Body Image Therapy in Tampa and throughout FL & VT
Find peace with your body, untangle old messages, and build a better relationship with yourself
Is it hard to feel comfortable in your body?
Feeling comfortable in your body can feel harder and harder over time—especially when you’ve spent years absorbing messages that tell you your worth is tied to how you look. Many people seeking body image therapy share that they’ve never felt truly at ease in their bodies, and recently it feels even more difficult. Your body may have changed, or it may look exactly the same, yet your self-talk, anxiety, and negative body image have become louder.
You might look around and see friends or coworkers wearing clothes they love, enjoying social events, or going to the beach without spiraling about their appearance. It’s easy to wonder, “How are they so confident? Why does this feel so hard for me?” When you’re struggling with body image, it can feel impossible to imagine yourself ever feeling that free.
And of course, you’re surrounded by body-focused conversations almost everywhere. Social media, diet culture, “wellness” trends, and even casual comments from family and friends all reinforce the idea that you should be shrinking, improving, or controlling your body. These constant messages can make it seem normal to hate your body or distrust it—something I hear often in body image counseling.
But a part of you likely knows something isn’t right. That your mood, your confidence, and your ability to enjoy your life shouldn’t depend on how you feel about your appearance on any given day. That’s where trauma-informed, weight-inclusive body image therapy can help.
If you live in a larger body, you may feel this pressure even more intensely. You might dread being out in the world because everyday experiences—finding clothes that fit, sitting comfortably in public spaces, or meeting with a medical provider—don’t feel accessible or supportive. Many of my clients describe how doctors focus on weight instead of listening, or how stores don’t carry clothing that honors their size and style. Instead of being frustrated with the systems that make life harder, you may blame your body for not “fitting the mold,” which can deepen shame and self-criticism.
But feeling this way does not mean you’ve failed. It means you’ve been navigating a world that was not built with your body, comfort, or well-being in mind. Body image therapy in Tampa and virtual body image counseling across Florida and Vermont can help you understand where these beliefs came from, untangle the pressures you’ve internalized, and reconnect with your body in a way that feels kinder, safer, and more sustainable.
You deserve to feel at home in your body—not constantly at war with it.
When you’re struggling with negative body image, everyday life can start to feel heavier and more complicated than it needs to be.
These experiences are incredibly common since many of us grew up with diet culture, weight stigma, or critical messages from family or society. You’re not imagining the impact—and you’re not alone in it.
With body image counseling, you can begin untangling these patterns and build a more grounded, compassionate relationship with your body and yourself.
Your relationship with your body might leave you:
Struggling to get dressed in the morning because nothing feels “right” or comfortable
Worrying about what you eat or feeling anxious around food choices
Constantly thinking others are judging your body or appearance
Feeling less confident in yourself, your abilities, or how you show up in the world
Questioning whether you’ll ever be in a loving, safe, or fulfilling relationship
Feeling anxious about activities you used to enjoy
Holding back from pleasure, joy, or things that once felt meaningful
Comparing yourself to others and consistently feeling “not good enough”
Stuck in a cycle of dieting, food guilt, or disordered eating/eating disorder behaviors
Feeling symptoms of anxiety or depression worsen because of body-related stress
Wondering if you’ll always feel this way or if change is even possible
Here’s what we’ll do together
What Body Image Therapy Looks Like (In My Practice)
Warm, grounded, anti-diet, weight-neutral care for adults.
Body image therapy is a compassionate form of counseling that helps you understand why you feel the way you do about your body — and how to begin rewriting that story in a way that aligns with your values and sense of self. Rather than telling you to “love your body,” therapy helps you build peace, acceptance, and resilience in a world that constantly communicates harmful body standards.
We explore:
✔ How your body image developed
Likely from family messages, diet culture, trauma, and weight stigma
✔ How diet culture and societal pressures shape your inner critic
Through gentle exploration ofyour inner word
✔ Ways your thoughts and feelings about your body impact your life and relationships
Because it does impact these things and is not often talked about
✔ Practical skills for responding to negative body thoughts with curiosity instead of judgment
What We Don’t Do Here
This is not a place to fix your body or guarantee that you’ll “love” it all the time. That expectation often comes from the same cultural pressure that harmed your body image in the first place. Instead, this therapy helps you reclaim your attention — so body thoughts don’t dominate your experience of life.
When all is said and done, here’s the thing:
Your struggle with your body is not your fault - you have been taught to feel this way.
