Body Image Blues
Photo by Christian Mackie (@mackiec) via Unsplash
When you look in the mirror or at a picture of yourself, do you like what you see? If the answer is no, I assure you that you're not alone in experiencing the "body image blues". All of us, even people who treat body image issues in our professional practice, have moments where we dislike what we see, yearn for our bodies to look different, and worry about what others think of our appearance (we're human!).
Our body image is more than how we see our bodies. My favorite definition of body image is from Dr. Thomas Cash who wrote The Body Image Workbook. Dr. Cash defines body image as our personal relationship with our body. This personal relationship includes how we perceive our body, what we believe about our body (and bodies in general), our thoughts and feelings about our bodies, and the actions that we take to care for our body and personal appearance. How would you describe your personal relationship with your body?
I invite you to consider how much time you spend fretting about your body, worrying about what others think, and avoiding social situations due to self-consciousness. How much time and energy have you spent on things to "fix" your body and conceal your "flaws"? If the answers are "A LOT" to all of the questions, I've got something that will help you!
Cue the drumroll.....I'm pleased to announce the first official launch of Liberation- A Six Week Body Image Course!!! This six-week self-paced email course opens for enrollment February 5, 2021! Enrollment will close on February 12, 2021 and the course begins on February 15, 2021. Click here for more information and to enroll in the course.
Liberation is designed to help you reconnect with your goals and values so that you can pursue greater meaning, depth, and vitality in your life. Instead of trying to "fix" yourself, you will learn to let yourself be. The course content will be delivered through a series of weekly emails over six weeks on the following topics:
Letting go of trying to control or avoid painful body image thoughts & feelings
Embracing the present moment. Learning to see your body image thoughts as just thoughts, (rather than truths) so that your thoughts lose the power to control your actions.
Inviting in a more flexible view of yourself, of others, and of your experiences using self-compassion and empathy.
Creating distance from body image concerns so that you have the mental space to explore what gives your life meaning.
Cultivating a values-based mindset where your actions are linked to your personal values, rather than your negative body image thoughts and feelings.
Liberating yourself from body hatred through committed action towards your values.
BONUS- When you sign up for the course you will be invited to three virtual group calls where you can discuss your progress, next steps forward, and get support. You will also get a beautiful downloadable workbook to use during the course.
Liberation is intended to be a starting point for your body image healing. You can complete it at your own pace and revisit the content as needed. Liberation will be an excellent resource to compliment the work you are doing in therapy and counseling.
If you have any questions about Liberation or would like to talk about whether the course is a good fit for you, contact me and we'll schedule a time to chat! I'd love to welcome you into this innovative course. Enrollment opens 2/5/21 and closes at 11:59 pm on February 12, 2021! If you're ready to enroll, just click here!