“Just love your body.”
It sounds simple. But for many of us, it’s very complex.
The body positivity movement began with the beautiful intention of helping people love themselves in a society that profits from our insecurities. But somewhere along the way, it became another standard to live up to and another way to feel like we’re falling short. When self-love becomes a demand, it stops being liberating.
Feeling Disconnected
For many trauma survivors and neurodivergent folx, the body can feel like a confusing or even unsafe place to be. It might hold sensations that bring up fear or discomfort. The nervous system may stay on alert even when there’s no danger present. When that’s the case, “loving your body” isn’t always accessible. Sometimes, it’s not even the goal.
The truth is that our relationship with our body isn’t just about appearance. It’s about power, safety, and belonging. When we live in systems that tell us certain bodies are more valuable than others and that only certain bodies are deserving of love and connection, disconnection from the body becomes an act of survival. Healing that disconnection takes time and gentleness.
For LGBTQIA2S+ folx, this relationship can feel even more layered. Many have grown up in environments that sent painful messages about who they are such as that their bodies are wrong, not enough, or too much. Some have had their bodies politicized, fetishized, or even erased. For trans and gender-expansive people, the body may also be a site of dysphoria or constant negotiation with safety in public spaces.
It makes sense that coming home to your body might feel complicated, inconsistent, or even impossible at times.
Working Towards Healing
Healing isn’t about forcing love. It’s about reclaiming trust. It’s allowing curiosity to replace judgment and noticing how your body communicates through emotion, sensation, and movement. It’s remembering that neutrality is enough, and honoring your body’s needs for rest, nourishment, pleasure, and safety is an act of care in itself.
You don’t have to love your body every day to respect it.
You don’t have to feel comfortable in your skin to deserve compassion.
This work is about liberation, not perfection- about slowly unlearning the systems that taught us to disconnect from ourselves in the first place. Coming home to your body isn’t about how it looks; it’s about remembering that you belong in it, exactly as you are.
No matter what the world has told you, your body is not the enemy. It is the place where your story lives and where healing begins.
Body Image Therapy
If you’re ready to begin healing your relationship with your body, I offer body image therapy in Beaverton, Oregon, and throughout the state via telehealth. In our work together, we might explore the stories and systems that have shaped how you relate to your body, reconnect with what safety and self-trust feel like, and develop mindfulness tools to help you navigate difficult emotions with more compassion.
Together, we’ll work toward building a more grounded, compassionate relationship with your body- one rooted in authenticity, not perfection.
You can learn more about my approach or schedule a consultation at Treehouse Counseling in Beaverton.
