Body Image Issues

Body image is how you see yourself when you picture yourself in your mind or when look in the mirror. Most people worry about how we look occasionally or see at least one aspect of our physical appearance we don’t like. But for some, these occasional thoughts can become frequent and disruptive. People with negative body image issues may avoid social situations and experience problems in relationships, depression, anger, anxiety, isolation, self-loathing and/or an obsession with weight loss. Body Dysmorphic Disorder (or BDD) is one example of a body-image disorder, characterized by persistent and intrusive preoccupations with an imagined or slight defect in one's appearance. The good news is that body image can be changed and BDD can be treated. Contact one of TherapyDen’s body image issues experts for help today!

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In a world that often emphasizes unrealistic beauty standards, finding peace and acceptance within our own bodies can be a challenging journey. As a dedicated therapist specializing in body image, I am here to guide and support you through this process. I understand the intricate relationship between our self-esteem and how we perceive our bodies. Together, we will explore the roots of these issues, and work towards a body-neutrality framwork.

— Paige Sutula, Marriage and Family Therapist Associate in Arvada, CO

Diet industry and fat phobic culture continues to grow more profitable for corporations fueled by the old shame cycle perpetuated by pseudo-science now debunked that diets don't work and never have for over the hundreds thousands of years for homo sapiens. We had to evolve to survive famines and droughts so our bodies fight this whole process of trying to intentionally loose weight. Time to learn to be free of this diet culture and fat phobia and work on body liberation.

— Aaron Relyea, Licensed Professional Counselor in , TX
 

We will deconstruct myths and perceptions about bodies and work toward removing value, stigma, and judgment from your relationship with your body. Accepting and working with the body you have today. Learn how to do no harm, but take no shit! Feel empowered to live your truth! Your body is the least exciting thing about you. Your relationship to food and your body are powerful entry points into exploring more about yourself and what you truly want out of life.

— Angel Whitehead, Psychotherapist in Blacksburg, VA

Do you find yourself spending hours in front of the mirror? Have you ever felt that wave of anxiety when your go-to pair of jeans fits a little different than they did yesterday? Your body image is not a superficial problem. Your body is your home, a place in which you deserve to feel safe, peaceful, and connected. When you're at war with your body, its exhausting, frustrating, and maybe even intolerable. It's time for you and your body to get on the same page. Let's talk about it.

— Chloe Cox, Psychotherapist in Irvine, CA
 

As a weight inclusive provider, I acknowledge the hardships many (if not most) folks face due to the societal promotion and acceptance of fatphobia and weight stigma. I aim to support clients in finding body neutrality/acceptance in order to take space in this world and focus on living a life without feeling ashamed or the need to control your physical appearance. This may involve exploring and processing our own forms of internalized narratives and rewrite our script to live more authentically.

— Vanessa Steffny, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in Bellevue, WA

We all deserve to feel good about our bodies- but for many of us, that's complicated by years thinking or hearing that there's one right size or shape that we need to attain. I support you in sorting out diet culture programming from what's right for your health and well-being, and developing confidence and healthy habits that do not require a certain size.

— Abigail Thompson, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in New York, NY
 

A major area of my dissertation research, and an area of passion of mine, clinically and personally!

— Tess Carroll Keeley, Clinical Psychologist in Denver, CO

As a HAES (Health at Every Size) practitioner, I believe strongly that community is one of the most important parts of healing our relationships with food, our selves, our feelings, and how we present in the world. I am starting a HAES group for people who self identify as small fat and larger in October 2021, for people who were AFAB (assigned female at birth), were raised female until approximately age 16, and believed themselves to be female most of that time, and now are any gender.

— T.Lee Shostack, Clinical Social Worker in , MA
 

If you struggle with feelings of anxiety and self-judgment regarding your physical body's appearance or abilities, and feel overwhelmed and hopeless because of these painful feelings there are things we can work on together to help you find a more peaceful, kind, and functional way to relate to your body and food. I have worked in residential, partial hospitalization, and outpatient levels of care to treat eating disorders and body image concerns, and I want to share that experience to help you.

— Holly Love, Licensed Professional Counselor in Aurora, CO

Most of us have felt, at one point or another, that our body's size or shape is somehow wrong. For those of us who identify as fat, or whose bodies are otherwise considered atypical, it can feel impossible to distinguish our authentic feelings about our bodies from the forces that profit off of our self-criticism. I approach our work from a fat-positive, all-bodies-are-good-bodies perspective that prioritizes individual bodily autonomy and experience.

— Abby Weintraub, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in ,
 

I am a fat liberationist which has meant significant client work and training on issues around bodies and how we can all come to love our own bodies.

— Meg Higgins, Clinical Social Worker in ,

Healthy Body Image is not popping out of bed to wink at yourself in the mirror with a narcissistic grin. Just like feelings about anything else, how we feel about our size/shape/body parts fluctuates, for better or for worse, due to lots of factors. But how able are you to ACCEPT yourself physically right now? Your body IS what it is right now- whether that's optimal in your opinion or not. It is much easier to change, grow, and improve, when we can accept what currently exists.

— Kathryn Gates, Marriage & Family Therapist in Austin, TX
 

I help people who are starting to question the dominant cultural narrative that says we need to spend our whole lives on the pursuit of thinness. Often we start to question diet culture but still struggle with complicated inner feelings - such as, "That beautiful body positive model can accept her body, but I couldn't possibly." I can help you build more confidence in your path to accept your body and learn to set boundaries with those committed to staying stuck in diet culture.

— Ashley Hamm, Licensed Professional Counselor in Houston, TX

I treat body image issues by getting to know how your experiences, values, and belief system on both the world and yourself play into these obsessions. I use an anti-diet culture approach: I will help you unlearn that losing weight will make these issues go away.

— Christina Kostopoulos, Therapist in Eagan, MN
 

Most of us have felt, at one point or another, that our body's size or shape is somehow wrong. For those of us who identify as fat, or whose bodies are otherwise considered atypical, it can feel impossible to distinguish our authentic feelings about our bodies from the forces that profit off of our self-criticism. I approach our work from a fat-positive, all-bodies-are-good-bodies perspective that prioritizes individual bodily autonomy and experience.

— Abby Weintraub, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in ,