Health At Every Size ® Aligned Therapy
Contrary to what society tells us, bodies aren’t “supposed” to look a certain way. In fact, with beauty standards changing constantly, how can we expect to ever feel good enough in that environment? Not too long ago, having “curves in all the right places” was the beauty standard, and now we are back to “heroin chic” in the world of the GLP-1 weight loss craze. All of these beauty ideals are a social construct. Invented by who? People who stand to profit significantly from your fear of not meeting these standards and expectations.
Our bodies are supposed to change over time. This isn’t a sign of failure or wrongdoing on your part—it’s normal. It’s part of the human experience. And when you start to understand that, you can begin looking at your body and the world differently.
The root of this work is rewriting (and sometimes straight-up throwing out) the rules and narratives about bodies you’ve been holding onto that don’t actually support your health and well-being. They certainly don’t help your relationship with yourself or your body.
When a HAES® framework is incorporated into therapy, it helps create powerful shifts—allowing you to recognize that weight is influenced by a complex mix of genetics, environment, trauma, and social factors, and isn’t something that can be reliably or sustainably controlled.
Beyond the clinical language, here’s what this means for you:
- Reconnecting and attuning to your body and its signals
- Challenging the idea that your size is the most important aspect of your health and self-worth
- Caring for your physical and mental health in sustainable ways
- Making informed decisions about your body—without pressure, shame, or coercion
Your body is not a moral reflection of who you are, and your health is much more than an arbitrary number on a scale.
Instead, we start by understanding your unique story: what you’ve been taught about your body, how your relationship with food and weight has developed over time, and where patterns like shame, control, and fear came from in the first place.
From there, we begin to shift things in a way that actually feels sustainable. That might look like rebuilding trust with your body—learning to listen to hunger, fullness, energy, and rest cues—while also challenging the beliefs you’ve been carrying about weight and worth.
We also look at the context around all of this—your trauma history, culture, identity, and environment—because your relationship with food and your body didn’t develop in a vacuum. This means addressing the emotional roots of your eating patterns, too, whether that’s stress, trauma, or ways you’ve learned to cope.
We move away from rigid rules and all-or-nothing thinking toward a more neutral, steady relationship with food (yes, all foods), while also helping you feel more confident advocating for yourself in healthcare and other spaces. This is long-term work—because we’re undoing years, sometimes decades, of being told your body was the problem.
“I don’t want to spend the rest of my life dieting and thinking about food all day.”
→ Food and weight take up so much less space in my mind—I’m starting to feel free.
“I hate my body, and I’m constantly at war with it.”
→ I’m grateful for my body and all it does for me. We’ve been through a lot together.
“I don’t trust my body or know what it needs.”
→ I’m learning how to listen to my body—hunger, fullness, rest, and care are starting to make sense.
“I’m scared to go to the doctor because I won’t be taken seriously.”
→ I know how to advocate for myself in medical settings, and I know that the best kind of care focused on my symptoms and not just my weight is what I deserve.
“I feel like I have to exercise or the whole day is ruined.”
→ When I move my body, it’s because I want to and it feels good to do it—not because I have to.
“My life will be so much better when I lose weight.”
→ Losing weight did not make any of my issues with food or body go away; it usually made them worse. And I put my life on hold for so long pursuing a number on a scale I thought would solve all my problems. I don’t have to put my life on hold anymore. I am living my life now in this body.
And it’s not about giving up on yourself, either.
The HAES® principles are all about body autonomy. And wanting to lose weight is something we hold space for. We explore it—where it’s coming from, what it’s meant to give you, and whether it’s actually aligned with what you want long-term. The HAES® framework is built on the idea that people deserve respect, dignity, and the ability to make informed decisions about their own bodies without coercion or weight-based judgment. Oftentimes, the desire to lose weight comes from a space of weight-based judgment, and in order to determine if weight loss is what you truly want, we have a lot of bias to dismantle first so you can make the best decision for you and your body!
The HAES® framework and principles aren’t just something I agree with—it’s how I practice therapy, and it’s a framework I also live by. I’ve worked extensively with clients navigating eating disorders, body image, and the impact of weight stigma, and I intentionally integrate the HAES® framework into all of that work. I’m also continuing my training as a Body Trust provider with the Center for Body Trust, which closely aligns with this approach. So it isn’t just theoretical, but something I teach throughout our work together so it can be applied in your life as you see fit!
The HAES® approach is not anti-health. It is an anti-weight-based definition of health. The HAES® framework expands on what health means—behaviors, mental well-being, access to care, and quality of life—not just weight. Health is not a specific size. It also recognizes that weight is influenced by many factors outside of individual control, so using it as the main measure of health can actually miss the bigger picture and reinforce stigma, which we know can negatively impact health outcomes. In other words, the HAES® approach is health-centered, not weight-centered.
This is one of the biggest fears, and it makes sense! When you have been restricting certain foods or not eating enough, food can feel more urgent, more exciting, and harder to stop thinking about. When you start allowing all foods, there can be an adjustment period. But over time, with consistency and support, foods once deemed off limits or “bad” foods even, lose their intensity.
Because you know you can have it whenever you want it, the food becomes less activating and more neutral when you think about it. You no longer feel the urgency and intensity of thoughts like “I can never have it again, so I’d better enjoy it now.” Food becomes…just food—something you can enjoy, nourish yourself with, and not feel constantly consumed by. And all the foods fit into our diet, not just the foods we are told we “should” eat.
Yes, and this is an important part of the work we do together. If you’ve had difficult or harmful experiences in healthcare settings, it makes sense that going to the doctor feels distressing or triggering. I care deeply about supporting my clients through this. Together, we’ll work on building the confidence and language to advocate for yourself in medical settings—so your concerns are heard and taken seriously. You deserve care that sees you as a whole person—not just your body.
You’re not alone! Most people I work with feel this way at first. Trusting your body isn’t something you force, it’s something you rebuild over time. We start with the basics: consistent nourishment (regular meals and snacks), establishing a new relationship with movement based on joy and not punishment, learning to tune into and respond to your hunger and fullness cues, and understanding what your body is communicating. This is a process of working with your body again instead of fighting against it.
No, the HAES® approach is for people of all body sizes. But it’s especially important for individuals in larger bodies who have experienced weight stigma, dismissal, or harm in healthcare and other spaces.
Many people in larger bodies are told their health is the problem without actually having their concerns taken seriously or explored more deeply. The HAES® principles push back on that. It focuses on supporting your health and well-being without reducing everything down to your weight.
This work helps you navigate those experiences—whether that’s advocating for yourself in medical settings, questioning what you’ve been taught about your body, or learning how to care for yourself in a way that actually feels supportive.
your healing journey Today.