🌸 Body Dysmorphia & Eating Disorders
🌿 Healing Your Relationship with Body, Mind, and Self
When you look in the mirror, do you see someone you criticize rather than someone you care for?
Do thoughts about your body or food take up too much space in your day?
At Mara’s Lighthouse, we understand that struggles with body image and eating behaviors are not about vanity — they’re about pain, control, and disconnection. We provide a compassionate, evidence-based space where healing begins with understanding, not judgment.
💭 Understanding Body Dysmorphia
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) involves obsessive focus on perceived flaws in appearance — flaws that others may not notice at all. These thoughts can become distressing, intrusive, and hard to escape, often leading to anxiety, social withdrawal, or repetitive checking and comparison behaviors.
Common experiences include:
Constant worry about body shape, size, or facial features
Avoiding mirrors — or checking them repeatedly
Comparing appearance to others
Excessive grooming, makeup, or clothing changes to “hide flaws”
Seeking reassurance about looks, yet rarely feeling satisfied
Feeling anxious, ashamed, or “not good enough”
Body dysmorphia is not vanity — it’s emotional pain that deserves compassion and care.
🌱 Understanding Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are serious mental-health conditions that affect both the body and mind. They can develop in anyone, regardless of age, gender, or body type.
Common types include:
Anorexia Nervosa: Severe restriction of food and fear of weight gain.
Bulimia Nervosa: Cycles of binge eating followed by purging, fasting, or over-exercise.
Binge Eating Disorder: Recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food accompanied by guilt or loss of control.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID): Restriction due to sensory sensitivity or fear, not body image.
Warning signs may include changes in eating patterns, obsession with calories or exercise, shame after eating, or noticeable shifts in mood and energy.
🧠 Emotional & Physical Impact
Eating disorders and body dysmorphia affect every part of life — physically, mentally, and relationally. They can lead to fatigue, isolation, anxiety, depression, and strained relationships.
Underneath these patterns often lie deep emotional needs for control, safety, or acceptance. At Mara’s Lighthouse, we focus on the person, not the behavior — helping clients reconnect with body trust, self-worth, and emotional balance.
🌿 How Therapy Helps
Our therapists provide a safe, affirming environment to explore the underlying emotions behind disordered eating and body image distress. Treatment may include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Identifying and challenging distorted body or food-related thoughts.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Building emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and self-compassion.
Mindfulness & Somatic Awareness: Learning to reconnect safely with the body and physical sensations.
Family-Based Support: Involving parents or partners in recovery when appropriate.
Nutritional and Medical Collaboration: Working with healthcare providers for integrated care.
Healing isn’t about achieving a “perfect body” — it’s about learning to feel safe and whole in your own skin.
💬 Support for Teens, Adults & Families
Body image concerns and disordered eating can appear at any age. Teens may struggle with peer comparison and identity; adults may battle lifelong patterns rooted in stress or trauma.
We help:
Teens: Build self-esteem, confidence, and healthy coping skills.
Adults: Untangle long-standing thought patterns and rediscover peace with food and body.
Families: Learn to support loved ones with empathy and avoid harmful language or pressure.
When families heal together, recovery feels safer and more sustainable.
🤝 Integrated, Whole-Person Care
Because body dysmorphia and eating disorders affect both physical and emotional health, we offer collaborative, multidisciplinary care.
Your plan may include:
Individual therapy focused on body image and self-worth
Coordination with nutritionists, physicians, or psychiatrists
In-house prescriber support when appropriate
Trauma-informed therapy for past abuse or neglect
Mind-body practices to rebuild connection and calm
We honor every step of recovery — whether you’re beginning treatment, rebuilding after relapse, or seeking ongoing support.
🌼 Reclaiming Compassion for Yourself
Recovery is not linear, and perfection is not the goal. It’s about reconnecting with your body as an ally, not an enemy.
Small steps that matter:
1️⃣ Nourish consistently. Your body deserves regular care and fuel.
2️⃣ Speak kindly to yourself. Notice when self-criticism arises — replace it with compassion.
3️⃣ Challenge comparison. Your worth is not measured against anyone else’s.
4️⃣ Ask for support early. Healing deepens when you’re not alone.
💙 At Mara’s Lighthouse, we help you move from self-criticism to self-care, from control to connection, and from shame to self-acceptance.
💖 Healing Is Possible
Whether you’re struggling quietly or seeking help for someone you love, recovery begins with understanding and support. You are not broken — you are healing.
👉 Click below to schedule your session and take your next step toward peace with your body, mind, and self.