Therapy for Negative Body Image

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What are Body Image Concerns?

Body image distress can look like someone not liking the way that they look or having negative thoughts or feelings about their body.  These thoughts and feelings can be enforced by society and the media, who often idealize people in smaller bodies.

Living with negative body image is exhausting. You might hate how you look in pictures and in the mirror, struggle with getting dressed and picking out clothes at times, and spend a lot of time thinking about your body size and appearance.

Symptoms of Body Image Concerns

• Negative thoughts about your body
• Spending a lot of time thinking about your body or weight
• Desire to change your body, such as a desire to lose weight
• Dieting behaviors

​If this resonates with you, we can help! 

Our team at The Eating Disorder Center in Rockville, Maryland has therapists that truly specialize in helping teens and adults to recover from body image concerns and reclaim their lives. Recovery is possible!

We provide therapy for body image concerns in Rockville, Maryland, serving Bethesda, Potomac, Gaithersburg, and Olney. We also provide therapy for body image concerns virtually throughout Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, and California. 

We know that part of you may be scared to recover, while part of you desperately wants to be free from this. With specialized therapy geared towards helping you to recover from body image concerns, you don't have to continue to feel so trapped.

So, how can we help?

At The Eating Disorder Center, we are highly skilled in providing therapy for individuals who are struggling with body image concerns. We will work as part of a treatment team to help you to recover from body image concerns, which may include a physician, dietitian, and/or psychiatrist.

We use evidence-based treatment methods, including acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) skills, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and modified FBT treatment. We are Health At Every Size (HAES) informed and enjoy working with clients of all body sizes. We help clients to make peace with their bodies and themselves. If there is co-occurring trauma we also offer EMDR therapy for trauma and eating disorders.

We pride ourselves on being action-oriented therapists, setting recovery goals, and doing exposures with clients, such as eating meals or snacks together. We value collaboration with other local eating disorder treatment providers.  Many of our therapists are also personally recovered from eating disorders.

We are thankful to have helped many people to make peace with their bodies.

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​Frequently Asked Questions:

What is negative body image?

Negative body image is a persistent dissatisfaction with or distress about one’s body, appearance, or weight. It often involves harsh self-criticism, body comparison, or feeling uncomfortable or ashamed in one’s body, and can significantly affect mental health and quality of life.

Why do I hate my body?

Body dissatisfaction often develops from repeated exposure to unrealistic beauty standards, weight stigma, past experiences such as teasing or trauma, and internalized cultural messages about appearance. These feelings are learned—not inherent—and they do not reflect your worth or value.

What causes negative body image?

Negative body image is influenced by a combination of factors, including diet culture, social comparison, weight stigma, trauma, perfectionism, anxiety, and societal emphasis on appearance. Family attitudes and early experiences can also play a role.

How do I improve my body image?

Improving body image involves shifting focus from appearance to function, reducing comparison, challenging negative self-talk, and developing self-compassion. Working with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders and body image can provide tools and support for long-term change.

Is negative body image an eating disorder?

Negative body image alone is not an eating disorder, but it is a significant risk factor for disordered eating and eating disorders. Persistent body dissatisfaction can fuel unhealthy behaviors around food, exercise, and weight control.

How does social media affect body image?

Social media often promotes unrealistic and edited images that can increase comparison and body dissatisfaction. Constant exposure to appearance-focused content can reinforce harmful beauty standards and negatively impact self-esteem, especially without media literacy or boundaries.

How does negative body image affect mental health?

Negative body image is linked to increased anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and social withdrawal. It can also contribute to disordered eating behaviors and difficulty engaging fully in daily life or relationships.

Is negative body image normal?

Body dissatisfaction is common in today’s culture, but common does not mean healthy or inevitable. You deserve to feel at peace in your body, and support can help reduce distress and improve overall well-being.

How do I help someone with negative body image?

Listen with empathy and avoid minimizing their feelings or offering appearance-based reassurance. Encourage conversations about how body image affects their mental health and suggest professional support if concerns are impacting daily life.

Can negative body image go away? / What does recovery look like?

Yes. Recovery involves reducing appearance-based self-worth, increasing body acceptance or neutrality, and building a more compassionate relationship with oneself. With support, many people experience lasting improvement in how they feel about their bodies.

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​​Therapy for body image in Rockville, Maryland, Serving Potomac, Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Montgomery County. Specializing in the treatment of  negative body image in Annapolis, Chevy Chase, Germantown and Olney.

Therapy for body image, in Arlington, Virginia. Serving McLean, Vienna, Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Leesburg, Purcellville, and Herndon. Specializing in the treatment of body image issues.