers and that can get to be pretty monotonous,” Berent said. “But now I can apply my creativity to the scientific process, and I think work’s much more fun and interesting now.”

Berent added that he was also struck by the accepting nature of the club when he joined his sophomore year; fellow member David Huettner, junior in FAA, shared the same view.

Huettner said one experience that stands out most to him was during a body image exercise at the campus YWCA in 2011 when members sketched the outlines of their body onto large sheets of paper with the help of a partner.

Members could then add anything to their sketched outlines to display whatever they felt represented them. During this time Huettner said something unexpected happened.

“A girl in our group was suddenly struck by how personal her drawing had become and she broke down in front of us, everyone,” Huettner said. “But we all quietly crowded around her and hugged her and comforted her the best way we could. It was empowering and informative. … That’s when I realized art therapy meant so much more to me and other members than just as a fun extracurricular.”

Huettner also said his personal conversations with Kazmierczak have affected him greatly. Kazmierczak shared her experience with anorexia at IATA’s workshop on March 4.

Although she admits that she was “horribly skinny” at the time, Kazmierczak said it didn’t relate to a distorted sense of her body image nor weight issues.

“In my case, I was anorexic because I wasn’t happy with my life. I didn’t want to deal with it so I stopped eating,” she said.

Kazmierczak’s openness and awareness of what’s underneath the surface show that she has recovered, as described by members of the club.

Kazmierczak said that artwork helps us process emotional issues as well as realize them, and that IATA can enhance the positive experience as a result of the group’s intimacy and candor.

“We hope that people can recognize the inner qualities and values of a person that really matter,” Kazmierczak said. “At the end, it’s how you carry yourself and care for other people. Screw the image – live your life.”

Adlai can be reached at [email protected].