Counseling for Weight Management in Atlanta, GA (Sandy Springs)
Jake threw clothes into a suitcase. He was excited about his vacation, except for one part. The beach was great, but beach clothes were not his favorite. Jake was a funny guy and would laugh about how he had a beer body, not a beach body. However, in reality, he cared. Jake tried to eat well, and he exercised as often as he could. A few times, he had lost a substantial amount of weight on a very restrictive, fad diet. But once the diet ended, he put the pounds back on. More than anything, Jake just wanted to feel comfortable with his body. He did not really need to be a model or have a beach body. Many people are just like Jake. They are struggling to manage their weight, but even more, they are struggling to accept their own body. Many are finding the answers they need by going to therapist’s office as well as to the gym. The physical component to weight management is easy to recognize, but more and more, people are understanding that they have to take care of their emotions as well. In counseling, they are learning to manage their weight through pursuing holistic health.
“One day, I had to sit down with myself and decide that I loved myself no matter what my body looked like and what other people thought about my body.”
—Gabourey Sidibe
Weight management is so much more than what to eat, what not to eat, how often to exercise, and what exercises to perform. Weight management has an emotional component to it as well as a physical component. Thinking of health in a more holistic way is often the adjustment that many people need to maintain a healthy weight but also to cultivate an accepting, loving relationship with their own body. Many people learn to think holistically through working with a counselor and going to therapy for weight management.
More and more, Thriveworks Atlanta is seeing clients who want to work on their health in the therapy room. Our mental health professionals have helped many clients establish a healthier relationship with their body, and in the process, they often experience improved physical health as well.
Body Weight Struggles in America
The Centers for Disease Control has studied weight among children and adults in American, and their data shows the extent to which many are struggling…
- 20 percent of adults (ages 20 and older) in the US are considered overweight.
- 20 percent of adults in American are considered obese.
- 20 percent of kids ages 12-19 are considered obese.
- 17 percent of kids ages 6-11 are considered obese.
- 9 percent of kids ages 2-5 are considered obese.
It is easy to look at these percentages and see numbers instead of people. However, beyond these measurements are individuals who have their own unique story and their own unique struggle. Part of that struggle is physical, but often, part of that struggle is emotional and psychological.
Holistic Health and Therapy
There are a number of advantages that therapy can give people as they work to manage their weight. Two common ways that people often benefit from working with a counselor as well as a trainer or a nutritionist are addressing mental illness and cultivating emotional skills.
Addressing Mental Illness. Mental illnesses can harm more than the mind—they can harm the body as well. Most notably, eating disorders can develop in individuals of any size, and they can be deadly. Anxiety disorders and depressive disorders can both disrupt an individual’s appetite—either increasing it or decreasing it. Mental illness is not always a part of an individual’s weight struggle, but if it is, then it is critical that they receive treatment.
Cultivating Emotional Skills. Certain emotional skills can greatly aid people’s weight management. In particular, self-awareness is often important part of healthy living. Often, negative and untrue thoughts can sabotage people’s journey toward health, but when they become aware of these thoughts, they can learn to change them.
For example, people can fall into unhealthy thought patterns, and they can tell themselves things like:
- When I’m good, I get to reward myself with food.
- If I overeat, I should punish myself with food—skip a meal, restrict certain foods, et cetera.
- It is not even possible for me to love my body, much less like it.
As people grow in their self-awareness, they can recognize these messages they are telling themselves. They can also learn healthier ways of living their lives. For example, a skilled therapist may help people learn…
- That food is not a reward or a punishment.
- A well-set goal is a healthy way to motivate and reward oneself.
- There are many beneficial ways to cope with life’s difficulties that are healthy and do not include food.
- Everyone experiences setbacks, and it is possible to recover from them without long-term harm.
Scheduling Weight Management Appointments at Thriveworks Atlanta
Are you ready to get started, learning a more holistic approach to health? Thriveworks Atlanta offers therapy for weight management, and we have appointments available. When you contact our office, one of our scheduling specialists will answer (a real person—not a voicemail). We accept many different insurance plans, and weekend and evening sessions are offered. Let’s work together for your health. Call today.
