Many people carry complicated feelings about their bodies — feelings that can shape how they see themselves, how they move through the world, and how connected they feel to others. In the UK, at least 60% of adults report feeling dissatisfied with their bodies1. You might find yourself constantly comparing, noticing every perceived flaw, or feeling as though your value depends on how your body looks or performs. These experiences can be deeply painful and exhausting, often quietly influencing daily life in ways that are easy to overlook.
It’s important to know that struggling with body image is not a personal shortcoming or flaw. It’s a human response to living in a culture that often equates worth with appearance and control. These struggles often emerge gradually, shaped by family messages, societal pressures, or experiences that have left lasting impressions.
In my counselling practice, I frequently witness how body image concerns are intertwined with anxiety, perfectionism, and low self-worth. While difficulties with body image are common, they can sometimes become more consuming. They can expand into struggles with food and weight, and reflecting deeper emotional distress that goes beyond the body itself.
How body image concerns might show up
– Constant self-criticism or comparison
– Avoiding mirrors, photos, or social situations
– Believing your body defines who you are or whether you are “enough”
– A sense of shame, frustration, or disconnection from your body
– Feeling preoccupied by food, exercise, or clothing choices
– Restricting, overeating, or cycling between control and guilt around food
Body image difficulties often sit alongside eating issues, whether that’s rigid food rules, emotional eating, or the constant pressure to change one’s shape or size. Sometimes, these patterns become ways of managing anxiety, emotional pain, or a longing for control and safety.
Body image concerns often begin in childhood or adolescence. The constant presence of idealised bodies in traditional and social media can reinforce feelings of inadequacy. Research suggests that the more time people spend on social media, the higher their levels of body image concern tend to be. Through the internet, we can now compare ourselves to people all over the world — often without realising how harmful this can be.
A study by the Mental Health Foundation found that over 20% of adults reported their body image was negatively affected by advertising images2 — though, in my experience, the real number is likely much higher.
How counselling can help
Counselling offers space to explore the story behind your relationship with your body (and your experiences with food)— with curiosity and kindness. Together, we can look at:
– The beliefs and experiences that have shaped how you see yourself
– The emotions and unmet needs that may underlie body or eating struggles
– Ways to soften self-criticism and reconnect with self-compassion
– Building a sense of identity and worth that is not dependent on appearance or eating patterns
Healing isn’t about learning to “love your body” overnight or perfectly following new rules around food. It’s about creating more understanding and ease – learning to listen to your body with care rather than judgment, and allowing your relationship with food and yourself to become less rigid and more compassionate.
My role is to help you become more aware of how much your feelings about your body are influencing your life. I’ll support you to develop more appreciation for your body’s intelligence and to find healthier, more sustainable ways of coping.
My approach
In my work, I aim to offer a calm and non-judgmental space where you can begin to make sense of your relationship with your body. I understand how body image concerns may feel entangled with anxiety, self-worth, and perfectionism, and how they can touch so many parts of life – from confidence to relationships.
Together, we’ll work gently to understand what your body struggles might be trying to tell you. We will find ways of reconnecting with your values, needs, and sense of self beyond appearance or control.
I have been trained by the National Centre for Eating Disorders in working with eating disorders, low self-worth, and body image issues. This means I understand how poor body image is linked to the core beliefs we hold about ourselves. I work with clients to explore how these beliefs developed and to build confidence and self-worth. My approach is always tailored to each individual client and their unique needs.
Body image counselling and disordered eating support
You don’t need to have a diagnosed eating disorder to benefit from exploring your relationship with food and your body. Many people live with disordered eating patterns such as cycles of restriction and overeating, rigid rules around food, or persistent guilt after eating without meeting formal diagnostic criteria. These experiences can still cause significant distress and deserve care and attention.
Body image counselling can be a meaningful starting point for those who:
– Feel caught in patterns of control or anxiety around food
– Sense that their thoughts about eating and appearance take up too much space
– Want to understand the emotional roots of these struggles rather than focusing only on behaviour
For some people, this work forms part of recovery from an eating disorder or eating issues. For others, it’s about preventing escalation and developing a more peaceful relationship with the body and with food.
If at any point specialist eating disorder treatment is needed, I can help you explore those options with care, ensuring that you remain safely supported throughout the process.
Taking the next step
If you find yourself feeling tired of the constant pressure to look a certain way, or caught in a cycle of control and guilt around food, counselling can offer a space to begin healing your relationship with your body — and with yourself. If you’d like to arrange an initial consultation or have questions about counselling, please do get in touch. I would be very happy to chat with you.
1 UK Parliament (2020) Body Image Survey Results Retrieved from
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmwomeq/805/80502.htm [Accessed on 16/10/2025]
2 Mental Health Foundation (2023). Body image in adulthood. Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/research/body-image-how-we-think-and-feel-about-our-bodies/body-image-adulthood [Accessed 16/10/2025]
