Docuseries Normalizes a Radical Idea: Self-Acceptance
Psychotherapist Dr. Danielle Ottosen warns each of us must do the same in order to thrive
PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / March 11, 2021 / A majority of American women are unhappy with themselves and their bodies. The result? Unhealthy and sometimes deadly behaviors.
Even movie stars, influencers, and Grammy-nominated artists feel the pressure for perfection…but often times their struggles are the source of pop-news fodder, late-night TV jokes, and watercooler gossip for the masses.
In the new YouTube Originals docuseries Dancing with the Devil, this transparent production covers drug addiction, overdose, and psychological struggles…all fueled by negative self-image. The conversation transitions to healing from the wounds of the past by transitioning into a place of self-respect, acceptance, and ditching the ‘diet mentality,’ which Dr. Ottosen applauds.
Dr. Ottosen asserts that taking one’s life back starts with waking her from the haze of body-image addiction, self-condemnation, and personal destruction-most of which is fed by attempting to live up to the impossible standard of beauty portrayed online and in social media.
Ottosen says it’s getting worse; in 1973, less than a quarter of women and 15% of men conveyed body dissatisfaction. In 2018, those numbers skyrocketed to 83% of women and 75% of men admitting disliking their bodies.
“There’s little doubt that the increasing lack of corporal self-love is due in part to the multibillion-dollar industry that preys on women’s insecurities,” Ottosen warns. “As a psychotherapist, I see the damage that beauty and fashion advertising has on the everyday woman. The media inundates us with enhanced photos of ‘perfect’ bodies, as neologisms like ‘thigh gap’ enter our vernacular. We are fed the lie that beauty equates health, happiness, and success.”
Self-acceptance challenges do not discriminate. More than one-third of American women from all races and economic statuses confess that what they consume and the number on the scale impacts their overall happiness. They’re gripped by the experience, thinking, “I’m not good enough, thin enough, successful enough, or pretty enough.”
If that sounds familiar, Ottosen urges that it’s time to declare that you’ve had enough with not being enough. Her patients embrace the mantra, “The number on the scale does not equate my self-worth.”
Many wonder how they can adopt the concept that they are perfect, just as they are. Others are uncertain on how they might ditch the detrimental comparisons between themselves and others.
To accomplish both, Ottosen offers a dramatically different take on beauty than today’s standards. She submits that we are not flawed because we look different, nor are we flawed because our bodies are unique. She suggests that there is no such thing as a perfect body, so we shouldn’t aspire to have one. Feeling worthy, confident, and comfortable as we are, she adds, is our birthright, and the pathway there is paved through self-love.
Ottosen’s actionable self-love tips:
- Kick your inner bully to the curb by refusing to indulge in negative self-talk.
- Improve your mindset. In turn, that will improve your relationship with your body and help you demolish toxic core beliefs.
- Step out of the cycle of comparison and self-deprecation by creating positive messages. Rather than focusing on what you do not like about yourself, shift the focus to what you do like.
- Put science to work for you by reciting affirmations. Repeating affirmative phrases creates new neural pathways in the brain. The simple formula is: Say it – Believe it – Become it.
- While we may not ever get to a place of loving our dimpled thighs and flabby triceps, we can learn to respect what those limbs and body parts do for us. Ottosen often asks patients to talk to their perceived ‘flaw,’ to make friends with it. “Thank you, arms, for carrying my babies and feeding my family. I appreciate you, round tummy, for being my son’s favorite place to nap.”
Another positive way to respect and appreciate your body is through movement: go to the gym or join a class. Take your kids to the park. Dance it up with your partner. Jump on a rebounder while catching up on the latest episode of Bridgerton. Trying new exercises or taking on a physical challenge will help you get to know your body in a new way. You’ll discover surprising abilities, strengths, and power and start seeing what you are capable of, rather than fixating upon your exterior. Which, in turn, will help fortify your mindset.
Finally, Ottosen stresses the importance of practicing gratitude by being thankful for health. Being grateful for what we do have, what we can do, and how far we can go is far more productive than focusing on the opposite. When we’re the cheerleader in the mirror instead of the enemy, our self-confidence shifts, and when things change inside of us, things can change around us, as well.
About Dr. Ottosen
Psychotherapist Dr. Danielle Ottosen, Ph.D., specializes in mindful eating and holistic wellness to help women develop an effortless relationship with food and make peace with their bodies. The Phoenix native addresses the issues of body dysmorphia and yo-yo dieting through her Instagram and Facebook. To learn more, go to www.DoctorBeneFIT.net.
Contact Info
Website: https://www.DoctorBeneFIT.net
Phone: 623-806-2315
Email: Danielle@DoctorBeneFIT.net
SOURCE: Doctor BeneFIT, LLC
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