We start underneath
Body image is rarely only about the body. We look at the anxiety, shame, perfectionism and self-worth sitting under it, because that is what is actually driving the loop.
You should not have to earn the right to take up space.
Therapy for women whose confidence, mood and plans move with how they think they look. Virtual throughout New York and Vermont, in person in Patchogue.
Book a free consult
Fifteen minutes, free, and nothing to prepare.
Prefer to call or text? 631-371-4888
- Focus
- Comparison, appearance anxiety, food and exercise guilt, and self-worth.
- Methods
- CBT, Internal Family Systems and somatic work.
- Who
- Gen Z and Millennial women.
- Sessions
- Virtual across New York and Vermont, in person in Patchogue.
Insurance & payment
Select New York plans accepted: Aetna, Northwell Direct, UnitedHealthcare and Optum. Vermont clients and anyone out of network are private pay, and a sliding scale is available.
What it actually looks like
It is rarely dramatic. It is mostly constant.
Body image struggles do not usually announce themselves. They run quietly, all day, in the background of an otherwise capable life.
- Checking your reflection, or avoiding it entirely.
- Deciding what to wear based on what hides the most.
- Feeling guilty after eating, or after missing a workout.
- Scrolling and measuring yourself against every person you pass.
- Reading a photo of yourself as evidence about your worth.
- Needing reassurance, then not believing it when it comes.
How the work goes
Four moves, in this order, for a reason.
We regulate before we reason
When your nervous system feels unsafe, reasoning alone is rarely enough. Grounding, breath and somatic work come first, so the rest has somewhere to land.
We work with the critic, not against it
Parts work gives the critical voice a job and a history instead of a verdict. Understanding it is what loosens it.
We build worth that does not move
The goal is not forcing body positivity. It is being less consumed by appearance, so your sense of yourself stops rising and falling with a mirror.
Who you will talk to
Donnie Newman, LCSW
Virtual across New York and Vermont, in person in Patchogue. The first fifteen minutes are free, and they are a conversation rather than an assessment.
Book a free consult
No intake form, nothing to prepare.
An important clarification
You do not need a diagnosis to deserve help with this.
Many people struggle with body dissatisfaction, appearance anxiety, food guilt, comparison or self-criticism without meeting criteria for an eating disorder. Body image struggles sit on a wide spectrum, and they can affect confidence, relationships and anxiety deeply while someone looks completely fine from the outside.
If you have already tried to love your body and it did not work, that is extremely common. Healing here is usually deeper than repeating affirmations. It is about feeling safer and less self-critical, rather than feeling positive about your body all the time.
Common questions
A few honest things before you book.
- Do I need to have an eating disorder to benefit from body image therapy?
- No. Many people struggle with body dissatisfaction, appearance anxiety, food guilt, comparison, or self-criticism without having an eating disorder. Therapy can still help.
- What if my confidence depends on what other people think of me?
- This is extremely common. Therapy can help you develop a more stable sense of self-worth that is not dependent on appearance, approval, achievement, or external validation.
- Can therapy help me stop comparing myself to other people?
- Yes. Comparison is one of the most common concerns clients bring to therapy. Together, we will explore what fuels those comparisons and work toward building a healthier relationship with yourself.
You do not have to arrive with the words for it.
Most people book this call without knowing how to explain what is wrong. That is genuinely fine, and it is where we start.
Book a free consult
Prefer to call or text? 631-371-4888
Insurance accepted for select New York plans: Aetna, Northwell Direct, UnitedHealthcare and Optum. Private pay and sliding scale available everywhere, including Vermont.