Finding Peace With Yourself

In a city like Washington, DC, comparison is hard to escape. Surrounded by high achievers and relentless standards, it’s easy to feel like you need to keep proving yourself. This culture of constant comparison doesn’t just affect careers, it can take root in how you feel about your own body creating a cycle of criticism, perfectionism, or constant self-monitoring that leaves you feeling like your body is never good enough.

If you’ve noticed how much time and energy goes into worrying about your appearance, food, or exercise, you know how exhausting it can be. These struggles are painful to carry, and they often come with shame that makes it even harder to talk about. But you don’t have to keep navigating this alone.

In my practice, I offer body image therapy for people who want to step out of that cycle. Together, we’ll look at how these patterns took shape, the impact they have on your daily life, and what it could feel like to relate to yourself with more kindness and ease.

What Body Image Issues Can Feel Like

Body image struggles show up in different ways, but the common thread is how much they wear you down. For some, it looks like constant preoccupation with food or exercise. For others, it’s the voice of an inner critic that won’t quiet down, or the urge to avoid situations where you might feel judged.

You might catch yourself checking mirrors or comparing yourself to others, even when you don’t want to. Social events that should be fun may feel like minefields because of the fear of how you’ll be seen. Eating might come with guilt, shame, or cycles of restriction and bingeing. For many people, there’s a persistent, painful sense of not being “good enough,” no matter what they do.

These patterns can be draining, and over time they start to interfere with relationships, work, and your overall sense of well-being. Naming them is the first step toward shifting them and therapy provides a space where you don’t have to face them alone.

When to Seek Therapy For Body Image Concerns

It’s normal to feel self-conscious sometimes. But when thoughts about your body start to take up most of your energy, they can cloud almost every part of life. That’s usually the point where therapy can make a difference.

You may notice yourself spending large parts of the day worrying about your weight or appearance, or feeling anxious whenever you’re around others because you’re caught in comparison. The standards you hold yourself to might feel impossibly high as though you’ll only be accepted if you meet a certain image.

For some, this shows up as harsh self-talk: calling yourself names you’d never use for anyone else. For others, it’s habits like weighing yourself constantly, scrutinizing your reflection, or hiding in oversized clothing to avoid being seen. Over time, these patterns can lead to withdrawing from social situations altogether, especially ones that feel exposing, like going to the pool or the beach.

If these experiences sound familiar, body image therapy can give you a space to talk about them openly, understand where they come from, and begin to shift how you relate to yourself. For some people, these struggles also show up in their relationship with food or exercise, other places where therapy can help.

Therapy For Disordered Eating

Disordered eating can take many forms: restricting calories, binge eating, compulsive exercising, or other unhealthy patterns. Many clients tell me: “I don’t think I have a ‘real’ eating disorder, but I know this isn’t normal.”

You don’t have to meet criteria for a formal diagnosis to benefit from therapy. Support for emotional eating can help you make sense of what’s driving these habits whether it’s stress, perfectionism, loneliness, or shame, and begin building easier ways to cope.

If your relationship with food or exercise feels punishing, therapy for compulsive exercise or counseling for binge eating may be an important next step. And because how we treat our bodies is often tied to how we see ourselves, body image work naturally connects with questions of self-esteem.

How Body Image and Self-Esteem Connect

Many people I see describe a constant sense of “not enough.” This might show up as perfectionism at work, people-pleasing in relationships, or anxiety about how others perceive you.

Concerns about body image are often connected to larger patterns of self-worth. That’s why this work overlaps with self-esteem, even anxiety therapy because the inner critic doesn’t limit itself to one part of your life.

If you’ve ever wondered “why do I not feel good enough?” or questioned if you will ever feel comfortable in your own skin, therapy can help you start to see yourself in a more accepting light. That’s the heart of body image therapy where we’re not just focusing on food or appearance, but on the deeper beliefs and emotions that shape how you see yourself.

How Therapy For Body Image Helps

For many people I see, perfectionism, comparison, or criticism from important figures in their past has left them believing they have to look a certain way to be acceptable. Therapy gives us a place to pause those messages, to understand where they came from, and to begin relating to yourself differently.

