A Mental Health Expert Tells Us How To Stay Stress-Free This Holiday Season

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Written By Lily Thrope
 
 

 
 
 
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When the Dressing Room Feels Like a Battlefield: A Therapist's Reflection on Body Image, Triggers, and Jeans
When the Dressing Room Feels Like a Battlefield: A Therapist's Reflection on Body Image, Triggers, and Jeans

For so many of us, especially those healing from disordered eating, chronic dieting, or body shame, shopping isn’t “just” shopping. It’s a mirror to all the body image stories we’ve internalized over the years. Stories that hold pain, sadness and doubt. When clothing doesn’t fit the way we expect, it can activate feelings of failure, fear, and unworthiness. This is not your fault. These reactions are learned from a culture that teaches us to equate thinness with value and control with morality. But there are ways to meet these moments with more compassion and grounding.

Understanding Photo Grief: Navigating the Emotions Behind Pictures
Understanding Photo Grief: Navigating the Emotions Behind Pictures

Photo grief is the emotional response to images that evoke loss, longing, or sadness. This could be a photograph of someone who has passed, a memory of a place or time that’s gone, or even pictures of yourself that bring up complicated feelings about identity, body image, or life changes. Photos can be a physical representation of so many emotions that live under the surface. Sometimes seeing a photo can evoke stronger emotions than when you think about the past. Seeing the physical memory can be really powerful. 

Talking to Yourself the Way You’d Talk to a Child
Talking to Yourself the Way You’d Talk to a Child

Many of us are far harsher on ourselves than we would ever dream of being toward someone we love. We might replay mistakes, criticize our bodies, or pressure ourselves to “do better” in a way that leaves little room for compassion. But what if you spoke to yourself the way you’d talk to a child or even your younger self? This shift in self-talk isn’t just about being “nicer” to yourself. It’s a powerful tool for healing, self-esteem, and emotional regulation.

Lily Thrope https://www.thropetherapy.com
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