The Breaking the Chains Foundation recently hosted the “How to Love YourSelfie” Live event, an inspiring event aimed at decreasing the pressure to achieve a certain body ideal that is often perpetuated by social media. Created by popular actress Jillian Rose Reed, this innovative program seeks to increase media literacy, reduce perfectionism, and build resilience by increasing self-compassion and body appreciation. The Breaking the Chains Foundation’s How to Love YourSelfie Live program is a great example of the foundation’s fabulous work. By transforming research and personal stories into artistic programs, the foundation works to create a safe nurturing environment where individuals can thrive. A positive attitude toward one’s body is key in increasing self-love, self-esteem, and self-acceptance, and this program is doing an amazing job at helping individuals achieve this.

Where is Breaking the Chains Foundation based?
Breaking The Chains Foundation (BTCF) is a 501(c)3 non-profit charity based in Los Angeles, California.

What inspired the creation of the Breaking the Chains Foundation (BTCF)?
Debra: “Breaking The Chains” is a deep internal piece to my recovery. What motivated me to create a non-profit stemmed from my life experience, which included having an eating disorder when I was younger and my love for the arts. I was very involved in the arts from an early age, received a full-ride scholarship to college for dance, and continued in the field for some years to follow. Dancing was my healing place. I felt everything when I was dancing. I could think, breathe, transcend, my space whether on stage or in the studio was “my space” and I owned it I owned my body, my thoughts, feelings, and emotions. There is something to this. It was internal, not external. There is something very healing and I had a deep desire to heal. I began to work backward a bit — I was at a place in my life where I could. I went back to my healing place — dance and the healing elements it brought me. Through my recovery, I knew that if I felt my pain so internally, then others who are suffering must feel the same way. I flipped the switch, ‘the picture’, ‘the perception.’ Eating disorders are not what they look like on the outside, it’s what is going on in the inside.

I began to share my story with people in my life which resonated with them. They also shared theirs and we gave our time, energy, and talents to one another. While Jillian has never experienced an eating disorder, she has been in the limelight, and she has had to navigate some pretty tough spaces. She was the first person, along with my good friend and photographer, Amy Barnard, that we began with exploring self-awareness, self-esteem, body-image relationships, and confronting addiction through photography and story. Then it progressed into campaigns, scripts, videos, and bigger photo shoots. The amount of support was so God-given to what now has come to fruition, this non-profit BTCF.

Jillian, you are a BTCF Board Member and created How to Love Your Selfie Program? Can you tell us about what inspired this project and how does it work?
Jillian: I was inspired to create How To Love YourSelfie (HTLYS) back in 2018/2019 when I was suffering from extreme and debilitating anxiety. I was grieving the loss of my grandmother at the time and experiencing a major career shift from on-screen acting to behind-the-scenes, and my life was definitely not feeling very secure! Debra approached me and asked if I wanted to create something personal for BTCF, and my instinct was to speak about what I know....social media and harsh online critics. Being in the spotlight for the majority of my 20's, I experienced firsthand how social media can tear you down just as much as it can build you up, and it often happens simultaneously. How To Love YourSelfie is an online, interactive, researched-based program geared toward young people that aims to help them understand the effects social media has on our mental health and promotes a mindset change so we can begin to change the conversation around perfectionism and comparison.

How does this program challenge the idea of an ideal body?
Jillian: How To Love YourSelfie is designed to make you examine your own usage of social media and challenge some of the negative thought patterns it may have been responsible for creating! We aim to educate young people about social media literacy and provide research-based information that will hopefully help you reframe the way you receive information online. Through a series of videos, educational texts, and journal prompts, we explore the idea that we can use social media for good and live harmoniously in this digital age.

How can people participate?
Debra: Thank you so much for asking this! How To Love YourSelfie is an online program available for usage, geared toward youth 15 - 22 years old. The program is being used in high schools, vo-tech centers, various organizations virtually, and it will soon be in some colleges and dance studios in Fall, 2023. People can contact us directly at iambreakingthechains@gmail.com for more information and to book a date/time to receive the program usage. There is a cost to the program and that too can be discussed for best usage. We have also teamed up with our treatment center partner, Eating Recovery Center (ERC), and Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center virtually for Summer 2023 where I will be facilitating a short version of the program and it is open to the public. Prior to that on June 5th, ERC is hosting "Exploring Parenting in the Here & Now" - A parent’s role regarding social media and mental health from 1:00pm - 2:15pm PST, and Jillian will be jumping on from 2:00pm - 2:15pm chatting all about How To Love YourSelfie!

You recently held a How to Love Your Selfie Live event. Can you tell us a bit about the event?
Jillian: Our How To Love YourSelfie Live event was a blast! Attendees were able to participate in a variety of different activities based on each of our 5 HTLYS Pillars, like journaling and vision board making, as well as our wellness stations, like yoga and a drum circle! We had live cooking demos, musical performances, and an In -N-Out truck. It was a day full of love, healing, and togetherness, and we can't wait to do it again!

Can you tell us a bit more about the special performances, interactive “selfie” stations, and food from NOLA Chef Gason that were provided at the event?
Debra: Sure! Our main live performance is a most extraordinary dance piece titled "7 Chairs,” created by our board member and world-renowned master teacher/choreographer, Alex Little. It is a piece she brought to me in 2016 that she has graced our Foundation with ever since, and we are very grateful! It is very mission aligned. Every single time "7 Chairs" is performed, it speaks volumes to those who experience this piece as it breaks the silence about inner struggles often underpinning negative body-image relationships, disordered eating, and other challenges. Through the art of dance, seven performers come together in an anonymous meeting to share their stories and listen to others in real time, thereby generating solidarity, honesty, and hope for all involved. This illuminating process is both captivating and transformative; it also highlights the fact that the willingness to see and hear, as well as to be seen and heard, is the foundation for all healing. As an audience member, you will be reminded that “I, You, We…Are Not Alone.

