I'm noticing something that seems to be coming up with relative frequency within the privacy of my treatment space. So many of the women who come to see me for weight loss, fat reduction, or skin-tightening treatment open up about the pain of early-life experience having been harmed by someones' unkind words. Sometimes it's the hypercritical mother who withholds snacks or sweets, or forces intense exercise, to "protect" her daughter against being teased about her weight as the mother herself had been. Other times, the taunts of a classroom mean girl or a male bully created an audio track that loops endlessly in her head, telling her there is something wrong with the way she looks. Still others have endured emotionally-abusive partnerships or marriages in which the partner or spouse criticized specific physical features or exploited the woman's personal struggles to create insecurity and to maintain a dynamic of control. The experiences are as varied as the women themselves, but the outcome is often similar: She's internalized a message that there is something unlovable about her body.
The work I'm doing at Integrated Wellness isn't about vanity. In fact, a vital component of my pre-treatment assessment is discussing the client's needs and goals, ensuring that treatment I provide doesn't perpetuate insecurity or intensify tendencies toward perfectionism. My philosophy and process are centered around supporting the client as she returns to loving the body she inhabits, just as it is. Every body is deserving of love and care. The results we achieve together aren't extreme or "Photoshopped" -- they're natural, subtle, and her.
Refinement -- reducing areas of stubborn fat, firming and toning skin, and building muscle -- isn't about fixing perceived flaws. It's about reconciliation: Returning home to her body. Honoring her body for having carried her through life, borne her through both beautiful and difficult experiences. Provided her with a literal vehicle through which she serves her life's purpose and creates her legacy.
Self-care isn’t indulgence — it’s integration. It's shedding of the layers of conditioning that have interfered with the our ability to connect with and love our bodies, just as they are. The sad and bitter irony is that far too often, we as women punish our bodies for the external messages we've internalized, and the body in turn actually resists our efforts to force change. When we make the decision...the shift...to unconditionally love and accept our bodies, they can relax. Settle. Begin to respond again.
If this resonates, you can book a consultation on the "Begin Here" page linked in the top menu to explore ways that we can support your body through change...together.
