Therapy for body image
Quit the comparisons, improve your body image, and foster a more positive self-view with the help of our NYC therapists.
- Frequently criticizing your appearance
- Hyperfocusing on perceived flaws
- Avoiding activities or social situations that highlight parts of your body you feel uncomfortable with
- Engaging in excessive dieting or exercise
- Comparing your body to others
- Connecting your self worth to your appearance
- Thinking that life would be better if you looked differently
- Avoiding the mirror and taking photos
- Obsessively weighing yourself
Unhealthy body image can deeply affect your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. We might find ourselves avoiding photos, dreading poolside vacations, and hyperfocusing on our perceived flaws.
Body image issues can manifest in various ways and significantly impact self-esteem, relationships, and overall quality of life, which is why it’s often worth exploring with a professional.
Signs of unhealthy body image can include:
Are you constantly comparing yourself to others or feeling dissatisfied with your appearance?
It’s no secret that social and environmental influences shape body image standards. Part of working through unhealthy body image entails “deprogramming” some of these internalized messages.
While external influences play a big role in the development of body image, there are multiple contributing factors:
What contributes to unhealthy body image?
parental attitudes about weight, dieting & appearance
pre-existing self-esteem challenges
traumatic loss of control
perfectionism
chronic illness
You’re worth more than your physical appearance, and therapy can help you start to truly believe it.
Through a combination of evidence-based therapies and personalized strategies, you can develop a healthier and more positive body image.
You deserve to feel comfortable in your own body.
- Therapy helps you develop a healthier sense of self-worth that is not solely dependent on appearance.
- It teaches you tools to experience greater enjoyment and participation in activities without the constraints of body image concerns.
- You’ll work toward developing a balanced approach to eating and exercising that promotes physical and mental health and emphasizes the process, rather than striving for perfection and hyperfocusing on the outcome.
How therapy helps
start your therapy journey
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Mindfulness-based (MBCT)
Somatic
Dialectical behavior (DBT)
EMDR
Psychodynamic
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Attachment-based
Trauma focused
KAP
Biofeedback
Our therapists take a holistic approach when getting to the root of your body image concerns. We consider your history, psychology, mind-body connection, and your environment in assessing factors contributing to your self-image.
Your psychotherapist may use a range of modalities, depending on your needs and experiences. Each treatment plan is tailored to you, with your goals and preferences at the forefront.
Working toward self-acceptance and body neutrality
how we treat body image issues
Therapy Frameworks
