Our perception of our body starts developing in early childhood and can be shaped by a range of internal and external factors. The relationship you have with your body and appearance typically evolves over the course of your lifetime and is one of the most significant, long-lasting and complex relationships you will ever have.
Negative body image can involve becoming increasingly critical of your body, comparing yourself to others, or feeling disconnected from the person you see in the mirror. You may find yourself spending a lot of time thinking about your appearance, or believing that you need to look a certain way to feel worthy, confident or accepted. These experiences can be accompanied by deep feelings of shame, guilt and isolation, which can perpetuate the cycle and make reaching out for help feel incredibly difficult.
Whether you’re struggling with negative body image, disordered eating or an eating disorder, these experiences are often influenced by complex emotional factors, including identity, self-worth, and a need for control. Counselling can help you to understand these underlying factors and the thoughts, emotions and beliefs that may be contributing to them.
Developing a more compassionate relationship with yourself and your body is an important part of the process. Counselling can support you in separating your sense of self-worth from your appearance or weight, while exploring how disordered eating may be influenced by emotional overwhelm, difficult feelings or persistent thoughts about your body. Together we can work towards developing a more peaceful and accepting relationship with food, your body, and yourself.