Identity, Body, & Self-Perception

You Deserve to Feel at Home in Yourself

From the way we see ourselves to the way the world sees us, identity and self-perception shape everything—how we move through life, how we relate to our bodies, and how we experience connection and belonging. 

But what happens when that relationship feels fractured?

Maybe you’ve spent years wrestling with your gender or relationship with your body, feeling like something isn’t quite aligned. 

Maybe you’ve internalized messages that told you who you should be, making it harder to recognize who you are. 

Or maybe the weight of living in a world that misunderstands or invalidates your identity has left you exhausted.

Here’s the truth: You don’t have to shrink, mask, or mold yourself to fit someone else’s expectations. 

You deserve a life where you feel seen, supported, and at home in your body and mind.

💡 You are not too much. You are not alone. Let’s talk about what support looks like for you.

What We Support

Gender Dysphoria: Aligning Who You Are with How You Exist

Gender dysphoria isn’t just discomfort—it’s the deep, undeniable feeling that your internal identity doesn’t match how you’re perceived or how your body feels. 

It’s not a “phase” or a “trend”—it’s a real experience that can impact mental health, self-worth, and overall well-being (Bouman et al., 2017).

🔹 Signs of Gender Dysphoria That Might Need Support:

• Distress or discomfort with physical traits that don’t align with your gender identity
• Anxiety or depression tied to how others perceive your gender
• Feeling disconnected from your body or avoiding mirrors/photos
• The need to mask or suppress your true gender expression to avoid judgment
• Struggling with societal expectations of gender roles

💡 Your identity is valid, and your experience matters. Let’s explore ways to support you in feeling more at home in yourself.

Body Dysmorphia: When Your Reflection Feels Like the Enemy

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is more than disliking how you look—it’s an overwhelming preoccupation with perceived flaws, often ones others don’t notice. This struggle can impact self-esteem, relationships, and even daily life, making it hard to focus on anything else (Phillips, 2009).

🔹 Signs of Body Dysmorphia:

• Constantly checking, hiding, or fixating on a specific part of your body
• Avoiding social situations due to anxiety about your appearance
• Spending excessive time trying to “fix” or conceal perceived flaws
• Feeling like no amount of reassurance changes how you see yourself
• Comparing yourself to others in a way that leads to distress

💡 Your worth is not tied to your appearance. Let’s work on shifting how you see yourself.

LGBTQIA+ Mental Health: Navigating a World That Wasn’t Built for You

Being part of the LGBTQIA+ community comes with unique joys—but it can also come with unique challenges. From navigating identity and coming out to dealing with societal bias and discrimination, the emotional weight of existing authentically can feel heavy (Meyer, 2015).

🔹 Signs That LGBTQIA+ Affirming Support Might Help:

• Struggling with self-acceptance due to societal or family pressure
• Anxiety or fear around coming out or being visible in certain spaces
• Dealing with internalized shame or past experiences of rejection
• Feeling disconnected from community and longing for belonging
• Navigating relationships, dating, or family dynamics as an LGBTQIA+ person

💡 You deserve support that sees and affirms all of you. Let’s talk.

Disordered Eating & Body Image Concerns

Food and body image should not be a source of shame—but in a culture obsessed with appearance, it often is. 

Whether you’re struggling with restriction, binge-eating, compulsive exercise, or an overall painful relationship with your body, healing is possible (Fairburn et al., 2003).

🔹 Signs of Disordered Eating That Might Need Support:

• Feeling guilt or shame around eating or specific foods
• Engaging in restrictive eating, bingeing, or purging behaviors
• Constant thoughts about food, weight, or body size
• Avoiding social events or situations involving food
• Using exercise as punishment instead of nourishment

💡 You deserve a relationship with food and your body that isn’t ruled by shame. Let’s work on finding balance.

Why Identity & Self-Perception Matter

How you see yourself—and how the world sees you—shouldn’t be a source of constant pain. You deserve to exist in a way that feels right, safe, and true. Whether you’re navigating gender, body image, or self-acceptance, your experiences are real, and your struggles are valid.

With the right support, you can:

✅ Feel more connected to yourself instead of at odds with your identity

✅ Work through gender and body dysphoria in ways that honor your needs

✅ Develop self-compassion instead of self-criticism

✅ Learn tools for resilience in a world that doesn’t always understand

✅ Build a sense of belonging and confidence in who you are

💡 You don’t have to carry this alone. Let’s create a path forward together.

References

Bouman, W. P., de Vries, A. L. C., T’Sjoen, G., & Cohen-Kettenis, P. (2017). Gender dysphoria and gender incongruence. The Lancet, 390(10101), 1451-1460.

Fairburn, C. G., Cooper, Z., & Shafran, R. (2003). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for eating disorders: A transdiagnostic theory and treatment. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 41(5), 509-528.

Meyer, I. H. (2015). Minority stress and the health of sexual minorities. New England Journal of Medicine, 373(5), 452-461.

Phillips, K. A. (2009). Understanding body dysmorphic disorder: An essential guide. Oxford University Press.