Counseling for Weight Management in Alexandria, VA (Franconia)—Counselors and Therapists
Cam walked out of the dressing room and back into the store to grab a different size. He was frustrated. Keeping his weight down had never been easy, but he had tried. Cam ate well and stayed away from bad foods. He was active, and yet, Cam never felt comfortable in his own body. A few times, he lost a significant amount of weight only to gain it back. Yo-yoing up and down with his weight left Cam even more frustrated with his body. He did not want to be a body-builder or a model; he just wanted to feel good about himself. Do you understand Cam’s struggle? Most likely, you can relate on some level. Many people are doing their best to take care of their body, but they are struggling with weight management. More and more, people are learning that weight management also has an emotional component to it. Of course, eating well and exercising are important but so are healthy minds and emotions. Counseling for weight management does not focus upon diet and exercise. Instead, if seeks to cultivate a healthy view of one’s own body and teach skills that are foundational for long-term success with weight management.
“I personally battled with my own body image for years. I used to tell myself, ‘You can’t wear anything sleeveless or strapless.’ And all of a sudden I was like, ‘What if I just didn’t send such negative messages to my brain’ and said, ‘wear it and enjoy it?’ And now I’m more comfortable in clothes than ever.”
—Drew Barrymore
People’s bodies and their minds are both important to their overall health and well-being. What affects the body can affect the emotions, and what affects the emotions can affect the body. Often, when people struggle to manage their weight, they need emotional support as well as physical support. Many people find the help they need at therapy for weight management.
That is why the therapists at Thriveworks Alexandria offer weight management counseling. We have helped many people achieve long-term results and an accepting relationship with their body.
Body Weight: A Common Struggle
It is not a surprise that people in American often struggle with their weight. It is one of the pressing health issues of today. The Centers for Disease Control outlines how extensive the problem is. Its research found that…
- 20% of adults (defined as age 20 and older) are considered overweight.
- 20% of adults are considered obese.
- 20% of kids, ages 12-19, are considered obese.
- 20% of kids, ages 6-11, are considered obese.
- 20% of kids, ages 2-5, are considered obese.
Beyond these numbers are people who have their own stories and unique struggles. Weight is often counted by the numbers: cholesterol levels, waist measurement, calories in, calories burned, and on and on. But there is another way to measure weight struggles: as an emotional journey. Often, psychological wounds underlie physical challenges, and finding healing for these wounds may greatly improve an individual’s ability to manage their weight.
Therapy for Weight Management
Taking care of their emotions as well as their bodies can bring many benefits to people. In particular, therapy may help people find a diagnosis and treatment for any mental illnesses they may be facing. It may also equip them with the emotional skills they need to successfully manage their weight long-term.
Diagnosing and Treating Mental Illnesses. Certain mental illnesses can interfere with an individual’s body weight and with their relationship to their body. Many people think that eating disorders, for example, only affect people at below average body weight, but the truth is that eating disorders can develop in anyone. Eating disorders can greatly harm how an individual views their body, and if one is present, seeking treatment should be a top priority. Similarly, anxiety disorders and depressive disorders can affect an individual’s appetite—either increasing it or decreasing it. If an individual is struggling with one of these underlying mental health challenges, treatment may greatly help them as they manage their weight.
Learning Emotional Skills. People need more skills for managing their weight than learning proper exercise techniques. They also need to know how to overcome setbacks, change negative thinking, and more. These are emotional skills that can be learned and greatly beneficial to an individual’s ability to maintain a healthy body image and body weight.
For example, skilled therapists often work with their clients on how to recognize negative thinking patterns. People may tell themselves that they will never achieve a healthy weight or they may use food as a reward. These can undermine their success. Instead, therapy for weight loss often helps people to learn emotional skills like…
- Setting reasonable goals for motivation instead of using food as a reward and/or punishment.
- How to cope with setbacks and challenges.
- What they can reasonably expect from themselves and from their body.
Thriveworks Alexandria, VA (Franconia) Has Appointments for Weight Management
Are you ready to focus upon your health in a more holistic way? Many people are sick of dieting’s strict rules, and they are finding a different way through counseling for weight management. Thriveworks Alexandria sees many clients for weight management therapy, and we have appointments available. When you call our office, your first appointment may be the following day. We accept many different forms of insurance. We also offer evening and weekend sessions. Let’s work together. Call today.
