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When people are changing emotionally, mentally, and physically, it’s crucial to address how they perceive and care for their bodies. Yet, too often, body image is one of the last things addressed in therapy, even though it’s a fundamental aspect of overall well-being. It seems to get cast aside for issues that present as more critical or pressing.
I’ve been writing and talking to clients about mind-body connection for years, yet my clients still have struggles along the spectrum of body love versus body hatred or dislike.
Body image often remains in the shadows of treatment. When clients work with a dietician, fitness professional, and therapist on various aspects of their lives, the topic of how they feel about and care for their body might be mentioned here and there, and often only once they’ve reached a size that’s healthy for them.
For people whose bodies are changing as they recover from eating disorders or food addiction, in my experience, it’s essential to discuss what that feels like along the way, not just when they reach some ideal weight or goal.
In a perfect world, every eating disorder recovery team would have a dedicated professional solely focused on body image or mind-body connection. While this might not be realistic or typical, there are many ways to incorporate body awareness and appreciation into therapy.
One approach I’ve found helpful is Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART). It’s a way of healing past trauma, especially how our clients perceived their bodies when they were younger or how they were told to perceive their bodies. ART can help remove the pain associated with these experiences and messages that came from family, culture, or even self-talk that’s happened for years.
Is body image a problem for you? Look for these signs:
- Negative or self-deprecating self-talk—the things you say to yourself in your own head and the things you say about yourself to others
- Social anxiety—feeling awkward or uncomfortable in social situations, not wanting to be seen, isolating yourself
- A pervasive sense of being “not enough”—not going for jobs or opportunities, not doing things that would make you happy
If these issues are impacting your life and keeping you from doing things you want to do, it might be time to seek help or start making small changes.
With my clients, I might suggest things like therapeutic massage, certain types of exercise, yoga, or even simple acts like applying lotion mindfully. When these tools are combined with therapy and woven throughout the treatment process, it can help people heal holistically—mind, body, and spirit.
Improving body image doesn’t just have to come from a therapy session. Sometimes, it can be as simple as wearing a color that you love and that makes you feel great. When we treat our bodies with care and in ways that feel good, it can transform how we experience and interact with the world around us.