Counseling in Charleston, South Carolina.
Something that makes us unique at Kinship is that we take a “bottom-up” or trauma-informed approach to working with disordered eating and body image struggles. All this means is that we prioritize the body and its experience in and outside of the therapy room.
I (Kristen) think that one of the most insidious myths about body image struggles or struggles with food and eating is that they’re just a normal part of life. Sure, they’re common, but they don’t have to be your norm. The approach we take is that it’s about food but it’s not about food. It’s about your body but it’s not about your body. One of the most compelling phrases I learned years ago (that you’ve probably heard me say if you’ve worked with me is), “The problem is not the problem, but it is a problem.” Body image struggles and disordered eating are a symptom of deeper internal struggles. Sometimes it’s attachment or relationship wounds, emotion dysregulation, discontentment in life, past trauma, unmet needs, internalized messages, poor boundaries, and on and on. No matter what your age, gender, or life stage there are so many messages out there about our bodies, and over time we can mistake them for our own voices, causing shame and confusion when our outsides don’t match the voices inside. We’d be honored to hold space for the many aspects at play here. Together, we’ll uncover the messages you’ve believed about your body, hold you as you grieve how they’ve affected you, and guide you as you find your voice and gather the courage to take up space in the world.
Something that makes us unique at Kinship is that we take a “bottom-up” or trauma-informed approach to working with disordered eating and body image struggles. All this means is that we prioritize the body and its experience in and outside of the therapy room. (See our Somatic Therapy Services.) We also look back at your past experiences to see what can give us information about your present-day struggles. Sure, we want to address the thoughts that are racing through your head, but we look to the body to see what she/he might be feeling too. Just because stress around food, or hatred of your body is common, it doesn’t have to be normal. We’d be honored and grateful to help you feel at home in your body.