What we’ll work on
Imagine a life where…
You feel more confident choosing clothes because you’re dressing for comfort, expression, and your real life—not body pressure or fear of judgment.
Food no longer feels like a battle, and you trust yourself to make choices that support your well-being instead of falling into dieting or guilt.
You feel equipped to navigate body changes throughout your life without spiraling into shame or self-criticism.
Your self-worth is no longer tied to the size, shape, or weight of your body.
You notice a negative body image thought and know exactly how to respond with compassion, grounding, and tools that actually work.
You understand your own body story—where the pain came from, why it’s been so hard, and what you need to feel safer and more at home in yourself.
You see diet culture for what it is and feel confident navigating it in conversations, online spaces, and everyday life.
You allow yourself to be in family photos and actually feel present in the moment instead of worrying about how you look.
Therapy approaches I use
to understand the parts of you that carry shame, fear, or protection strategies
shift the internalized messages from diet culture and reconnect with your body in a way that feels safer and more compassionate
Nervous System Informed
to understand why your reactions make sense, not “fix” them
You get a blend of science and compassion — with absolutely zero judgment.
Form a new relationship with your body
Change is possible. I’ll help you get there.
- Keri Baker, LCSW, Brainspotting & IFS Therapist and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor
Questions?
FAQs
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Body image therapy is a supportive, trauma-informed approach that helps you understand why you feel the way you do about your body and how to build a healthier, more compassionate relationship with yourself. Instead of focusing on weight or appearance, this work addresses your nervous system, your emotional experiences, and the messages you received from family, the world around you, or diet culture. Together, we explore your “body story,” challenge internalized shame, and help you move toward body acceptance and confidence.
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Absolutely—many of my clients live in larger bodies and want a therapist who will not focus on weight loss or blame their body. My practice is fully weight-inclusive, meaning your body is never the problem. We look at the systems, pressures, and messages that have shaped your beliefs—not your weight. You deserve care that is compassionate, affirming, and free from stigma.
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Yes. Many clients come to therapy after years or even decades of dieting, weight cycling, or feeling constantly at war with food and their bodies. Body image therapy helps you understand how diet culture has affected you, reconnect with your internal cues, reduce shame around food, and build a relationship with your body that isn’t based on control or restriction.
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Not always. Body image therapy can support people with eating disorders, but you don’t need a diagnosis—or even disordered eating—to benefit. Some clients struggle with body shame, comparison, or low confidence. Others have a long history of dieting or feeling disconnected from themselves. If your relationship with your body causes stress, limits your life, or impacts your self-esteem, body image therapy can help.
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Yes, and you are not alone! Unfortunately, we live in a society that praises certain bodies and demonizes others. We are taught from a young age that our worth is directly correlated with what our body looks like. Because of these things, it is not surprising that so many of us struggle with negative body image! The good news is that what has been taught can be untaught, and we can learn to challenge these views.
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There are many different ways to approach body image therapy. One of the first places we will start is figuring out what you body image story is, and thinking about your own relationship with your body over the years. This can help us figure out what body image goals you have – paying particular attention to ways in which your body image might be affecting your day to day life. It is also important to note that the goal does not have to be (and in my opinion should not be) getting to a place where you are totally in love with your body. Is it great to have moments where you feel like that? Yes! Is it necessary to feel this way to find relief from negative body image? Absolutely not.
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If you are experiencing any discomfort with your body that is affecting your life or the way you feel about yourself in general, you are likely dealing with negative body image. You do not need to have a diagnosis or feel desperate to be dealing with body image concerns. It is important to remember that this is NOT your falt – you have been conditioned to think this way.
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Yes. I offer online therapy across Florida and Vermont, making support accessible whether you live near Tampa or elsewhere in the state. Many clients love virtual sessions because they feel more comfortable at home and find it easier to talk openly about body image concerns.
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Yes. Many clients choose my practice specifically because they want weight-neutral therapy where the focus isn’t on controlling their body or pursuing weight loss. We work on reducing shame, rebuilding self-trust, and helping you live a full life without feeling consumed by appearance concerns.
Schedule a consult
Schedule a consult
Struggle with negative body thoughts or constant body evaluation
Have dieted for years and feel disconnected from your body
Feel anxious or self-critical about food, weight, or appearance
Live with eating disorder symptoms or disordered eating patterns
Experience weight stigma or feel unseen or misunderstood by other providers
Want support that is anti-diet, size-inclusive, HAES-aligned
You might benefit from Body Image Therapy if you…
Therapy in Tampa, FL
Services are also offered virtually throughout Florida and Vermont