In our work together, that might mean:

  • Noticing the ways negative self-talk creeps in and learning how to soften it instead of automatically believing it.
  • Challenging perfectionism by experimenting with small, tolerable steps toward flexibility rather than harsh “all-or-nothing” standards.
  • Exploring the emotions behind restrictive eating, bingeing, or compulsive exercise, so behavior change feels possible instead of forced.
  • Practicing compassion for yourself in moments when shame or guilt feel overwhelming.
  • Strengthening coping skills so you can manage stress and anxiety without punishing your body.

Over time, these steps add up. Clients often tell me they feel freer while spending less energy monitoring themselves and more energy available for relationships, meaningful work, and joy.

My Approach As A Body Image Therapist

Every client is different so I don’t use a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, I adapt our work to meet your needs. For some people, that means gently challenging the harsh beliefs about food, weight, or worth that fuel self-criticism. For others, it’s about looking at where these patterns began whether in family, school, or social experiences, and making sense of how they still echo today.

We also spend time building practical skills, like setting boundaries, managing stress, and finding healthier ways to cope when shame or anxiety shows up. When trauma, bullying, or neglect is part of your history, I may bring in trauma-focused approaches such as EMDR to help you process those experiences in a safe, grounded way.

Clients often tell me they appreciate my collaborative style. I ask questions, reflect back what I hear, and stay with them even during the hard parts. My role isn’t to push you toward a false sense of confidence, but to help you build something real and sustainable creating a way of relating to yourself that feels kinder and more authentic.

Why Work With Me

Practicing in Washington, DC, I understand how the culture of long hours, high expectations, and constant comparison can wear away at your sense of worth making even small choices, like what to wear or eat, feel like high-stakes tests. But body image struggles don’t have to keep running your life. With support, you can quiet the relentless inner critic, feel less consumed by comparison, and start relating to yourself with more compassion.

If you’re ready to begin, reach out today to schedule a consultation and learn how body image therapy can help you find steadier ground.

Contact: 571-882-1648 | dralexafram@gmail.com
Office: 1701 K Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20006
(Above Farragut North at K & 17th ST NW)

Body Image Therapy In Washington, DC FAQs:

How do I know if I need therapy for body image issues?

Everyone feels self-conscious sometimes. But if your focus on appearance takes up significant time, creates distress, or interferes with daily life, therapy may help. In body image therapy we’ll create space to understand what’s fueling the struggle and how to find relief.

What if I’ve struggled with body image for years, can therapy still help?

Absolutely. Whether your struggle started in adolescence, after a medical event, or has been present as long as you can remember, it’s never too late to find change. Therapy for perfectionism and body image can help you untangle old patterns and begin building a different relationship with yourself.

Can therapy help with binge eating or compulsive exercise if I don’t have an eating disorder diagnosis?

Yes. Many of the people I see don’t meet criteria for an eating disorder, but they still feel stuck in unhealthy patterns. Support for emotional eating or therapy for compulsive exercise can help you build healthier ways to cope, even without a formal diagnosis.

Is therapy for perfectionism and body image different from eating disorder treatment?

Yes. Not everyone struggling with body image has a diagnosable eating disorder. Therapy focuses on the underlying beliefs, perfectionism, and self-worth issues driving the behaviors.

Does body image therapy overlap with anxiety or depression treatment?

Yes. Body image concerns often overlap with anxiety, depression, or trauma. Many clients find that depression therapy or anxiety support is part of their healing process.

Is online body image counseling available in DC?

Yes. I offer both in-person and online sessions for those living in Washington, DC and PSYPACT participating states, so you can choose the setting that works best for you. Many clients appreciate having access to body image therapy in Washington DC without worrying about commute or scheduling challenges.

How long does body image therapy take?

It depends on your needs. Some clients feel shifts within a few months, while others benefit from longer-term work to address deeper roots.

"The best way out is always through." - Robert Frost

Difficulties with body image and disordered eating can both cause and result from a variety of other emotional issues. People struggling with negative body image often have difficulties with self-esteem, and may also suffer from symptoms of depression. Anxiety often is a significant contributor to eating disorders. Trauma may cause a person’s whole worldview to become more negative, including more negative self-perceptions around their body and eating habits.