Individual Therapy: How to Improve Your Body Image

Seeing someone for individual therapy can help you improve your confidence and self-esteem. If you struggle with body image, you may wonder what can be done to help you feel better. How can therapy help, anyway? Is it even possible to improve your body image as an adult?

Today, you will read more about ways that you can work to improve your body image. You will also learn why individual therapy can help. (Related Article: Learning How to Cope- Individual Therapy)

Improving Self-Esteem

It might seem impossible to improve body image as an adult. And there are a few reasons for that. You developed your self-esteem over many years. And many of your experiences, relationships, and even your culture and community may have impacted how you view yourself. 

These connections you have learned   about your body can seem like a mess to untangle. And where can you begin? How do you reframe how you feel about yourself? (Related article: 7 Steps for Improving Your Body Image As An Adult)

Thankfully, you can improve how you view yourself. Let’s talk about a couple of ways you can take the first steps towards self-love. (Related article: What You Can Do Before Counseling)

Body Positive

When you are struggling with low self-esteem, it is easy to obsess over the things you dislike about yourself and your body. Learning to find the positives in your body is like exercising a muscle- it takes practice. 

A great way to start practicing is to try and list the things you appreciate about yourself and your body. Think about what your body does. What are things you are grateful your body can do for you? These thoughts can be helpful to record in a journal or a voice recording to yourself. It can be useful to revisit these thoughts regularly, especially if you are struggling to see the positives when it comes to your body image. (Related article: 3 Principles of Emotional Health)

Get Up and Move

Thanks to your body image struggles, you may also have a complicated relationship with exercise. How do you view exercise? What is the purpose of exercise? Do you tend to think of exercising as a punishment? Or maybe you believe exercising is only for athletes, or people who are “good” at it. (Related article: How to Improve Self Esteem Through Positive Self-Talk)

How can you change these ideas and heal your relationship with exercise in a healthy way? Start by finding a way to practice moving your body simply for the joy of movement. Don’t document or strictly track or plan your exercise. Try new activities you might be interested in. Go on a nature walk. Take that dance class. Exercising in a way that fosters joy and acceptance helps you better appreciate your body. 

Individual Therapy Can Help You Heal

Self love is a journey that takes time and effort. And improving your body image can be frustrating and lonely, at times. But, you don’t have to do this alone. Individual therapy can be a powerful tool for creating and encouraging improved self-esteem and confidence in yourself. Are you ready to take the first step? Start individual therapy in Orem, South Jordan, or Spanish Fork. 

Written by Lauren Adkins