Body image is a deeply personal and often painful experience for many people. If you’re reading this, it’s possible that you’re struggling with your own body image and the myriads of emotions that come with it, such as feelings of shame, guilt, anxiety, or inadequacy. At Love This Therapy, we understand how hard this struggle can be, and we’re here to tell you that you’re not alone. In this blog, we’ll explore the complexities of body image, examine what causes body image issues, and how embodiment-related therapy and counseling can help. 

The Four Aspects of Body Image 

Body image refers to how you perceive, feel about, and relate to your own body.  Body image isn’t merely about how we look, but rather how we experience our bodies as living, breathing beings. Psychologists commonly describe body image through four main components: 

1. Perceptual Body Image: This is how you see your body, which may or may not be accurate. For example, someone might see themselves as larger or smaller than they actually are. Research shows that perceptual distortions can contribute to feelings of dissatisfaction, especially when combined with cultural pressures (Grogan, 2016). 

2. Affective Body Image: This aspect refers to the emotions you feel about your body. It could be feelings of pride, satisfaction, shame, or disgust. Unfortunately, many people experience predominantly negative feelings, leading to significant emotional distress. 

3. Cognitive Body Image: Cognitive body image refers to the thoughts and beliefs you have about your body. This could include whether you believe your body meets societal standards of attractiveness or fitness. These thoughts are often influenced by external factors such as media portrayals, peer comparisons, and family attitudes (Cash & Smolak, 2011). 

4. Behavioral Body Image: This is how your body image affects your behavior. It may influence the way you dress, whether you engage in certain activities, or how you approach relationships. For instance, some individuals might avoid social situations or exercise out of fear of being judged or seen. 

Embodiment: Reconnecting with Your Body 

A crucial element of body image, explored deeply in Dr. Hillary McBride’s book “The Wisdom of the Body”, is the concept of embodiment, which involves feeling at home in your own body. Many people who struggle with body image feel disconnected from their physical selves, viewing their bodies as objects to be managed or fixed. Dr. McBride stresses that healing begins with re-establishing a sense of embodiment, which she describes as reconnecting with the wisdom of your body and recognizing that your whole, living body is not just a meat vessel—it is you. 

Practices like authentic movement, mindfulness, yoga, dance and somatic therapies can help cultivate this reconnection with our sense of embodiment. In Practices for Embodied Living, McBride emphasizes that our bodies are not wrong or broken, but rather, they are places of wisdom and lived experience. Through embodied practices, we can come to appreciate the felt sense, inherent value and strength of our bodies. These practices enable a shift from objectifying the body to living within it fully, embracing its capacities and limitations with kindness and acceptance (Piran, 2019). 

Body Dysmorphia and Eating Disorders 

For some, body image issues can go beyond general dissatisfaction and manifest as more severe psychological conditions, such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) or eating disorders. These conditions often arise from the profound disconnection between a person and their body. 

Body Dysmorphia is a condition where individuals obsess over perceived flaws in their appearance—flaws that may be minor or even non-existent. This obsession can lead to extreme emotional distress and a significant impact on daily functioning. People with BDD often feel compelled to check their appearance repeatedly, seek reassurance, or avoid mirrors altogether. The shame and anxiety surrounding their appearance can become overwhelming. 

Similarly, eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are often rooted in distorted body image. These conditions can lead to dangerous behaviors like extreme dieting, purging, or overeating. While eating disorders involve complex factors—biological, psychological, and social—distorted body image often plays a central role (Stice & Shaw, 2002). 

Causes of Body Image Issues 

Body image issues don’t arise on their own. They are created by a range of contributing factors, including: 

• Cultural and Media Influence: The pervasive portrayal of thin, muscular, or otherwise “ideal” bodies in media creates unrealistic standards. Social media has exacerbated this, with platforms like Instagram often promoting filtered and edited images that contribute to feelings of inadequacy (Fardouly et al., 2015). 

• Family and Peer Influence: The way family members and peers talk about body size, weight, and appearance can have a profound impact on body image. Negative comments, even if well-intentioned, can fuel self-criticism. 

• Trauma and Abuse: Individuals who have experienced trauma, particularly physical or sexual abuse, may struggle with feeling safe in their bodies. This can lead to a disconnection from their physical selves or even hatred toward their bodies. 

• Perfectionism and Low Self-Esteem: People who are perfectionists or who struggle with low self-esteem may be more likely to develop body image issues. The constant desire to “measure up” to societal or personal standards can be exhausting and emotionally draining. 

