Women’s Issues Archives | Little Elm Christian Counseling

Body Image Issues: Signs, Factors, and Strategies to Overcome

Body Image Issues: Signs, Factors, and Strategies to Overcome

Sandra Stein2024-09-27T09:27:32+00:00November 15th, 2023|Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development, Women’s Issues|

Body image is the way you perceive yourself and how you feel about your body. It is a subjective picture of yourself that may or may not be accurate, and that strongly influences your behavior and the way you treat yourself. Inaccurate thoughts about your body can lead to dissatisfaction and distress and have a major impact on your physical and mental health, self-esteem, and overall emotional well-being. In its most severe form, poor body image is known as body dysmorphic disorder, which is a condition where you become severely obsessed over a perceived flaw that is barely detectable, if at all, and that may not even be noticeable to anyone else. Body image issues are often viewed as a predominantly women’s problem, but men suffer from them as well. Common signs of body image issues. Excessive focus on minor flaws or on certain parts of your body. Viewing yourself as ugly or unattractive and calling yourself derogatory names. Feeling ashamed or embarrassed about your body shape or size and trying to cover it up by wearing baggy or layered clothing. Being unable to accept a compliment. Constantly checking your body in the mirror and/or measuring or weighing yourself. Never being satisfied with your appearance and always thinking something about your body needs fixing. Constantly comparing your appearance with other people’s. Avoiding activities such as swimming where others might notice what your body looks like. Seeking constant reassurance from others that you look okay. Your mood depends on how you perceive yourself in the mirror. You let your physical appearance determine your self-worth. Factors that can lead to body image issues. Social media portrayals of idealized body types that have been airbrushed and edited, that promote unrealistic standards. Prevalent beauty ideals promoted by society. Pressure to conform to cultural [...]

Coping with Parenthood Burnout

Kate Motaung2024-10-30T08:57:34+00:00December 21st, 2022|Couples Counseling, Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling, Marriage Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

Are you struggling with parenthood burnout? Do any of the following situations seem familiar? Colicky babies. Screaming toddlers. No babysitters. Around-the-clock feeds. Sleep deprivation. Financial strain. Behavior challenges. Constant touching/loud environments that leave you mentally and physically drained. Feelings of failure when trying to figure out a family/faith/career balance. Having to move away from family/support system due to jobs. Spouse long work hours/demanding travel schedules. While being a parent is one of life’s greatest treasures, it can also be one of the most demanding and depleting tasks you are faced with. While doting new parents are head-over-heels in love with their precious bundle of joy, it isn’t long before parents are thrown new curve balls and obstacles that need to be overcome. The weight of caring for, raising, and nurturing another life can feel like too much to carry alone. Sometimes parents who are feeling overwhelmed by circumstances and parenthood burnout do not want to ask for help, because they feel like it means they do not love their baby. Your feelings are valid. Feeling overwhelmed by parenthood means you are human. If you feel overwhelmed because your baby won’t sleep, you aren’t alone. If you feel overcome with postpartum anxiety/depression, you aren’t alone. If you feel so tired and drained that you could fall asleep standing up, you aren’t alone. If you wish you had a trusted babysitter or family around to help, you aren’t alone. If you do not know how to ask for help, you aren’t alone. How to Cope with Parenthood Burnout If you are wondering what to do next as you navigate the trenches of parenthood, consider these steps: Make the call or send the text. If you have a trusted friend or family member who can watch your kids for a few hours so [...]

Ways to Manage Stress While Losing Weight

Melissa Plantz2024-09-27T09:26:46+00:00November 24th, 2022|Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development, Weight Loss, Women’s Issues|

Did you make losing weight a New Year’s resolution? Did you decide that this was the year for a new start? And just like every year prior, is it hard to manage stress, when it feels like your stress level has gone through the roof? You are not alone. A large percentage of the population cites losing weight as a goal at the beginning of the year. However, the responsibilities of life bear down on us, making reaching that goal that much harder. But you do not have to let the pressure derail your weight loss efforts this year. Instead, learn ways to manage stress and make small shifts in your behavior and mindset to reach your goals. Ways to manage stress and while losing weight When it comes to ways to manage stress, you may have to incorporate the trial-and-error method. For some people, walking each morning outdoors is enough to lower their stress levels. For others, frigid temperatures make walking difficult, so they rely on stretching sessions throughout the day. When you have several options to choose from on ways to manage stress, you can select the ones that work with your lifestyle and forget the rest. Read the tips below and choose a few you can try today. Go outdoors. Getting out into the fresh air can lift your spirits and boost your calorie burn. Sunlight provides vitamin D and can lower blood pressure. Combine this with the act of walking, and now you are strengthening bones and boosting the immune system. When you make walking outdoors a consistent endeavor, it changes your mindset. You come back from your walk energized and calmer than when you started. Practice deep breathing. Deep breathing forces your muscles to relax as you focus on your breath. When you inhale through [...]

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