Mind-Body Thrive’s Approach to Body Image Issues
How Psychotherapist Rebecca Capps Handles Increasing Eating Disorders and Substance Abuse
By Matt Kettmann | January 27, 2022
Psychotherapist and wellness coach Rebecca Capps is witnessing her practice double in size due to the isolation and routine-scrambling that the pandemic presents, particularly in regard to substance abuse, disordered eating, and body image issues.
A rise in substance abuse seems unfortunately logical these days, but why are body image issues up?
Anxiety about weight gain during lockdown combined with stigmatizing messages in the media about the dangers of higher body weight may contribute to increased levels of disordered eating and body dissatisfaction. The astronomical rise in eating disorders and addiction issues is at an all-time high, which is why I’ve continued to work on the front lines as a clinician.
How have you navigated helping clients digitally?
I’ve shifted from in-person services to offering teletherapy, which my clients report liking for both its convenience and flexibility. Teletherapy also allows clients to do therapy in the comfort of their own home — and sometimes even in their PJs!
Must you use new techniques for that?
Mindfulness and somatic-based therapies are especially useful tools, and I also like to incorporate sacred practices, like Ayurveda and the principles of intuitive eating to help my clients care for themselves deeply. I help them quiet the inner critic that tells them they’ll never be happy until they lose weight or that their worth is somehow tied to how they look.
My goal is to help people to realize that they have the power to make small changes in their behavior, their surroundings, and their relationships that can all contribute to living a happier life.
See mindbodythrive.com.
Read all of the stories in this year’s Self-Care issue here.
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