Therapy for Weight Management in Lynchburg, VA—Counselors
Morgan tried on a dress for a job interview and walked out into the room of mirrors. A lot of women like getting new clothes but not her. Ever since she was a kid, Morgan had struggled with her weight. The names that other kids at school would call her still rattle around Morgan’s head, especially during moments like this. The hard part is that Morgan has tried. She stays away from bad foods and tries to eat well. Morgan also exercises regularly. She is strong; she just wishes she liked her body. A few times, she had lost a significant amount of weight, but even then, she did not feel comfortable in her own body. Morgan is tired of bouncing between fad diets that only had her follow strict rules for a certain time but do not help her feel better in the long-term. A lot of people are in Morgan’s shoes. They are looking for more than strict exercise programs or eating plans, and they are often finding what they need through therapy for weight management. Counseling takes a different approach and focuses instead on establishing a healthy relationship with one’s body.
“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
Nutritionists and trainers can be integral parts of a weight management plan, but an individual’s relationship with their body is also emotional. Counseling can lay a strong foundation, helping people achieve the mindset they need to love their bodies and get to a healthy place emotionally and physically.
The therapists at Thriveworks Lynchburg offer appointments for weight management counseling because we know that dieting and extreme exercise plans can leave people frustrated. Our professionals care about their clients’ overall well-being. We love equipping people with the emotional skills they need to enjoy and care for their bodies.
A Growing Challenge: Obesity in America
If weight is a struggle for you, know that you are not the only one. Many Americans, both children and adults, are struggling too. The Centers for Disease Control studied Americans’ weight and found:
- 9 percent of kids ages 2-5 are obese.
- 17 percent of kids ages 6-11 are obese.
- 20 percent of kids ages 12-19 are obese.
- 20 percent of adults in American (ages 20 and older) are obese.
- 20 percent of adults in America are overweight.
Behind these percentage are real people who have unique stories and unique struggles. All too often, health is calculated by the numbers, but this is not the only way to think about well-being. Health can also be measured in how at peace people are with their body, how accepting they are of it, and how much they work with their body instead of against it. Counseling for weight management focuses upon this, emotional component to health, and it is often the foundation for long-term success for the physical component to health.
Body Image, Weight, and Therapy
What benefits might seeing a therapist give to those who want to manage their weight? Because people are both mind and body, their whole being matters in all that they do. Weight management is not just about the body. It is also about mental health. Specifically, weight management counseling may help people identify and treat any underlying mental illnesses that are hindering their health, and it may help people learn the emotional skills to sustain long-term change.
Recognizing Mental Illness. A number of mental illnesses greatly affect the body. Eating disorders, for example, can occur in people of every shape and size. Some eating disorders cause people to fall to a severely low weight. Others cause people to gain significant weight. They all put people at odds with their own bodies, and they are all serious illnesses that need treatment. If an eating disorder is impeding a healthy relationship with your body, finding treatment is often the first step for healing.
Sustaining Long-Term Change. Whereas diets and exercise fads focus upon following particular rules, therapy looks at building a strong foundation for long-term change. There are many ways to do this, but one way is to learn how negative, untrue thoughts are undermining weight management. For example, without even knowing what they are doing, people may think that…
- They need to punish themselves every time they over eat.
- They need to reward themselves with food.
- It is impossible to feel good about their body.
These negative, untrue thoughts can lead people to self-sabotage their efforts. Skills counselors may be able to help people become aware of these thinking patterns and learn how to change them. People may learn, instead, to…
- Stop using food as a punishment or reward, and start seeing food for what it is.
- Sets goals that motivate them and make sense for their lives.
- Become more self-aware so that they can delineate between their true, inner voice and unhealthy voices.
- Cope in healthy ways with life’s ups and downs.
- Learn how to handle setbacks with resiliency.
Scheduling an Appointment for Weight Management Therapy at Thriveworks Lynchburg
Are you ready to meet with a therapist for weight management? Thriveworks Lynchburg has appointments available. When you call our office, you may be meeting with your counselor the following day. We offer evening and weekend sessions, and many insurance plans are accepted. Let’s work together. Call today.
