Every BODY Matters

What is body image?
According to Cash, 2004, “Body image is a multi-faceted psychological experience incorporating perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to one’s body.” Essentially, the human experience and everything involved with that can shape one’s perception of their body.

What is Body Positivity?
Body positivity spawned from the need to understand negative body image and focus on decreasing the symptoms of negative body image without focusing on increasing positive body image (Cash & Smolak, 2011; Tylka, 2011). However, Tylka et al., 2015, argue if therapists focus on reducing negative body image and do not also incorporate body positivity, treatment may only promote a neutral body image and make statements such as, “I don’t hate my body anymore. I merely tolerate it.” Technically, they argue that the lack of promoting body positivity has to be added on top of decreasing negative body image; that merely decreasing negative body image does not inherently increase body positivity. Body positivity is both a social movement and a personal practice centered on the belief that all bodies deserve respect and acceptance. It challenges cultural ideals that equate worth with physical appearance, and encourages people to reject shame and judgment about their bodies. While promoting positive sentiments and thoughts about one's body is positive, it is also not always realistic or sustainable to expect oneself to love every aspect of their body at all times.

What is Body Neutrality?
Body neutrality states that it is okay if you do not always love or even like aspects of your body, and that it can be okay. Anne Poirier, an author, defined body neutrality as, “Not supporting the hatred of our vessel or the love and adoration of our vessel” (Shaping Perspectives, 2023). Mink & Szymanski, 2022, determined that the new movement of body neutrality on social media such as TikTok, may be a protective factor against body dissatisfaction in the treatment of eating disorders (Pellizzer & Wade, 2023). Author, Jessi Kneeland of Body Neutral: A Revolutionary Guide to Overcoming Body Image Issues stated, “Neutrality gives you space for everything that previously felt like a huge problem to kind of just be… It gives you the ability to see yourself and the world clearly, which means you can take your emotional power back from the places that don’t deserve it” (Kneeland, 2023).

Social Media and Body Image
Social media has been a driving force for both good/bad and healthy/unhealthy perceptions of body image. Some of the biggest and most widespread trends in social media have been surrounding body positivity. The initial goal was to both challenge and replace negative ideals and perceptions of body image. To challenge the “ideal” body size as thin and move toward love and acceptance of all body types. On TikTok alone, #bodypositivity has accumulated over 23 billion views, and the hashtag has appeared on tens of millions of Instagram posts

In a study conducted by Davies et al.,(2020) and Fioravanti et al., (2021) compared body-positive, fitspiration, and neutral Instagram posts and found that body positive posts led to higher esteem about one’s weight, mood, and body satisfaction while posts with messages centralized around rigorous exercising and diet (fitspiration) led to poorer esteem about one’s weight and negative mood. However, Mehdi and Frazier (2021) argue that the body positivity movement has been co-opted over time, shifting away from its original focus on social equality for marginalized bodies toward a commercialized message of self-love that now primarily centers thin, able-bodied, and conventionally attractive bodies, ultimately further marginalizing the communities the movement was created to serve.

Some research actually suggests that the effects of body positivity can be complicated. A survey of 778 undergraduate women found that exposure to body positivity content on TikTok actually worsened body dissatisfaction for some users, particularly through upward social comparison and increased body monitoring (Mink & Szymanski, 2022). Given the mixed findings in the research, it is clear that social media's impact on body image is highly individual, and that therapeutic support can play an important role in helping people develop a healthier relationship with their bodies regardless of what they encounter online.

How Can Therapy Help?
Here at OakHeart, Center for Counseling, you will receive integrated and evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment, as well as emotional-focused therapy interventions. Additionally, OakHeart’s values are rooted in integrity, kindness, courage, genuineness, respect, and empathy. Equally important and relevant to body image is the Health at Every Size (HAES) model. This model focuses on developing healthy behaviors without prioritizing weight loss. In particular as stated by researchers Phelan et al., (2015), “First and foremost that health care must be accessible to people no matter their size, and no matter why they are any given size. This disproportionately affects large bodied people because our current societal norms prioritizes and normalizes slender and thin bodies. Anti-fat bias has created an environment where even in health care (where we expect people of all ability levels and health statuses to be included) equipment, gowns, and seating is not designed for all bodies.” Essentially, rather than center health around being thin, or losing weight, we create an environment free of judgement and stigma, promoting body acceptance and without exceptions (Puhl & Heuer, 2009; Association for Size Diversity and Health, 2026).

If you are interested in counseling with Dr. Hamor or any other clinician at OakHeart, call OakHeart at 630-570-0050 or 779-201-6440 or email us at [email protected]. We have counselors, psychologists, and social workers available to help you at one of our locations in North Aurora, IL, Sycamore, IL, and/or via Telehealth Online Therapy Services serving Kane County, DeKalb County, Dupage County, and beyond.

References

Cash, T. F. (2004). Body image: Past, present, and future. Body image, 1(1), 1-5.
Cash, T. F., & Smolak, L. (Eds.). (2011). Body image: A handbook of science, practice, and prevention. Guilford press.
Davies, B., Turner, M., & Udell, J. (2020). Add a comment… how fitspiration and body positive captions attached to social media images influence the mood and body esteem of young female.Instagram users. Body Image, 33, 101-105.
Association for Size Diversity and Health (2026). Health at every size® principles. ASDAH. (2026). https://asdah.org/haes/
Fioravanti, G., Tonioni, C., & Casale, S. (2021). # Fitspiration on Instagram: The effects of fitness‐related images on women’s self‐perceived sexual attractiveness. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 62(5), 746-751.
Mehdi, N., & Frazier, C. (2021). Forgetting fatness: The violent co-optation of the body positivity movement. Debates in Aesthetics, 16(1), 13-28.
Mink, D. B., & Szymanski, D. M. (2022). TikTok use and body dissatisfaction: Examining direct, indirect, and moderated relations. Body Image, 43, 205-216.
Pellizzer, M. L., & Wade, T. D. (2023). Developing a definition of body neutrality and strategies
Phelan SM, Burgess DJ, Yeazel MW, Hellerstedt WL, Griffin JM, van Ryn M. Impact of
weight bias and stigma on quality of care and outcomes for patients with obesity. Obes Rev. 2015;16(4):319-326. doi: 10.1111/obr.12266.
Puhl RM, Heuer CA. The stigma of obesity: A review and update. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2009;17(5):941-964. doi: 10.1038/oby.2008.636.
Shaping Perspectives. (2023). 5 Steps to Body Neutrality. https://shapingperspectives.com/5-steps-to-body-neutrality/.
Tylka, T. L., & Wood-Barcalow, N. L. (2015). What is and what is not positive body image? Conceptual foundations and construct definition. Body image, 14, 118-129.