Body image and distortion exists among women across the life line and color line, beginning as young at 5 yrs old. As an expert in the field, practicing psychotherapy in New York, I have seen countless women with and without eating disorders struggle with feelings of inadequacy versus what they love about their bodies. I teach them to focus on what they love about their body, reminding them what their body does for them, going organ by organ, beginning at the feet and ending at the head. Women themselves are surprised by how they focus on the outside rather than taking care of the inside of themselves: eating, nurturing, mindfulness, meditating, and radical self-acceptance. These skills are a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy, and it works in time with trust in the process, which is a precious asset to our work.
In an actual article I'd create for your site, I would like to elaborate on my methods and give case studies.
Kira M. Mantell, LCSW
Smithtown, NY
Social Worker of the Year 2014-Town of Smithtown
Health tap founding health consultant