Getting to the Root: Meeting Your Body Where It’s At
By Caroline Burke, LCAT
Just about every human being, to a greater or lesser extent, has struggled with body image. Often we internalize messages at an early age about our bodies based on experiences with family, peers, and society at large. These messages can calcify into core beliefs (does “My worth only comes from how I look” sound familiar?) and sometimes result in maladaptive behaviors.
The swift rise of weight loss drugs, GLP-1s and GIPs, over the last few years has certainly added to the forces that influence body image. Originating as treatment for diabetes and other health conditions, this class of drug has become increasingly marketed for off-label use. GLP-1 advertisements have been exploding over major cities, on TV and social media, and have gained celebrity endorsements. GLP-1s are here to stay for the foreseeable future. There are numerous reasons why someone may decide to go on this medication, and that’s ok! In an ideal world, you are making that decision thoughtfully, and the result is doing what’s best for you and your body. We have the power to make decisions for our own bodies, period.
However, you may find that you are feeling pressured to go on weight loss medication, influenced by those same factors that shaped perceptions of your body image in the first place. That personal decision then goes from empowering choice to a loss of agency.
If that is the case it could be time to pause, slow down, and examine where these intense emotions are coming from.
Therapy can help delve into the origins of that pressure (perceived and actual) and parse through why it feels so intense. Drama therapy in particular is well suited to navigating challenges around body image and related stressors. Through drama therapy, we can explore the function of negative self-talk. We can embody and en-role different emotions, core beliefs, and even different body parts to increase perspective and expand insight. Through therapeutic scenework, we can challenge the people/places/things that have contributed to the scaffolding of poor body image. On a broader scale, drama therapy can help us reflect on the systems of power that sustain body oppression in this country.
Getting to the root of any core belief is difficult, especially when that belief is reinforced by society on a daily basis. But you are not alone on this journey; there are many who walk with you. By coming together and creating community, we can shed light on these beliefs that thrive in isolation. Here at Beauregard Creative Arts Therapy, we bring a body liberation perspective into our work with folks experiencing a range of mental health concerns. We work with children, adults, couples, and offer therapeutic groups as well. Please check out our website for more information.