Body image is the way we think and feel about ourselves or how we think others are perceiving us. And for you, it’s a pretty negative interpretation. And it’s not only thinking bad thoughts about yourself, it shows up when you spend a half hour trying to find something to wear, when you avoid a social gathering because you don’t want to be seen, or constantly checking your reflection or the scale. Thinking negatively about your body takes up so much of your brain space, time, and energy. Maybe you’ve been on a diet since age 7. Maybe you’ve tried to restrict what you eat or tried to compensate for what you’ve eaten. You think some of the worst thoughts about yourself that you would never think about anyone else. 

We get it. It’s nearly impossible to exist in this society without some body image concerns. Diet culture is all consuming and there’s so much pressure placed on our appearances. But sometimes it goes so much deeper than that. We know that it is about your body but it’s also not about your body. Let us explain. 

Body Image concerns are often at the “tip of the iceberg” and typically what is underneath is an eating disorder, anxiety, depression, trauma or a bio-temperament that lends itself to high levels of comparison with others or perfectionistic tendencies. Oftentimes our bodies become the source of coping with these underlying issues. Our therapists are masters at getting at what is beneath the surface driving negative thoughts about your body. They use a mixture of Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO-DBT) Strategies, Internal Family Systems, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help you change the relationship with your body. They can help you decrease negative body image behaviors such as body checking, avoiding social interactions, weighing, etc and then use a process called “Self-Enquiry” to find the hidden functions of having a negative body image and to start the experiential process of letting it go. 

To read more about how our therapists can help you with your body image, check out our Blog: Body Image - How Can I Improve It?

If you are still curious about starting to work on your body image but not quite sure about starting therapy for it, we’ve developed a brief 9 page workbook to help you keep exploring. The Body Image & Reflection workbook was designed to offer a compassionate starting point to improving your relationship with your body. These reflection questions are a great way to get ready for therapy that can guide you to a more positive body image, or just some practical tools to support your growth. Head over to our Resources page to check it out!