Your body image image refers to the way that you experience your body as well as assumptions about how others people perceive your body. Body dissatisfaction may focus on appearance but it may also focus on the your perceptions of the capabilities or failures of your body. Many of my clients experience frustration with their bodies and find themselves stuck in patterns of self-blame or self-judgement that impact their self-confidence and make it difficult to authentically engage in their relationships.
One area of practice I am particularly passionate about is the intersection of body image concerns and body related anxieties that impact women’s sexual and reproductive experiences. Sexual and reproductive health concerns can have a strong impact on your ability to connect with and feel confident in the capabilities of your body. Therapy for body dissatisfaction or body related anxiety can help provide you with support through the exhaustive, often invasive, treatment of sexual and reproductive concerns.
I believe that addressing body image must include learning how to reconnect with, listen to, and take care of your body. As a clinician I help clients create a space where they can reconnect with and attune to their bodies, building awareness of ways that their bodies can be a source of wisdom and power. My hope for each client that I work with is they can begin to explore their bodies with a sense of compassion, and in doing so create a relationship with their bodies that is built on strength and empowerment.
Want to read more? Check out my contribution to “Insider“ regarding how to cope with pregnancy and body image distress.
Topics we may explore together in therapy include:
Body image concerns that are impacting your relationships, self-worth, and emotional-wellbeing
Feeling frustrated or angry that you body isn’t “working” the way you want it to
Understanding the needs of your body after a difficult diagnosis, such as infertility or endometriosis
Blaming yourself or your body for difficulties conceiving or carrying a pregnancy
Body image concerns that are impacting your comfort engaging intimacy
Exploring fears about the capabilities of your body that are impacting your reproductive choices
Reconnecting with your body after fertility treatments, abortion, or surrogacy
Understanding how your body responds to intimacy, arousal, or desire