The Burden of Shame and Guilt 

One of the most painful aspects of body image issues is the intense shame and guilt that often accompany them. Our society teaches us that we must earn our worth through appearance, leading to chronic feelings of failure when we don’t measure up. The shame stems from internalized beliefs that our bodies are flawed, while guilt arises from feeling like we aren’t doing enough to fix them. 

Throughout Dr. McBride’s book “The Wisdom of the Body”, she encourages a shift away from these harmful patterns by cultivating self-compassion. Rather than blaming ourselves for our body image struggles, we can begin to understand these emotions as a response to societal pressures and deeply ingrained beliefs. 

How Therapy Can Help 

If you’re struggling with body image issues, therapy can offer a supportive, non-judgmental space to explore these feelings and start your journey toward healing. At Love This Therapy, we utilize evidence-based approaches tailored to help you address the root causes of body image concerns. 

Here are some therapeutic modalities that have proven to be affective: 

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is a proven treatment for body image struggles, particularly in treating body dysmorphia and eating disorders. It helps you identify and challenge distorted beliefs about your body, while developing healthier thinking patterns and behaviors (Rosen, 2012). 

• Mindfulness-Based Approaches: Mindfulness practices can help you cultivate a compassionate awareness of your body. These approaches teach you to observe your thoughts and feelings about your body without judgment, reducing the intensity of negative self-talk (Atkinson & Wade, 2015). 

• Somatic Therapy: Since struggles with body image often involve a disconnection from the body, somatic therapy focuses on helping you reconnect with and feel more grounded in your body. This approach can be especially helpful if your body image issues are rooted in trauma. 

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT incorporates mindfulness with emotion regulation techniques, helping individuals tolerate distress and manage intense emotions related to body image (Neacsiu et al., 2014). 

Validating Your Experience 

One of the most important aspects of therapy is the validation of your feelings, which doesn’t mean you have to agree with them, just that you understand how they make sense in some way. Often, when we talk about body image struggles with friends or loved ones, they may respond by trying to reassure us—telling us that we look great, or that we shouldn’t feel the way we do. While well-intentioned, these responses can sometimes make you feel like your emotions are being dismissed or misunderstood. 

In therapy, your feelings are not dismissed or minimized. Instead, our counsellors work with you to make sense of, understand, navigate and transform those emotions in a safe way. The goal isn’t to convince you that your feelings are “wrong,” but to support you in understanding and working through them.  

Conclusion: A Path to Healing 

Struggling with body image is not just about how you see your body; it’s about the complex emotions and beliefs that mold your relationship with yourself. At Love This Therapy, we believe that healing is possible. Through therapy, you can learn to understand and challenge the negative thoughts and feelings that have taken hold. You can cultivate a kinder, more compassionate relationship with your body—one that is rooted in acceptance, not shame. 

Reach out to us today at 604-229-4887 or email us at info@lovethistherapy.com to book your free 15-minute discovery call.  

One healing approach towards deepening a sense of embodiment is authentic movement.  Dr. Hillary McBride leads authentic or embodied movement workshops under the name ‘Form & Space’ on EventBrite. Click this link to learn more. 

You are also welcome to visit Dr. Hillary McBride’s website (listed below) to stay up to date with her upcoming Authentic Movement Workshops. 

Services

References 

Atkinson, M. J., & Wade, T. D. (2015). Mindfulness-based prevention for eating disorders: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 48(4), 478-489. 

Cash, T. F., & Smolak, L. (2011). Body Image: A Handbook of Science, Practice, and Prevention. Guilford Press. 

Fardouly, J., Diedrichs, P. C., Vartanian, L. R., & Halliwell, E. (2015). Social comparisons on social media: The impact of Facebook on young women’s body image concerns and mood. Body Image, 13, 38-45. 

Grogan, S. (2016). Body Image: Understanding Body Dissatisfaction in Men, Women and Children. Routledge. 

Neacsiu, A. D., Bohus, M., & Linehan, M. M. (2014). Dialectical behavior therapy: An evidence-based approach to the treatment of borderline personality disorder. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, 23(2), 405-420. 

Piran, N. (2019). Journeys of Embodiment at the Intersection of Body and Culture: The Developmental Theory of Embodiment. Academic Press. 

Rosen, J. C. (2012). Cognitive-behavioral body image therapy. Encyclopedia of Body Image and Human Appearance, 334-340. 

Stice, E., & Shaw, H. E. (2002). Role of body dissatisfaction in the onset and maintenance of eating pathology: A synthesis of research findings. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 53(5), 985-993. 

McBride, H. (2021). Practices for Embodied Living: Experiencing the Wisdom of Your Body