Why Summer is a Great Time To Find a Body Image and Eating Disorder Therapist
Why summer is a great time to find a body image/eating disorder therapist
Summer is a time that is either loved or hated by my clients in eating disorder recovery. Summer is a wonderful time where in Ohio we get more sunlight, longer daylight hours, pretty landscaping, and increased social events. For others, it can be quite the challenge to navigate wearing less clothing on hot days, social interactions involving food can be stressful, and having a chaotic schedule can exacerbate body image distress and eating inconsistencies. This post highlights why summer is the perfect time to connect with an eating disorder and body image therapist.
Flexible schedules
For some, summertime opens up schedules and life looks a bit different. We work with many professionals and college students who have summers off or just have more flexibility in their schedules. This flexibility can encourage doing some deeper reflection and skill building during this down time. If you are a teacher, paraprofessional, a student, or a mom looking to address your body image during the summer months, reach out today! Our team of eating disorder specialists can work with you on your timeline to help you tackle the big issues so you can be ready to face challenges in the fall!
Preparation for upcoming holiday season
I cannot believe how fast the years go anymore. How we are already half way through the year 2024 is BEYOND me! That said, summer is a great time to begin working with a body image and eating disorder therapist so that you can learn about your triggers of food and body distress and feel confident as the holiday season approaches. It seems like once fall hits, schedules get crazy and before we know it, we are approaching a season of holidays that incorporate more family time, meals, and less vitamin D. Can you imagine what it might be like to enter the holiday season and not have to worry about dieting, counting your calories, or exercising to earn food?
Therapist availability
Summer is a slow season for therapists and I get it! While I enjoy the slower months myself, it is a good reminder that during the summer months, we can take advantage of the availability that therapists have. Maybe you want to try therapy but feel like it will take too long. Well, now is a great time to connect with a therapist. You could even ramp up your sessions to meet more frequently throughout the summer and then take a break, or slow down once fall hits. I, as well as other therapists have lots of availability this time of year. Body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating don’t magically go away during the summer, so schedule your appointment today!
Sunshine improves our mental wellbeing
I always crack up at how my caseload drops off this time of year! It seems like once the sun is shining, people feel better and for obvious reasons – the sun is shining more!! We know that vitamin D is connected to our moods and vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for depression. If you’re feeling better mentally, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a therapist. Actually, when we are feeling better, it can make doing the deeper work easier. Our brains have limited capacity to create new neural pathways when we are depressed, so with more sunshine, and feeling better mentally, we can tackle those obsessive body image thoughts, food rules, and exercise patterns that leave you feeling certain ways about your body.
Swimsuit Season
As a body image and eating disorder therapist, I know how difficult swimsuit season can be for those with an active ED and those in new stages of recovery. Whether or not you plan to sit by the pool or lake this summer, this can still be a triggering time for many because due to the heat, we generally wear less clothes. A reminder that people of all sizes deserve to wear the clothes that they feel comfortable and good in and if you have thoughts that impact what you are wearing this summer, our team would love to help you sort through that.
Summer is a great time to work on your relationship with food and body image for many reasons! If you are considering finding a new therapist to sort through your body image distress and food issues, we are here to help! You can schedule an appointment with us today – we take many insurances. If we happen to not be in network with your insurance, let us know and we can talk about how we can serve you in other ways!
As always,
With love and light!
Jackie Garn, MSSA, LISW-S
