Posts tagged body image
10 Characteristics of People with Positive Body Image

Body image research is DEFINITELY lacking but we do have an understanding based on the research that tells us about why some people have better body image than others and what qualities, skills, components they have that allow them to have a healthier, more positive relationship with their body.

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The Fisherman, the Businessman, and the Allure of the Body Ideal

Learn to explore the stories you tell about your body and your life.

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Body image as a Relationship

A relationship can be defined as the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or as the state of being connected.

When discussing body image and body Image healing, it is very helpful to think of your relationship with your body as just that- a relationship. Our relationship with our body is similar to other relationships in our lives, like our relationships with our significant others, our friends, and other acquaintances.

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Farewell, February

Perhaps your heart hangs heavy this winter, or you are head-over-heels in love. When it comes to body image, many of us are somewhere along the complex spectrum of “love,” and likely with multiple paramours, if you will. As the month of romance comes to a close, consider crafting a thoughtful send-off by expressing to your body what’s in your heart. After all, it’s never to late for love.

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Getting Uncomfortable in Eating Disorder Recovery

Discomfort in a normal part of recovery

Feeling discomfort in recovery is to be expected and celebrated. Rather than act with automatic behaviors and judgment, get curious with that discomfort and practice sitting with the feeling with mindful awareness.

In eating disorder recovery, we have to get really uncomfortable to grow.

How can we work to change our relationship with what it means to be uncomfortable today and everyday?

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Shifting from Compulsive to Intuitive Movement

There is no doubt that movement is a great thing for both our bodies and our minds, however in today’s toxic fitness culture exercise can easily become obsessive and dangerous. Unfortunately, disordered or compulsive exercise has become so normalized that it can be hard to recognize when your relationship with movement has crossed into unhealthy territory. Here are some warning signs that you may want to reevaluate your exercise habits.

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How Self-Compassion can help Body Image

When the idea of body image work feels too overwhelming, start with self-compassion towards oneself around the suffering of body image distress.

Kristin Neff, a self-compassion researcher, author, and Associate Professor, describes self-compassion as having three different components.

  1. self kindness vs self judgement

  2. common humanity versus isolation

  3. mindfulness vs. over-identification

Self- Kindness is a very active stance and practice of soothing and taking care of one's suffering while self-judgment may look like judging and criticizing the suffering.

Common humanity is framing one’s experience as part of a larger human experience while isolation is isolating oneself and the experience.

Mindfulness allows us to notice our suffering and to be with the suffering as it is and be with it to then be able to give ourselves the caring and compassion we need.

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