We had five interactive "selfie" art-based stations reflecting all of Jillian's selfies: Love Yourselfie, Be Yourselfie, Explore Yourselfie, Help Yourselfie, and Cherish Yourselfie. Each one of them spoke to their individual purpose and messaging. It was a fun way to engage people through the process of creating and participating with Yourselfie! So, there were a lot of multi-color sticky notes, markers, colored pencils, a vast variety of stickers, magazines, flowers, scissors, HTLYS "selfie" IG cards, paste, journals, pens, pins, and more going on!

Celebrity NOLA Chef Gason is "thee" best and a complete rock star! His station was a Mardi Gras set up where he cooked up a storm in front of all the people who gathered around him, sharing stories, and giving some fun facts about his New Orleans roots, cooking, ingredients, and so much more. He shared two different cooking demos within the event - one being his incredible pasta dish and another being his delicious custard dessert! All guests were welcome to enjoy the food served on individual plates… and of course they did!

What do you hope others get from the How to Love Your Selfie Program?
Jillian: I hope our audience walks away feeling reflective and inspired. I recently ran through the program myself and found that it really made me think about how I'm using social media in my own life...and I created the program! There's something here for everyone and I just hope participants walk away feeling like they have a better understanding of how to protect their mental health.

How does the program increase awareness of the negative impact of higher engagement and photo manipulation?
Debra: There are many areas within the program, especially in "Be Yourselfie," that speak to noticing how different sites affect people, how social media can affect our mental health, and how important expanding our self-care really is. We had some amazing clinicians create the workbook pieces for each of Jillian's video guides, even assessing social media's place in one's life and online routines because social media algorithms are designed to show us content we're most likely to engage with. There really is no such thing as a "perfect" selfie, because of all the editing and yes photo manipulation that comes into play, so it is not reality. There are sections in the program that inform participants on getting wise about social media manipulation and the hope that what one posts will go viral, and what that really entails. These sections are done through education and questions that engage participants to challenge those thoughts, and in turn, be curious, explore, respond, and understand the impact of those things for themselves. Then we move forward to the possible ways one can represent the "real me."

What impact does the program have on reducing perfectionism, increasing self-compassion, optimism, and building resilience?
Debra: I would venture to say that the impact of these things is very prevalent for many people of all ages. While this program is geared toward youth 15 - 22, it also gives insight and education for those who may want to understand/engage in conversation with youth…whether it be a parent like myself or another professional that works with youth. Many of these areas are found in "Help Yourseflie" and "Cherish Yourselfie.” Whether it be recognizing self-talk, practicing self-compassion, encouraging positive actions, expanding resilience, and/or embracing optimism to how one may connect to their own lived experience, receive or interpret information in negative ways vs. noticing our own thoughts and questioning what is really true. What is perfect, a perfectionist, or even perfection? - let's explore the role it may play in one's life. This section of the program is geared toward empowering growth and that even means growing from our mistakes. There are areas in the program that explore the idea of thinking optimistically and a variety of ways that encourage one to do so!

How has social media impacted women’s self-esteem? How can society do better to help women in this regard?
Jillian: In my opinion, social media just worsens the fact that society already pits women against each other. From body shaming to mom-shaming, women are in a constant battle. I think we'd all be a lot happier if society stopped putting so much pressure on women and what health is supposed to "look" like.

How can art help body image and mental health?
Jillian: Art allows so many things. It allows relief...an escape...a different perspective. For me, my art is acting. Fully immersing myself in the mind of another human being has helped me unlock a level of empathy in my life that I didn't even know I was capable of. It has helped me learn more about myself and accept more of myself. Art heals.

What other initiatives does Breaking the Chains Foundation have planned in the future?
Debra: The How To Love YourSelfie program is a huge focus for us. As mentioned, we are sharing it in a Summer national virtual program with our partner, and will have it facilitated in a variety of places in the Fall, as well as some other things that are in the works! We have some new partnerships happening with some things surrounding those, different virtual experiences including one with our youth ambassadors, as well as something really exciting regarding "7 Chairs" that I am unable to talk about at the moment. Of course we will have another big event! Believe me, we are always creating — we have an amazing team!

What can the public do to support Breaking the Chains Foundation and its mission?
Debra: Thank you for asking this! We are a volunteer-based non-profit and, as with any non-profit, funding is super important. People can donate via our website. We will be doing something cool for Giving Tuesday in November, so please stay tuned via our social media for that. We have sponsorship/partnership opportunities for those who are interested. Other ways to support are to sign up to be on our email list via our website or email us at iambreakingthechains@gmail.com, follow us on social media, and share our content. People can also check out our website for more ways to volunteer.

It has been a rough few years, how have you been staying positive?
Jillian: It has been a rough few years! The best way I've been able to stay positive has been by actively devoting time to my self-care, which included finding a therapist I love.

What is your motto in life?
Jillian: The older I get, the more I resonate with "This Too Shall Pass.” In my 20's, everything always felt like such a big deal. Dealing with anxiety in my life has, at times, felt hopeless and never-ending. As I grow, I'm learning more and more that feelings are temporary, and I'm sure as hell a lot stronger than I thought I was!

To learn more about Breaking The Chains Foundation, please follow the links below:
Website: breakingthechainsfoundation.org
Instagram: @breakingthechainsfdn
Facebook: IAmBreakingChains
Twitter: 4BreakingChains

Breaking the Chains Foundation - How to Love YourSelfie Event