The Roots Of Body Issues

Posted on: December 23rd, 2025 by Our Team

When you look in the mirror and feel a surge of frustration, shame, or the urge to “fix” what you see, it’s easy to believe that the problem is your body. We are conditioned to think that if we could just change our weight, our skin, or our shape, the nagging sense of inadequacy would finally disappear.

But at HEAL Marin, we know that body image issues are rarely about the body itself.

Through our work with women and girls navigating eating disorders and self-esteem challenges, we’ve found that body dissatisfaction is often a “messenger.” It is a symptom of deeper roots that have grown beneath the surface over time. To find true, lasting peace, we must look beyond the reflection and explore what lies beneath.

1. The Protection of Control

For many, focusing on the body is a coping mechanism. When life feels chaotic—whether due to academic pressure, relationship shifts, or career stress—the body becomes the one thing that feels “controllable.” By fixating on a number on a scale or a specific physical flaw, the mind attempts to distract itself from overwhelming emotions that feel too big to manage. In this sense, body issues are often a misplaced search for safety and stability.

2. The Weight of “Diet Culture”

We don’t live in a vacuum. From a young age, girls and women are bombarded with the message that their worth is tied to their appearance. This systemic “diet culture” teaches us to view our bodies as projects to be managed rather than vessels to be lived in. When we internalize these unrealistic standards, we develop a “critical inner voice” that isn’t actually ours—it’s a reflection of societal expectations that we’ve mistaken for our own truth.

3. Attachment and Early Experiences

Our relationship with our bodies is often an extension of our earliest relationships. How were bodies spoken about in your childhood home? Was love conditional on performance or appearance? Sometimes, body image issues are a way of expressing a need for validation or a fear of rejection that started long before we ever worried about a clothing size.

4. The Intersection of Mind and Spirit

In our practice, we utilize evidence-based tools like Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help patients understand that “Body Image” is often a part of the self that is trying to protect the individual from emotional pain. By approaching these feelings with curiosity instead of judgment, we can begin to uncouple our self-worth from our physical form.

Healing the Root, Not Just the Surface

True recovery isn’t about learning to love every inch of your reflection every single day—that’s an unrealistic goal. Instead, it’s about body neutrality and self-compassion. It’s about realizing that your body is the least interesting thing about you.

If you find yourself stuck in a cycle of body shame, remember: you aren’t broken, and your body isn’t the enemy. You are likely just carrying a burden that belongs to a deeper part of your story.

At HEAL Marin, we are here to help you dig up those roots and plant something new—a life defined by freedom, nourishment, and a sense of belonging in your own skin.