Mental Health Therapist Online California: Counselor in California

Health at Every Size Affirmative Therapy (HAES)

The Health at Every Size (HAES) approach addresses the weight bias and stigma that people living with extra pounds experience. You are, first and foremost, a valuable human being. The concept of HAES looks beyond weight status as a healthy outcome. A weight-neutral approach to psychotherapy allows us to look at your unique social challenges and how you experience weight stigma and bias. It also allows us to take all weight issues off the table if that is most helpful. Health at Every Size Affirmative Therapy follows these principals.

Many clients with chronic health issues struggle with weight loss and experience doctors blaming all their medical problems on their weight. It is common to be neglected by medical professionals who believe patients are overweight because they have neglected their health, are too lazy to exercise, and are resistant to the recommendations of medical professionals. This thought process often gets in the way of a proper diagnosis and treatment for the condition that is causing the weight gain. Health at Every Size Affirmative Therapy can help you take control of your medical care.

A weight-neutral approach to psychotherapy helps leave space to explore all aspects of your life without blaming all your problems on weight and disregarding the rest. We will take into account everything important to you.

There are many aspects of health. Weight should not get in the way of recognizing them. The presence or absence of any one aspect of health does not define you. Just as society is working to destigmatize mental health diagnoses, we should also be working to remove the stigma around weight.

We can interpret health as points on a spectrum. Weight doesn't automatically put you at the lowest end of the spectrum. There are many other factors to be considered. Better health is attainable for anyone, no matter where you are on the spectrum when you begin and which issues you choose to address. You can have the healthy lifestyle you want.

Mental health and physical health are intertwined. When we feel better mentally, we often feel better physically and vice versa. Health, both physical and mental, is something you can achieve despite your current abilities, condition, or level of functioning. You get to choose what you want for yourself. You are not obligated to make changes that don't fit with who you are or your idea of your future.

With Health at Every Size Affirmative Therapy, you will receive respectful care. You will never be judged or have values pushed on you. You are a unique individual and deserve to be valued for that. You can learn to trust your intuition and increase your self-awareness to meet your physical and emotional needs.