How Do I Know If I Have an Unhealthy Body Image?
You work hard to take care of everyone around you: your family, your job, and the people who expect a lot from you. When it comes to your own body, you feel uncomfortable, worried, or even ashamed. You notice every flaw. You compare yourself to others.
Some days, a glance in the mirror or a number on the scale can flip your mood in seconds. Part of you wonders, “Why can’t I just feel okay in my own skin?” You want to enjoy your life without constantly thinking about your weight or shape.
You’re tired of feeling like your body decides whether you’re confident or allowed to feel good. Deep down, you’re hoping there’s a way to feel better without having to change everything about yourself. The good news is: body image therapy can help.
What Does “Body Image” Mean?
Body image is the way you see your body, think about your body, and feel in your body. It also includes how you treat your body in everyday life. It’s not just about liking what you see in the mirror. It’s about how comfortable and confident you feel walking through the world in the body you have.
Signs You Might Have an Unhealthy Body Image
It’s normal to have days when you don’t love how you look. But if these thoughts take up a lot of space in your mind or change how you live your life, that may be a sign of a deeper struggle.
Here are some things to pay attention to:
Your Mood Changes Based on the Scale or Mirror
A number on the scale or a glance at your reflection can decide whether your day feels good or bad. Your worth starts to feel connected to your size or shape.
You Think About Your Body A Lot
You notice every flaw. You compare yourself to others. Thoughts about your body show up often, even when you’re trying to focus on other parts of your life.
You’re Hard on Yourself
Your inner voice points out what’s “wrong” instead of what’s strong. Kindness feels out of reach. Criticism feels automatic.
You Avoid Things You Actually Want to Do
This might look like:
Skipping swimming, beach days, or pool parties
Avoiding photos
Wearing only certain clothes
Turning down fun plans
Putting life on hold until your body changes
Eating and Exercise Feel Like Punishment
You may feel guilty after eating, or you push yourself to work out even when you’re tired or sick.
Movement and food stop feeling good and start feeling like an obligation or punishment.
Why Can Body Image Become So Hard?
You didn’t start life worrying about what you look like. Babies don’t pinch their stomachs in the mirror. These thoughts are learned over time.
Some things that can shape body image include:
Diet culture and constant messages about thinness
Social media filters and comparison
Family comments about food and weight
Hurtful experiences like bullying or teasing
Perfectionism and pressure to be “enough”
Your body became a place of stress because the world told you it should be.
It makes sense if this feels heavy. You’ve been doing your best in a system that often feels impossible.
What Does a Healthy Body Image Look Like?
You don’t have to love your body to have a healthy relationship with it. Loving your body can feel like a lot of pressure. A healthy body image is more about respect and care than anything else.
Healthy body image looks like:
Thinking less about your body during the day
Feeling comfortable in more situations
Wearing clothes you enjoy
Letting yourself take up space
Knowing your worth doesn’t come from how you look
It means letting yourself live your life even when you’re uncomfortable.
You’re Not Alone. Body Image Therapy in Utah Can Help
If this sounds like you, there is nothing wrong with you. You learned beliefs and behaviors that helped you survive in a world that pressures women to look a certain way. Those patterns were never your fault, and they can change.
With the help of Maple Canyon Therapy, you can build a kinder inner voice, feel safer and more comfortable in your body, enjoy food and movement again, and show up for your life without waiting for your body to look different first. This is the heart of body image therapy in Utah: helping you feel more at peace in your skin and confident in who you are right now.
Start body image therapy in Utah today.
Your life doesn’t start after a goal weight.
It doesn’t start after you like what you see in the mirror.
It starts when you choose to show up as you are.
If you’re ready to explore healing your relationship with your body, I’m here. I’d be honored to help you feel more at home in yourself.
Let’s talk about what support could look like for you.
Why Online Therapy in Utah is a great option
Online therapy in Utah gives you the same support and professional care you would get in an office, but with a lot more convenience. There’s no driving across town, sitting in a waiting room, or trying to squeeze appointments into a busy day. You can show up from home, work, or even your car during a break, wherever you feel comfortable. Just to be clear: I treat online sessions the same as in-person ones. I’m never in bed or wearing pajamas. I show up prepared, focused, and ready to help you. Many people even find it easier to open up from their own space.
No matter where you live in Salt Lake City, St. George, Provo, Cedar City, Logan, Heber City, or anywhere else in Utah, you can get high-quality body image therapy without leaving your home. The most important part of therapy is the connection we build, and that works no matter the distance.
About the Author
Ashlee Hunt, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and the owner of Maple Canyon Therapy, an online private practice serving adults across Utah. Ashlee specializes in helping women who struggle with body image, anxiety, and eating-related concerns. She has worked with eating disorders at every level of care, including outpatient, intensive outpatient, residential, and inpatient, and brings years of real experience into each session.
Ashlee believes therapy should feel safe, respectful, and empowering. Her approach is gentle and supportive, but also grounded in evidence-based practices that help clients create real change. She helps women challenge harmful beliefs about food and their bodies, rebuild trust in themselves, and learn how to show up in life without perfectionism calling the shots.
When she isn’t working with clients, Ashlee enjoys time outside and spending time with her dogs and husband.