Describes the small but diverse group of young unaccompanied refugees who are admitted into Norway each year and the experience of societal integration that is central to the resettlement process. These 200 or so young people are coming from Somalia, Eritrea, Iran, and Vietnam, from different socioeconomic backgrounds, and with different religious beliefs and educational attainments. Despite their dissimilarities, these refugees have in common exposure to or participation in traumatic events as well as personal losses. Success in school and in learning the Norwegian language and culture are seen as the means to societal integration and, thus, to psychological health of these young people. Another similarity shared by this diverse group is an interest in bodybuilding and physical appearance. If they view their own bodies as a physical bridge between their old and new lives, then feeding and strengthening their bodies physically become a source of empowerment. As such, the preoccupation with their bodies is an important part of the healing process that these young people themselves have initiated. In this way these refugees apply both their minds and their bodies to the challenges of cultural and social integration.
