Appearance Matters: The Podcast!

All great research starts with vision and excellent collaborators. The Healing Foundation is a national charity championing the cause of people living with disfigurement and visible loss of function by funding and managing research into pioneering surgical and psychological healing techniques. In this episode, we hear from Chief Executive Mr Brendan Eley and other special guests about the charity’s aims, current projects and the launch of their new Scar-Free Healing strategy. Episode developed and produced by Dr Nicola Stock

Does Barbie influence how girls feel about their bodies? We discuss this and whether the new range of dolls, which include three additional body sizes (petite, tall and curvy) is a positive move towards improving body image among young girls. We speak to Drs Emma Halliwell and Amy Slater from the Centre for Appearance Research, experts in body image concerns among children and Dr Glen Jankowski, a body-image Lecturer at Leeds Beckett University. Watch the full Time video: http://time.com/4196229/barbies-new-body-watch-designers-explain-why-they-changed-her/ Read Glen’s Barbie blog post: https://glenjankowski.wordpress.com/2016/01/30/the-new-barbies-arent-so-great-for-the-sweatshop-workers-who-make-them/ Find out more about the Centre for Appearance Research: www.uwe.ac.uk/car Music is by the Bristol-based percussionist, David Insua-Cao: http://www.davidinsuacao.com/ Episode developed and produced by Nadia Craddock

In this episode, we talk about some of the work that is being done by CAR and our collaborators to improve the body image of girls and young women globally. This episode features two special guests: Dr Eric Stice and Jenny Giangrande. Dr Eric Stice, based at the Oregon Research Institute, is a keynote speaker at our Appearance Matters 7 conference and is one of the leading figures in eating disorder prevention. We talk to Eric about his career, his role at AM7 and find out more about his well-established, evidence-based body image intervention programme, ‘The Body Project’. Jenny Giangrande, a programme manager at the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, talks to us about the global dissemination of a body image intervention, ‘Free Being Me’ – a four-way collaboration with the Oregon Research Institute, the Dove Self Esteem Project, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, and the Centre for Appearance Research. To find out more about the Centre for Appearance Research: www.uwe.ac.u

Appearance concerns affect us all to some degree, but what about those who differ not only from the ‘ideal’ but from the ‘norm’? In episode 5, Nadia and Nicola explore what it is like to be ‘visibly different’ and discuss ways in which research and practice is improving psychological support for those affected by appearance-altering conditions. This episode features interviews with the founder and CEO of the UK-based charity Changing Faces, Dr James Partridge OBE, and members of the Adult Voices Council of the Cleft Lip and Palate Association (CLAPA). To find about more about CAR: www.uwe.ac.uk/car About CLAPA: www.clapa.com About Changing Faces: www.changingfaces.org.uk Episode developed and produced by Dr Nicola Stock

In this special episode of Appearance Matters: the Podcast! Nadia and Nicola speak to Professor Nichola Rumsey on being awarded an OBE for her services to people affected by an altered appearance. Nicky is one of our co-directors and is the founder of the Centre for Appearance Research. To find out more about the Centre for Appearance Research: www.uwe.ac.uk/appearancematters Music is by the Bristol-based percussionist, David Insua-Cao. http://www.davidinsuacao.com Episode developed and produced by Nadia Craddock

In this episode Nadia and Nicola discuss appearance concerns from a public health perspective. We speak with Harvard Public Health Professor Bryn Austin, a champion for universal eating disorder prevention and the director of the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders, STRIPED. We hear about Bryn’s research, career and her role in AM7. We also talk about rapid communication posters and their place in the Appearance Matters 7 conference. To find out more about the Centre for Appearance Research: www.uwe.ac.uk/car To register for the Appearance Matters 7 Conference www.uwe.ac.uk/appearancematters Music is by the Bristol-based percussionist, David Insua-Cao. http://www.davidinsuacao.com Episode developed and produced by Nadia Craddock

In this third episode of Appearance Matters: The Podcast! Nadia and Nicola speak with Professor Diana Harcourt, one of the co-directors of the Centre for Appearance Research. Di tells us about her research, her career to date and her role in the forthcoming Appearance Matters 7 Conference. We also talk about best (and worst) practices for conference abstract submissions. To find out more about the Centre for Appearance Research: www.uwe.ac.uk/appearancematters Music is by the Bristol-based percussionist, David Insua-Cao. www.davidinsuacao.com Episode developed and produced by Dr Nicola Stock and Nadia Craddock

In this second episode of Appearance Matters: The Podcast! Nadia and Nicola find out more about the Appearance Matters Conference Series and the upcoming conference - Appearance Matters 7, which is taking place in London, June 2016. We talk with Dr Phillippa Diedrichs and Dr Amy Slater, two members of this year’s Appearance Matters conference organizing committee. We also hear from some past delegates of the conference: Kirsty Garbett, an early career researcher, Helena Lewis-Smith, a third year PhD student and Glen Jankowski, a Senior Lecturer. Finally, Katie Stock, a young adult with a port-wine birthmark tells us what it was like to take part in a photography exhibition at a Appearance Matters conference. For more information about Appearance Matters 7 and how to register, please visit www.uwe.ac.uk/appearancematters Thanks to David Insua-Cao, a Bristol-based percussionist for the music. http://www.davidinsuacao.com Episode developed and produced by Nadia Craddock.

In the first episode of Appearance Matters: The Podcast! Nadia and Nicola introduce the Centre for Appearance Research (or CAR for short), a world-leading centre for appearance related psychology research. We hear from several members of CAR telling us about their work and why appearance matters. To find out more about the Centre for Appearance Research: www.uwe.ac.uk/car To register for our upcoming international conference taking place in London, June 2016: www.uwe.ac.uk/appearancematters Music is by the Bristol-based percussionist, David Insua-Cao. http://www.davidinsuacao.com Episode developed and produced by Dr Nicola Stock and Nadia Craddock