Orlando Therapist on Eating Disorder Treatment and Body Image…

By: Samantha Bickham, LMHC

Your dread looking in the mirror and getting dressed.

You hate looking in the mirror because you’re constantly criticizing what you see. You dread putting on your clothes because you're afraid your jeans won’t fit right. You’re feeling hopeless because you can’t figure out how to stop beating yourself up over every little thing. 

All of this anxiety and worry is starting to take over your life. You have no idea how to stop worrying about your body size and what you look like.

Together, we can work through this.

As an eating disorder therapist in Orlando, many of my clients struggle with body image. I help my clients move from feeling bad and worrying about their bodies to being kind and accepting their bodies. 

So what does Body Image mean exactly? Body image refers to the relationship you have with your body; how you see it, think about it, feel about it, and how you experience living in it. It plays a big role in your self-esteem.

Try this little experiment…

Take a few minutes to check in with your body image. What thoughts come up when you look at or think about your body? What feelings or sensations arise? 

If you notice yourself having a more negative view of your body, you’re not alone. In America, approximately 80% of women are dissatisfied with their bodies and 34% of men don’t like how they look.

Negative body image can lay the foundation for increased anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. For more information on eating disorders and eating disorder treatment, check out this blog.

Having body acceptance doesn’t mean that you won’t wake up every now and again and struggle with the way you look in the mirror or that you won’t feel bloated and uncomfortable after a meal. It means working to accept that you are human and that body changes and bloating come with the territory. It means learning to see your body as being unique instead of being flawed.  

5 ways to accept your body

Working with body image is a big part of eating disorder treatment and I want to offer these 5 ways that I have found to be helpful, not only for my clients but for myself, in moving from body shame to body acceptance.  

1. Be Kind to Yourself.

This one is so very important and can be so very challenging. I’ve broken this down into 3 steps:

The first step is noticing how often you are having negative self-talk throughout each day. What does that look like for you? Consider journaling these thoughts down. 

Next, start trying to catch yourself before you allow those thoughts to be expressed verbally. 

Last, start changing the narrative. Reflect on all that your body has done for you today. Consider how resilient it has been through any rough times. If you find that you’re struggling with something positive to say, try acknowledging that you and your body are trying. Right now, at this moment, you’re both trying.

2. Focus on your values.

Ask yourself, what is really important to you? Is it spending time with friends, being in nature, having family time, or something else?

Give yourself permission to prioritize these values. For example..laughing with friends, exploring a new or old nature trail, getting competitive with your family during a game night, or enjoying your loved one’s birthday cake with them. Tell those pesky “I look fat” or “I need to lose a few pounds first” thoughts to hit the road. You deserve to live your life fully, regardless of what your body looks like.  

3. Don’t let your clothes dictate your body.

Buy clothes because they fit your body, on the good AND the bad days. A “small” isn’t always small in every brand, a “wide-leg” pant isn’t always the same “wide-leg” pant at every store. 

It's not fair to base your body’s worth on the inconsistencies of the fashion world. Wear what is right for you based on where you are at in your recovery process. Eating Disorder Treatment and recovery can be hard work, give yourself a break in the clothing department. 

4. Beat to the rhythm of your own drum.

Moving your body is important and offers many benefits. With that being said, it’s also important to move your body in ways that allow you to feel confident, empowered, joyful, and maybe even relaxed, depending on what you are aiming for.

Exercise doesn’t have to walk after walking on the treadmill or boot camps that you dread attending. It can be walking your dog, getting outside and tending to your garden, attempting warrior pose and trying out a yoga class, or even spicing it up with a Salsa or boxing class. 

Exercise can look different for everyone. In my free time, I try to add in movement by going kayaking and exploring new parks with my kiddo.

5. Create a safe space on social media.

Do you find that you feel more shame and discontent about yourself after scrolling through social media? Do you find yourself wondering how you can look more like the people you scrolled past? Or that thought of not being enough or doing enough? 

If you can relate to these thoughts or anything similar, it may be time to do a little spring cleaning of your news feed. Clean out the diet culture accounts and the accounts of people that are promoting anything other than self-acceptance and body diversity. 

And then consider doing a little remodeling and incorporate accounts that promote things you enjoy like travel, funny animal accounts, art, nature, or different forms of movement you’re interested in exploring. 

I personally like to follow accounts that post about book genres I enjoy. This allows me to add to my list of Future Reads. Find accounts that contribute to you living a fulfilling life, not ones that leave you feeling stressed. 

This is a journey that can take time and that can feel challenging. Give yourself grace and seek support if you are feeling stuck or running into roadblocks.  You don’t have to do this alone.

Ready to See an Orlando Therapist and Start Eating Disorder Therapy?

Seeking support can feel overwhelming but when you’re ready, we’re here for you.

Schedule your free 15-minute phone consultation here.

Additional Resources for Eating Disorder Therapy Orlando

Eating Disorder Treatment in Orlando

ACT Therapy Orlando: Working with Anxiety and Eating Disorders

About the Author

Orlando Therapist, Samantha Bickham, LMHC is an EMDR Therapist who offers trauma, anxiety, and eating disorder treatment at Mindful Living Counseling Orlando.

Samantha utilizes mindfulness-based therapies that help the brain settle and orient to safety in the body, emotions, and thoughts. She uses EMDR, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to help clients move beyond feeling anxious and overwhelmed to feeling calm and in control.

Mindful Living Counseling Orlando is a trauma healing center. Our Orlando Therapy Services include anxiety therapy, trauma counseling, eating disorder recovery, teen counseling, and healing from toxic relationships. At Mindful Living Counseling Orlando, we use a down-to-earth approach infused with cutting-edge therapies that go beyond traditional talk therapy so clients can heal at the root level and experience lasting change. Feel free to access one of our Guided Meditations to help you feel settled and calm now.