Psychology of Body Image
How to Improve Body Image in Psychology
When you struggle with body image, you know just how disruptive it can be to living a full, enjoyable life. Hating your body might mean saying no to certain outings, feeling uncomfortable in specific types of clothing, or spending time with friends caught up in thoughts about how you look instead of being present with your loved ones.
Though it can sometimes feel hopeless, body dysmorphia and negative body image are treatable. Here are seven interventions a therapist might use to help you to have a positive body image:
1. Cognitive Restructuring
Cognitive restructuring is a technique from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that helps replace negative, self-critical thoughts with more neutral or positive affirmations. By challenging the harsh narratives we carry about our bodies, we can begin to feel gratitude for what our bodies do and even appreciate how they look—regardless of whether they align with mainstream beauty standards.
One way to challenge these thoughts is through behavioral experimentation. For example, if you believe people will judge your arms when you wear a tank top, and then you wear one and receive compliments—or simply experience no negative reactions—you begin to realize your assumption may have been unfounded. Over time, these new experiences help reduce fear and increase confidence.
2. Mindfulness and Acceptance Practices
Mindfulness, a core element of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), helps you become aware of the judgment you're placing on your body. With curiosity, you can learn to observe negative thoughts rather than accept them as truth.
ACT teaches that pain is a universal part of the human experience—and that we can’t always eliminate it. Applied to body image, this means accepting that discomfort with your body may arise, but learning to sit with it mindfully can reduce its intensity. Through mindfulness meditations and mindful movement, you can develop a more accepting, non-judgmental relationship with your body.
3. Self-Compassion Interventions
If you struggle with body image, you're likely familiar with your inner critic. How often do you speak negatively to yourself—without even realizing it?
Self-compassion work helps you recognize these internal narratives and respond to them with kindness. This might look like writing a letter to yourself from the perspective of a supportive friend or gently questioning critical thoughts with phrases like, “Are we sure that’s true?” or “Could there be another perspective?”
Compassion decreases shame. And no—compassion isn’t self-indulgent. You offer kindness to others every day; don’t you deserve that same kindness from yourself?
4. Exposure Therapy for Body Image Distress
Exposure therapy can sound intimidating, but it’s a powerful tool for addressing body image distress. If you often avoid mirrors or photos to protect yourself from self-criticism, you’re not alone. While this avoidance might feel helpful in the moment, it can keep you stuck.
Exposure therapy involves gradually facing the parts of your body that you struggle with. Over time, repeated exposure reduces distress and increases acceptance. You may even begin to focus more on how your body functions than how it looks—leading to a more holistic sense of self-appreciation.
5. Somatic and Body-Based Interventions
When we dislike our bodies, we often disconnect from them. Somatic and body-based therapies help rebuild that connection with curiosity, kindness, and calm.
Ask yourself: Do you move your body because you want to—or because you feel like you “should”? Do you eat certain foods because they nourish you—or because you believe they’ll change your appearance? Interventions like yoga, breathwork, mindful movement, and dance therapy support clients in shifting from self-punishment to self-care. The goal is to feel good in your body, not just look a certain way.
6. Media Literacy and Social Comparison Interventions
A powerful and underrated intervention is media literacy. One exercise many therapists recommend is creating a new, body-positive social media account—one where you only follow individuals and organizations that promote healthy body image.
We absorb the messages we consume. The more we’re surrounded by rigid beauty standards, the more we may believe we need to meet them to be worthy. By curating your environment to include body-diverse, compassionate content, and learning more about the social and historical context of diet culture, you can begin to reshape how you see yourself.
Improving your body image is a journey. You may not encounter all these interventions in your therapy sessions, but chances are, you’ll come across at least a few. If you’ve been hesitant to start therapy for body image concerns, I hope this gives you a sense of what to expect—and maybe even a little hope that life can feel easier when you’re no longer at war with your body.