Body Image Issues
Body image issues counselling and therapy gives you the space to explore and challenge thoughts, feelings and behaviours tied to your body image.
Poor body image can lead to physical, psychological and behavioural problems, affect self-esteem and confidence, create obsessions about food, dieting, and exercise, and lead to eating disorders.
Poor body image can lead to physical, psychological and behavioural problems, affect self-esteem and confidence, create obsessions about food, dieting, and exercise, and lead to eating disorders.
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What is body image perception?
Our body image can be very different from how we actually look. Perception versus reality can vary hugely from person to person. We create an image of ourselves based on a number of factors, and it’s not just the simple mirror that influences our thinking. Factors include the media (particularly social media), what others say about us, and how our body feels.
Throughout our lives we develop strong ideas about how we look and how we should look. These ideas often begin from an early age and can change over time. How we should look is affected by many things. All around us from a young age, someone is telling us how we should look, so that we will get their approval.
Traumatic events, like sexual abuse have a negative impact on body image but the impact is worse if the person feels responsible for what has happened to them. The link between abuse and poor body image is complex. Our trained therapists can help you explore and work through past trauma, offering you a safe space where you can be yourself without judgement or fear.
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Our approach to body image counselling and therapy
Body image issues counselling and therapy is a great place to begin to explore and challenge thoughts, feelings and behaviours tied to your body image concerns. Therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) will give you a psychological tool kit to help navigate, cope, and conquer your body image issue. This is where we can help.
We always approach each of our clients as an individual, we don’t operate a ‘one-size fits all’ way of thinking. We will tailor your therapy to your needs and circumstances. Counselling can explore the way you feel and change your view of yourself.
We offer a holistic, integrative route to therapy and draw on a combination of therapies. Alongside CBT we would also look to include talking therapies such as psychotherapy and counselling techniques, as well as hypnotherapy. By combining a number of therapies and practices we can give you the very best tools to navigate and resolve your body image concerns.
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Childhood and adolescent body image issues
Body image attitudes start from a childhood. Children are often told they look ‘pretty’ or ‘handsome, ‘slim’ or ‘have a nice figure’. These comments are usually meant as a compliment but they often form the cornerstone of how we see ourselves physically. They are often the first time we consider what it is ‘acceptable’ to look like.
Children as young as five years old can feel bad about themselves if people fail to say that they are attractive. Young people are becoming increasingly insecure about their looks with many citing appearance as one of the most important things in their lives, more important that ability, and if they aren’t attractive this will affect their friendships.
Weight is often the most pressing concern for this age group. Fat-shaming on social media is the most immediate and available insult to offer. This name-calling (often regardless of a person’s actual size) often tracks forward to weight-stigma in later life. It also brings a lack of confidence and self esteem, affecting everything from what the child may choose to wear, to having a photo taken, taking part in sport, speaking up in class, and socialising.
Sadly these learnt behaviours and attitudes stay with people as they enter adulthood. Poor body image can be a lifelong problem which is not solved by weight loss, cosmetic surgery or reassurance. Poor body image can become a constant way of life.
Reality TV shows such as ‘Love Island’ and the rise of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram add to the pressure on young people to look a particular way. Social media influencers attract large numbers of followers but often these influencers have gone to extreme lengths to look a certain way, from purging to photo-shopping, and everything in between. But all the ‘follower’ sees is the perceived perfection.
Body image and self worth
Low self worth and poor body image often underpin eating disorders, mainly because, as a society, we believe that eating less food will have the most immediate effect on body size, shape and health. We also believe that losing weight will make us happier, which it often does before the costs of dieting kick in or the side effects of eating disorders show up.
Couped with the advent of ‘everyday’ cosmetic surgery procedures )which are now more accessible and more affordable to many) mean people can easily make radical changes to their appearance; they no longer have to accept the body they were given at birth. This endless pursuit of perfection is, at its best exhausting, and at its worst highly damaging to a person’s body image perception, self esteem, and mental health.
We will work with you to explore and understand the root causes around your poor body image, and together work out a strategy to change your perceptions and create a positive mental attitude that can help resolve your body image issues.
Together, our network of therapists have treated thousands of patients
Client success stories
“I just wanted to thank you for all your help. I really feel like I’m getting better and starting to become the person who I really am.”
“I’m so grateful to Pinnacle for giving me the chance to get rid of my fears and for my new found confidence.”
“The best investment I have ever made, how can you put a price on quality of life? Would recommend for anyone suffering from anxiety.”
Why treat poor body image?
Emphasis on a person’s outward appearance makes it very difficult for them to appreciate their qualities and strengths. When your attention toward your body is narrowed and over focused, it becomes difficult to deploy energy to other aspects of your life.
Poor body image can lead to physical, psychological and behavioural problems, obsessions about food, dieting, and exercise, and eating disorders. It affects self-esteem and creates feelings of failure and inferiority. Body dissatisfaction is also associated with depression, anxiety, relationship problems, self-contempt, and social introversion.
How counselling and therapy helps?
By using therapies such as CBT, psychotherapy and counselling we will help you understand the negative messages making you feel the way you do. You’ll learn to recognise and reframe any negative messages and acknowledge the positive things in your life. It’s often important to discuss your past and explore where these negative attitudes are coming from.
Changing a person’s perception of their own body image is not easy. People can fiercely resist thinking differently about their appearance. Together we will work with you to change your thinking, giving you strategies and the time to do this.
We can reframe and change how you think about your body, work on particular issues or attitudes you have about your body image, teach you how to act more kindly towards yourself, and make it matter less. If your body image issues have come from trauma or abuse we will use trauma-based therapy techniques to help you.
One of the key factors to building a better relationship with your body is to increase your self worth. We can give you the essential tools to grow and improve your self esteem. We’re here to guide you every step of the way.
How we work
Our specialist body image issues therapists will work with you to create a tailored approach meaning you get the right support at the right time. We work around you, your circumstance, and your schedule. We are 100% online offering private video call therapy sessions, as well as the opportunity to message your mediator when needed, including email and live chat assistance.
Get in touch to find out how our body image issues therapy and counselling can help you
