Body Image and Eating Disorder Awareness Week

Every year, Body Image and Eating Disorder Awareness Week invites us to reflect on the complex relationship we have with our bodies — and how much of that relationship goes beyond the surface. From media-driven ideals to deeply personal experiences of self-worth, our body image is not just about how we look, but how we feel about who we are. 

This week, running from 2–8 September, offers an important opportunity to raise awareness around eating disorders, challenge unrealistic beauty standards, and explore how therapy can support healing — not only of the body, but of the mind and the self. 

What is Body Image, Really? 

Body image is often misunderstood as being purely about appearance — how we look in the mirror, how clothes fit, or how others perceive us. But in reality, body image is a deeply psychological experience. It encompasses the thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and behaviours we associate with our bodies. 

Body image is shaped over time by a combination of: 

• Cultural and societal messages about beauty and worth 

• Family dynamics and early attachment experiences 

• Peer influences, including bullying or praise 

• Media portrayals of “ideal” bodies 

• Personal experiences, such as illness, trauma, or identity development 

What often gets overlooked is how body image becomes a lens through which we view our entire self. For many people, body dissatisfaction isn’t just about wanting to be thinner or more toned — it’s about feeling inadequate, unworthy, or “not enough” in a more general sense. 

The Psychological Roots of Body Dissatisfaction 

At the heart of body dissatisfaction is a fragile sense of self-worth. When our value becomes tied to how we look, it creates a conditional sense of self-esteem: “I’ll feel good about myself if I reach a certain weight,” or “I’ll be accepted when I look a certain way.” 

This can stem from early environments where love, praise, or attention were based on performance or appearance. Over time, these conditions may become internalised, and we begin to police ourselves — often harshly — based on these standards. 

Negative body image can also function as a coping mechanism. For those who have experienced trauma, anxiety, or a loss of control in other areas of life, focusing on the body can feel like something tangible to manage. Controlling food or weight may offer a false sense of stability, even as it becomes increasingly harmful. 

Moreover, we live in a society that often rewards disordered behaviours. Diet culture, fitness extremes, and “wellness” obsessions are sometimes praised under the guise of discipline or health, masking the psychological distress that lies beneath. 

Eating Disorders: More Than Food 

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that go far beyond food, weight, or appearance. They are often rooted in a complex interplay of emotional pain, perfectionism, control, identity struggles, and low self-worth. 

Common types of eating disorders include: 

• Anorexia nervosa: characterised by restriction, intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image. 

• Bulimia nervosa: involving cycles of bingeing and purging, often driven by shame or guilt. 

• Binge eating disorder: marked by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food, often quickly and to the point of discomfort. 

• ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder): where food avoidance is linked not to body image, but to sensory sensitivity, fear of illness, or past negative experiences with eating. 

It’s important to note that eating disorders affect people of all genders, ages, ethnicities, and body types. No one is immune — and you don’t have to be underweight to be struggling. 

The Role of Therapy in Body Image Healing 

Therapy can be a transformative space for those struggling with body image or disordered eating. At its core, therapy offers compassion, understanding, and a safe relationship — often in contrast to the inner critic that dominates someone’s self-perception. 

Here’s how therapy can help: 

1. Unpacking the Origins 

Therapists work with clients to explore the roots of their body image beliefs. When did these thoughts begin? Who or what shaped them? Gaining insight into the past helps loosen the grip these beliefs have in the present. 

2. Rebuilding Self-Worth 

Therapy can help shift the focus from appearance-based worth to intrinsic worth. Clients learn to see themselves as whole people — not just bodies to be judged or improved. 

3. Developing Coping Strategies 

Instead of turning to food, restriction, or body control in times of stress, therapy supports clients in developing healthier emotional coping tools — such as mindfulness, self-soothing techniques, and boundary-setting. 

4. Challenging Distorted Thinking 

Many people with body dissatisfaction experience cognitive distortions like black-and-white thinking (“If I’m not thin, I’m a failure”) or catastrophising (“If I gain weight, no one will love me”). Therapy helps identify and reframe these unhelpful patterns. 

5. Fostering Body Neutrality or Acceptance 

For some, body positivity feels like too big a leap. Therapy can support more realistic goals like body neutrality (accepting your body as it is, without judgment) or body respect (caring for your body regardless of how you feel about it). 

6. Creating a Sense of Belonging 

Many people with disordered eating feel isolated, ashamed, or misunderstood. Therapy provides a space for connection and validation — and in group settings, can also offer the healing power of shared experience. 

A Cultural Shift: Why Awareness Matters 

Raising awareness isn’t just about helping individuals — it’s about challenging the wider systems that perpetuate body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. 

• It means pushing back against industries that profit from body shame. 

• It means recognising that health is not determined by size. 

• It means making space for diverse body types, genders, and cultural experiences in conversations about recovery. 

Most importantly, it means creating a world where people feel valued for who they are — not just how they look. 

You Are Not Alone 

If you’re struggling with your body image, or living with an eating disorder, please know this: you are not broken — and you are not alone. These struggles are incredibly common, and they are nothing to be ashamed of. Support is available, and healing is possible. 

During this Body Image and Eating Disorder Awareness Week, we encourage you to: 

• Reflect on your relationship with your body 

• Speak kindly to yourself 

• Seek support if you need it 

• Extend compassion to those around you 

You deserve to live a life that isn’t defined by the size or shape of your body — but by your values, passions, relationships, and self-worth. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with disordered eating, consider reaching out to a mental health professional or an organisation such as:

• Butterfly Foundation – National support service for eating disorders and body image concerns. Call 1800 33 4673 or visit butterfly.org.au.

• Eating Disorders Queensland (EDQ) – Provides counselling, groups, and community support. Visit edq.org.au.

• InsideOut Institute – A national research and clinical excellence centre for eating disorders. Resources at insideoutinstitute.org.au.

• Headspace – Support for young people (12–25) with mental health concerns, including eating disorders. Visit headspace.org.au.

• Lifeline – For immediate crisis support, call 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au.