Body Image Therapy in Philadelphia & Colorado
The Hidden Ways Negative Body Image Impacts Your Whole Life
People who struggle with body image rarely struggle only with body image. These concerns often spill into many other areas of life, creating a ripple effect that impacts emotional health, relationships, and day-to-day functioning. It’s common for individuals to also experience:
Low self-esteem and self-worth
Challenges with physical intimacy
Feeling disconnected, dissatisfied, or unhappy in life overall
These experiences often occur alongside body image distress—not separate from it. When left unaddressed, negative body image can increase the risk of developing:
Body image concerns are not “just vanity” or something to brush off. They can deeply affect your emotional well-being, your relationships, and your sense of self. Minimizing or ignoring these struggles often makes the pain worse, not better.
Understanding the Origins of Unhealthy Body Image
No one simply wakes up one day and decides to struggle with body image. Body image issues are far more complex than just liking or disliking your appearance—they’re nuanced, deeply personal, and influenced by many factors. These struggles can develop over time due to a combination of internal, social, and cultural influences, including:
Perception of your body’s appearance—how you see your body and how you think others see it
Understanding of body size and what you believe your body should look like
Cultural and societal beliefs about ideal body types and appearance standards
Emotional responses to specific body parts or your body as a whole
Physical presence in the world—how your body moves and occupies space in society
Society’s acceptance or judgment of your body
Beliefs about what your body can and cannot do
Family or caregiver influences on what is considered an “acceptable” body
Body image struggles are rarely about a single factor—they are shaped by a mix of personal experiences, social messaging, and cultural pressures. Understanding these influences is the first step toward healing and developing a healthier relationship with your body.
What Is Body Neutrality and How Can It Help?
You may have heard of the body acceptance movement, which has been incredible to witness. People of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, ages, and abilities are showing the world that they are worthy and beautiful—no matter what. While the goal of fully loving ourselves unconditionally is inspiring, it isn’t always realistic for everyone right away. And that’s okay.
For many individuals struggling with body image issues, being told to “just love yourself” can feel overwhelming—or even impossible. That’s where body neutrality comes in. Instead of forcing love for your body, body neutrality encourages a space where you can feel neutral about your appearance—where your sense of worth isn’t tied to how your body looks.
It’s normal not to love the way you look all the time. Body neutrality allows you to acknowledge that and still recognize your value outside of appearance. It’s a practical and compassionate first step toward healthier self-perception.
If loving your body feels too far out of reach right now, consider experimenting with neutrality. Body image therapy in Pennsylvania at Revive Therapy Services can help you explore this approach, reducing self-judgment and fostering self-acceptance in a supportive, evidence-based way.
Anyone Can Struggle With Body Image Issues
Body image issues can affect anyone, regardless of whether you fit society’s traditional standards of beauty. They impact people of all backgrounds—including BIPOC individuals, LGBTQ+ communities, people with disabilities, larger or smaller bodies, varying religious backgrounds, ages, and socioeconomic statuses.
Research shows interesting patterns in body image satisfaction. For example, Black women are often more likely to feel positive about their bodies compared to white women, while studies indicate that Asian men and women tend to report lower body satisfaction than white women. Overall, research suggests that cultural influences play a larger role in shaping body image than ethnicity alone.
At Revive Therapy Services in Philadelphia, we recognize that body image struggles are universal. Our individualized body image therapy helps clients navigate these challenges, build self-acceptance, and develop a healthier relationship with their bodies—no matter your background or experience.
How Fatphobia and Racism Affect Body Image
Fatphobia is real, and it shapes how people experience their bodies every day. While media and pop culture often get the spotlight, fatphobia also has deep racist roots. Historically, European art celebrated voluptuous white women, while Black women were portrayed as thin, frail, and inferior. During colonization and slavery, Black bodies were further dehumanized, and white society promoted smaller figures as a sign of moral and cultural “superiority.”
These systemic biases continue to influence body image today. At Revive Therapy Services in Philadelphia, our body image therapy addresses both societal pressures and personal experiences, helping clients build self-acceptance and resilience against harmful cultural messages.
Want to learn more about fatphobia and racism? Read “Fearing the black body” by Sabrina Strings
“You can’t hate your body into a version you will love.”
Lori Deschene
EMDR Therapy for Body Image: How It Can Help
No one wakes up one day and decides to dislike their body. Body image struggles are complex, shaped by personal experiences, societal messages, and learned beliefs. Our brains are incredible at adapting—but sometimes they adapt to things we don’t want to accept. For instance, if your family or culture constantly praises thinness and stigmatizes fatness, your brain may internalize that message in an effort to feel accepted.
EMDR therapy can help your brain “unlearn” these harmful messages. Through structured, evidence-based processing, EMDR helps your mind recognize that thinness is not a measure of worth or morality. Over time, it allows you to separate your self-esteem and value from appearance-based beliefs.
At Revive Therapy Services in Pennsylvania, our therapists combine EMDR therapy and body image support to help clients challenge harmful patterns, reduce self-judgment, and develop a healthier relationship with their bodies.
Start Healing From Body Image Struggles With Expert Therapy in Philadelphia
If you’re exhausted from body shame, constant self-checking, or negative thoughts about food, it’s time to rebuild your confidence through therapy. Struggling with body image can make you avoid social situations, skip meals around friends and family, or feel isolated—but you don’t have to face it alone.
At Revive Therapy Services in Pennsylvania, you’ll work with an experienced online body image therapist, who provides compassionate, evidence-based support tailored to your needs. Together, you’ll work to:
Reduce shame and self-criticism around your body
Build a healthier relationship with food
Regain confidence and comfort in social settings
Develop sustainable tools for self-acceptance
Getting started is simple:
Contact Revive Therapy to schedule your free consultation
Meet your body image therapist, Hannah Guy, Salima Shah, or Mary Shay.
Begin building the body confidence and food freedom you deserve
Take the first step today—your journey to a healthier relationship with your body starts now.
Other Services at Revive Therapy in Pennsylvania
Seeking therapy support is a courageous and important step—you deserve a safe space to process life events and work toward your goals in a healthy, sustainable way. Whether this is your first time in therapy or you’ve been here before, Revive Therapy in Pennsylvania is here to support you every step of the way.
In addition to body image therapy, we offer a range of services to meet your unique needs:
Somatic Therapy for mind-body healing
Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAP) for treatment-resistant depression and trauma
Additionally, all services are offered in-person or online in Pennsylvania & Colorado. We are 100% ready to take this leap with you to create a better and more fulfilling life!