7 of the Best Body Image Therapists in Florida

Takeaway: Body image issues can deeply impact your self-esteem, relationships, and overall well-being. Thankfully, therapy can help. Our tailored body image counseling services offer women a compassionate space to rebuild a positive sense of self. Contact us today to start your journey to wellness, no matter where in Florida you’re located.

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Meet our Florida body image issues therapists

1. Bailey Sheetz

Bailey is a licensed therapist and is passionate about supporting people on their journey to find increased self-worth and value. Bailey is empathetic and warm in her approach, which has proven successful in helping individuals overcome negative body image. Bailey believes in taking an anti-diet approach and promoting inclusivity in her work.

  • MS, LMHC
  • Master's in Professional Counseling from Southeastern University
  • Eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, trauma
  • Learn more

2. Brianna Fedynich

Brianna is a licensed clinical social worker with a passion for addressing negative thought patterns and feelings as well as body image concerns in her sessions. Brianna's unique blend of professionalism and warmth has proven effective in helping people challenge their body concerns and mental health issues. She caters her approach so that it is unique to the individual and helps them to realize their goals.

  • MSW, LCSW
  • Master's in Social Work from University of Central Florida
  • Trauma, LGBTQIA+, anxiety, depression
  • Learn more

3. Caroline Hughes

Caroline is a dedicated license-eligible therapist who takes pride in her ability to support individuals on their journey to wellness. Caroline is a strong advocate for body positivity and always tries to raise awareness for disordered eating. Caroline is skilled in providing professional help and supporting people while in treatment for their negative body image.

  • MA, RMFTI
  • Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from Valdosta State University
  • Couples counseling, family counseling, trauma, and other mood disorders
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4. Elizabeth Lomas

Elizabeth is a provisionally licensed therapist who is passionate about working with individuals of all ages (children, teens, and adults) in therapy sessions. Elizabeth puts a strong focus on addressing low self-esteem. Elizabeth realizes the power that negative body image messaging has over our self-worth and works alongside you to challenge it. She takes pride in her approach and how it helps individuals achieve self-acceptance.

  • M. Ed., RMHCI
  • Master's of Education from Vanderbilt University
  • Grief and loss, interpersonal conflict, attachment concerns
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5. Jaclyn Pfingsten

Jaclyn is a licensed therapist who takes pride in her approach to addressing negative body image and weight stigma. Jaclyn believes that outside influences (such as cultural ideals, including diet culture) strongly contibute to our beliefs and distorted perception of our own bodies. MSW, LCSW

  • Master's of Social Work from Wayne State University
  • Trauma, perfectionism, anxiety
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6. Dr. Marisa Byles

Dr. Marisa Byles is a Licensed Psychologist and Certified Eating Disorders Specialist. Marisa's passion is helping individuals improve their relationships with their body. Marisa frequently advocates for body positivity in the community. She has several years' experience providing body image therapy and therapy for eating disorders.

  • PsyD, CEDS, QS, Clinical Director, iaedp Jacksonville Chapter Treasurer
  • Master's in Clinical Psychology and Doctorate of Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University
  • Anxiety, depression, adjustment, and other mood disorders
  • Learn more

7. Sarah Cozza

Sarah is a licensed therapist with many years' experience working with individuals struggling with their relationships to their bodies and food. Sarah has a passion for helping her clients overcome body image difficulties. She helps you increase your self-esteem by sharing helpful coping skills and finding other unique ways to improve your quality of life.

  • MA, LMHC
  • Master's of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from University of Central Florida
  • LGBTQIA+, gender dysphoria, co-dependency, and cluster b personality diagnoses
  • Learn more

Why choose Restored Purpose Counseling

When you are experiencing negative body image, it can seem overwhelming to then decide which provider to work with or who will be the best fit. At Restored Purpose Counseling, we understand the fear and commitment that goes into beginning a relationship with a therapist and are here to help however we can. Please see below for additional information on what makes us unique! 

Nutrition and Therapy Services

At Restored Purpose Counseling we have a variety of therapists specializing in different areas such as body image issues, eating disorder issues, and anxiety concerns. Alongside our therapists, we have a selection of nutrition counselors as well to address your nutritional needs. This cuts down on the amount of offices/providers you have to coordinate with and promotes smooth and effective coordination of care.

Specialized Training and Experience

All of our providers have been extensively trained in how to work with individuals struggling with their appearance and body size. This training and ongoing support that is provided by our leadership team allows for our providers to stay current on the trends in the field of counseling and utilize treatment methods that are shown to be effective in increasing the respect we have for our bodies and processing our emotions.

