Light on Body Image Treatment

The treatment of body image has to be multifaceted and should be directed toward the treatment of the whole individual-body, mind, and spirit-with an ultimate culmination of acceptance and compassion for the self. This article presents information on a mindful approach to the treatment of body image as it pertains to concerns with body size and shape. This approach fosters the idea that the treatment process should be one of observation, nonjudgment, neutrality, and acceptance. To this end, this article will depict the conceptualization of body image treatment from a mindful perspective, in which mindfulness serves as the foundation on which the multiple facets of treatment are built. The core components of body image treatment (i.e., cognitive, perceptual, behavioral, and emotional), in the context of mindfulness, are discussed as they relate to the treatment of body image disturbance. This article may be viewed as a theoretical overview of a new treatment concept for body image disturbance.