Do I need professional help with my body acceptance journey?
How to know if it’s time for you to see a therapist/dietician about your body and food issues- and how to actually do it!
This is a super heightened time for diet culture to scream at us- SHRINK YOURSELF! Especially with the increased wave of weight loss injectables and medications, more and more people are focused on losing weight. Fashion trends have brought back the heroine chic of my youth, and so we’re cycling back to body shame.
Many of us know this cycle well, and I want to offer to you that you don’t have to go through it alone. The field of body positive/anti-diet/fat liberationist professionals has taken off, and there are skilled people able to help you navigate your body acceptance journey.
But how do you know if you’re ready for more assistance? Here are some indicators it may be time to get help:
You are body checking often- body checking can be weighing yourself, trying on your “skinny” clothes, studying yourself in the mirror for any small changes
You are feeling obsessed with food- you’re counting calories, logging your meals, or evaluating your food intake regularly (and this is not part of a medical plan, like for diabetes).
You’re feeling like leaving dieting behind, but don’t know where to go next- maybe you’ve read a few things or seen some posts about this and you don’t know how to start.
You want to feel body connection, satisfaction, or acceptance
You’re noticing harsh inner critic around body image, eating patterns, or exercise routines
You’re wanting more freedom and peace with food, body, and identity
You have a few options when you pursue treatment. I recommend having consult calls with a few different kinds of professionals so you can get a feel for what they have to offer. But in general, here’s a brief outline of the different options:
Dieticians and nutritionists:
Trained on nutrition and sometimes trained in medical conditions.
Great for learning how to feed and nourish your body, like exploring foods you previously wouldn’t allow yourself to eat.
Great for experimenting with intuitive eating, learning new eating habits, and getting guidance on what kinds of foods to eat.
Great if there are underlying conditions like diabetes.
Helpful for unlearning food rules.
Some self compassion work, but depends on the clinician.
Therapists:
Can cover basics of intuitive eating and can help with unlearning food rules, but will not guide you on what to eat or how to eat per se.
Great for processing deeper feelings, like working with perfectionism.
Of course excellent for processing history of trauma, family dynamics, and history of dieting/body shame.
Great for learning new coping tools, building self acceptance, and learning self compassion.
Great for exploring complex nuances, like how gender identity intersects with body image or how neurodivergence impacts eating habits.
Support for depression, anxiety, and other mental health needs.
Both dieticians and therapists can support clients in exploring body image, processing histories of body shame and dieting, and working with anxiety as you introduce new eating habits. It’s very common to see both a dietician and therapist at the same time!
Some folks also look to coaches for support, especially ones certified specifically in intuitive eating. Coaches often have a more linear or mapped out program for clients to follow and may have “homework” or workbooks. They tend to be more directive and may be more time limited, like they work with you for an 8 week period. This style can work well for some folks, but a quick word of caution- the field of “coaches” is highly unregulated and there are very few thorough training or certification programs for coaches. Make sure to ask about their training history and their involvement in consult groups.
To find a clinician, there are a few spots to look. ASDAH has a directory that I highly recommend (LINK HERE). For therapists, you can also look at Inclusive Therapists (LINK). There are multiple Facebook groups as well, where you can ask for what you’re looking for and folks can give their referrals.
You want to look for clinicians that indicate they are anti-diet or fat accepting, or use the phrase “fat liberation”. Some clinicians are still using Health at Every Size or HAES terminology, and Intuitive Eating language. Even with this language in their post or on their website, you want to ask them directly about their experience in this area. Watch for wording that goes into real “wellness culture” territory because there are many weight loss business co-opting Intuitive Eating language. So double check!
You really don’t need to go through this journey on your own, and there are many trained and skilled professionals to help guide you through it. I’ve found that many folks get surprised by how many big feelings are underneath their dieting, so I strongly recommend working with someone!
Leave a comment if you have questions on how to move forward with your body acceptance journey!
