Next week the Saint Louis University Student Health and Counseling Services and the Wellness Formation Committee will be sponsoring free seminars and educational programs about eating disorders and healthy body image.

The programs will take place on the Frost Campus Feb. 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the basement of the Busch Memorial Center and at the Health Sciences Center campus Feb. 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Learning Resource Center.

These free programs are a part of National Eating Disorders Awareness Month and are open to SLU students, faculty and staff. Each day there will be trained mental health professionals on site to answer questions.

Informational flyers, pamphlets and a short video presentation on eating disorders will also be available.

The programs will also offer the opportunity to fill out a confidential questionnaire about body image and eating habits and an informal interview with a clinician.

According to Dr. John Dages, Licensed Staff Psychologist and Assistant Director of the Student Health and Counseling Services, 13 to 20 percent of college-aged women and 1 percent of college-aged men will suffer from some type of eating disorder.

In the wake of these startling and true statistics, Dages says it is crucial to “reach people who need help.”

However, the programs are not just meant for those who suspect they may have an eating disorder or problem with body image.

They also are being put on to educate the SLU community about this often uncomfortable issue. They offer help and information to those who suspect that someone they know may have a problem.

“A crucial part of the programs is the availability of information on how to help another person that has a problem,” Dages said.

This is the fifth year the Student Health and Counseling Services has sponsored this event with the Wellness Formation Committee. The Wellness Formation Committee is a group of faculty, staff and students who are dedicated to providing educational programs and information about health and wellness.

Dages reports that the program has had a good turn-out in the past and hopes that the multiple resources and opportunities of these seminars will continue to “help people find the help that they need.”