Healthy at Every Size® (HAES®) Therapy
Building a Healthier Relationship With Your Body, Food, and Yourself
Many people have spent years feeling disconnected from their bodies, struggling with body image, or experiencing shame related to food, weight, or appearance.
At Journey Forth MHC, Healthy at Every Size® (HAES®)-informed therapy provides a compassionate, weight-inclusive space to explore your relationship with your body, develop self-acceptance, and create healthier patterns that support your overall well-being.
Therapy is not about changing your body or meeting unrealistic expectations. It is about building a more supportive relationship with yourself and learning to care for your physical and emotional needs with compassion.
What Is Healthy at Every Size® (HAES®)?
Healthy at Every Size® is an approach that recognizes health and well-being are influenced by many factors and cannot be determined by body size alone.
A HAES-informed approach focuses on:
Respecting body diversity
Reducing weight stigma and shame
Supporting compassionate self-care
Developing a healthier relationship with food and movement
Recognizing that every person’s experiences are unique
HAES encourages people to move away from judgment and toward understanding, respect, and sustainable well-being.
How Body Image and Self-Worth Can Become Connected
Many people receive messages throughout their lives that affect how they view their bodies.
These messages may come from:
Family experiences
Cultural expectations
Media and social influences
Healthcare experiences
Diet culture
Past criticism or shame
Over time, these experiences can influence the way a person thinks about themselves and their worth.
You may find yourself:
Criticizing your body
Feeling disconnected from physical needs
Avoiding activities because of body concerns
Feeling shame around eating
Measuring your worth through appearance or weight
Therapy can provide a space to explore these experiences and develop a more compassionate perspective.
Signs You May Benefit From HAES-Informed Therapy
You may benefit from support if you:
Struggle with body image concerns
Feel shame or guilt related to food
Have a difficult relationship with eating or movement
Feel pressure to change your body to feel accepted
Experience anxiety related to appearance
Want to practice greater self-compassion
Are recovering from harmful diet culture messages
Want support building a more respectful relationship with your body
You do not need to meet a specific criteria to seek support. Therapy can help anyone who wants to explore their relationship with their body and well-being.
How HAES-Informed Therapy Can Help
Therapy can help you explore your experiences while developing skills that support emotional and physical well-being.
Together, therapy may help you:
Identify harmful beliefs about your body
Develop self-compassion
Challenge shame and self-criticism
Improve awareness of your needs
Build trust with yourself
Explore emotions connected to food and body image
Develop healthier coping strategies
Create a more balanced relationship with self-care
The goal is not perfection. The goal is creating a relationship with yourself that is based on respect and understanding.
A Compassionate, Weight-Inclusive Approach
At Journey Forth MHC, we believe every person deserves to feel respected and supported in their own body.
A HAES-informed approach emphasizes:
Body Respect
Learning to appreciate your body’s experiences without judgment or criticism.
Self-Compassion
Replacing shame and self-criticism with kindness and understanding.
Individual Needs
Recognizing that wellness looks different for every person.
Empowerment
Supporting you in making choices that align with your values and well-being.
Your body is not a problem to solve. Therapy can help you build a healthier relationship with yourself.
The Connection Between Body Image, Emotions, and Mental Health
Body image concerns are often connected with deeper emotional experiences.
Therapy may explore connections between:
Self-esteem
Anxiety
Perfectionism
Trauma experiences
Emotional regulation
Relationships
Personal identity
Understanding these connections can help create meaningful and lasting change.
What to Expect in HAES-Informed Therapy at Journey Forth
Beginning therapy is an opportunity to explore your experiences in a supportive environment.
Initial sessions focus on understanding:
What brings you to therapy
Your relationship with your body and food
Challenges you would like support with
Your personal goals for growth and healing
Therapy is collaborative and moves at a pace that respects your experiences and needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HAES therapy about ignoring health?
No. HAES-informed care recognizes that health matters while also recognizing that health is complex and cannot be judged by appearance or body size alone.
Is HAES therapy only for people with eating disorders?
No. People seek HAES-informed therapy for many reasons, including body image concerns, self-esteem challenges, shame, emotional struggles, and wanting a healthier relationship with food and themselves.
Does HAES mean I cannot have personal health goals?
No. HAES supports individuals in making choices that align with their own values and well-being without shame, stigma, or pressure.
Can trauma affect body image?
Yes. Many people experience connections between trauma, self-worth, body image, and relationships with food or movement. Therapy can provide space to explore these experiences safely.
Begin Building a More Compassionate Relationship With Yourself
Your worth is not defined by your body, your appearance, or your relationship with food.
At Journey Forth MHC, HAES-informed therapy provides a supportive space to explore body image, self-compassion, and personal growth while developing a healthier relationship with yourself.