Affordability

We believe in the importance of removing barriers to access care which is why we accept many major insurance plans and offer reduced fee options for sessions with our dietitians. We never want finances to be a barrier to someone seeking treatment. We begin the intake process with making sure care is accessible and affordable to all. 

Health at Every Size (HAES) Aligned

All of our providers are aligned with this movement, which challenges the notion that you can only find wellness by being in a thin body. Practicing from this lens allows our clinicians to have flexibility in how they view "healthy" and support women on their journey to challenging the fat-phobia that still exists in this world.

FAQs

What is body image therapy?

Body image counseling is used when an individual struggles with their body image, either experiencing body dysmorphia or poor body image and low self-esteem. Body image is our individual perception of our bodies, mainly built around our subjective opinion of our physical characteristics (Choudhary, Upadhyay, and Kar, 2022). This therapy focuses on healing one's relationship with one's body by challenging messages that diet culture perpetuates and identifying other influences that contribute to our body image, such as loved ones' perceptions, cultural values, social media messaging, and more. Goals of counseling may include identifying strengths, increasing self-esteem, and promoting positive body image. A session focused on improving your perception of yourself may involve exploring when your relationship with your body changed and working to identify emotions you have about your appearance.

How do you fix body image problems?

One of the ways that we can start to heal our body image is by drawing attention to the pressure that is placed on women's bodies to look a certain way. When we recognize the impact of others' thoughts, images, and feelings on ourselves, we are better equipped to challenge and change our response to it. Many women hear untoward comments regarding their looks every day which is harmful and builds up over time. By working with a body image therapist, they can help you identify other strengths and value you have aside from how you look. Additionally, they can teach you skills to challenge negative cognitions and express emotions in a healthy way. Body image therapy is helpful, and due to the length of time in which people struggle with their bodies before finding help, it can take some time to undo the harm caused by society. Individuals can expect to see minor changes within the first 6 weeks of consistent body image therapy.

What therapy is good for body image?

A study by Greenberg et. al (2022) found that body image therapists using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in the treatment of Body Dysmorphia Disorder (BDD) had early results in terms of symptom reduction within the first 6 sessions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy involves recognizing that thoughts lead to emotions which lead to actions which lead back to thoughts. It is a cycle, and one that your therapist will assist you with identifying in your own life as it relates to your body image, beauty, and appearance. CBT is effective with challenging the impact of our shape on our mental well-being.

Other modalities of talk therapy may also be useful such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). ACT is a type of therapy that focuses on the practice of psychological flexibility and coming to accept thoughts and feelings as they arise. DBT is a common talk therapy that has many benefits such as teaching distress tolerance skills and focusing on you as an unique human with unique needs and triggers. 


Who can help with body image issues?

The ideal body image therapist to work with when wanting to address body image issues is going to be one who is Health at Every Size-aligned and one who is trained in working with disordered eating. Therapists are there to listen without judgment, provide practical tools and skills to implement during times of distress, and can help you identify disordered thinking and dysmorphia when it comes to your body.

Therapists are incredibly supportive and helpful when addressing body image, however other professionals play an important role as well, such as Registered Dietitians. Registered Dietitians can provide important education regarding how our bodies use the food we consume and the importance of the different food groups. Additionally, if bloating is something that contributes to your negative body image, a Registered Dietitian can provide you with information on the role that bloating plays in our bodies and why it occurs. At Restored Purpose Counseling, we provide both of these services to you so that you receive the best and most informed care possible.

Get matched with one of our Florida body image therapists today

At Restored Purpose Counseling, our team of trained dietitians and therapists are Health at Every Size aligned and knowledgable and trained in treating disordered eating and body image issues. Our approach is one of the elements that make us unique in that our providers are able to create a comfortable, non-judgmental space in which you can be vulnerable and learn tools and skills to practically use during times of distress. Our therapists can help you or a loved one process your relationship with your body and identify elements that have contributed to it (such as diet culture and social media messaging). Regardless if you want to attend sessions in-person or virtually, we are able to accommodate. If you want to heal your relationship with your body and practice a more healthy coping skill set, please reach out to us today and begin working with one of our trained body image therapists and/or Registered Dietitians.

Sources

Choudhary, Prashant; Upadhyay, Saumya; Kar, Sujita Kumar. Concept of body image and its mental health implications. Odisha Journal of Psychiatry 18(1):p 11-20, Jan–Jun 2022. | DOI: 10.4103/OJP.OJP_3_22

Greenberg, J. L., Jacobson, N. C., Hoeppner, S. S., Bernstein, E. E., Snorrason, I., Schwartzberg, A., Steketee, G., Phillips, K. A., & Wilhelm, S. (2022). Early response to cognitive behavioral therapy for body dysmorphic disorder as a predictor of outcomes. Journal of psychiatric research, 152, 7–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.06.001