Body Image is the Last to Go
Body image is one of the most overused but essential topics in mental health.
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So why does poor body image seem to be the last clingy guest at the recovery party, the one who refuses to take a hint and just leave? Sure, changing your body might give you a short-term confidence boost, but once that “ideal” inevitably slips away, so does that fragile confidence. Turns out, there’s no quick fix here. Instead, there’s a long road to unpacking why we’ve all bought into the lie that self-worth and body size go hand in hand.
Body image is complex, deeply personal, and tangled up in a lifetime of cultural, familial, and social messages. And newsflash—changing your body won’t magically deliver the love, confidence, and belonging you’re hoping for. If it did, then everyone with a so-called “ideal” body would be living in bliss, right?
In today’s episode, prepare to question everything you’ve been told by society, family, and even that inner critic about “taking up space.” And maybe, just maybe, you’ll see that changing your body isn’t the key to finding love, confidence, or success. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but hey—no one said personal growth was easy, right?
In this episode, we’re talking about:
How changing your body isn’t a solution.
Seeing body image as a persistent challenge.
Body image issues being rooted in societal and personal messages.
How body image and self-esteem are often linked together.
How body image issues don’t follow a specific path.
“Taking up space”.
Exploring core beliefs.
How society often promotes weight change as a shortcut to connection and confidence.
Achieving self-worth and connection and how it relates to your personal risks.
Tweetable Quotes
“I know that you might feel more confident when you shrink your body and then you feel like you have a better body image, but that confidence is very much tied to your body.” - Rachelle Heinemann
"Body image is really not at all like a symptom." - Rachelle Heinemann
"Who said that working on our body image is supposed to be easy?" - Rachelle Heinemann
"What would people think about you if you took up more space?" - Rachelle Heinemann
"If I want to feel more confident, I have to take a lot of risks with doing things that I don't want to do, whether it's interpersonally or just with tasks." - Rachelle Heinemann
Resources
Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar
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Related Episodes
Episode 149. Why Your Doctor Doesn't Need to Weigh You with Dr. Mara Gordon
Episode 98. Body Stuff with Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani
Episode 94. Unraveling the Truth: It's Not About the Food
Episode 77. How to Accept Your Body
Episode 76. The Basics of Health at Every Size
Episode 66. But What's Wrong With Wanting to Lose Weight?
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More From Rachelle
Hey there! I’m Rachelle, the host of the Understanding Disordered Eating Podcast. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I work with clients to make sense of life’s messy emotional experiences.
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