Body Image Therapy
with Tessa Wooden, LMFT
I work with body image concerns from both personal experience and clinical expertise. My own recovery and years working across levels of care shape how I approach therapy.
Are you placing your self-worth on your body?
Do negative thoughts about your appearance follow you all day?
You might be uncomfortable in your body, avoid being seen, or hold yourself back from relationships and experiences. This struggle is not about vanity. They often develop as a way to create safety, control, or belonging in a world that polices bodies and worth.
Clients Come To Me With
Negative self-talk
Body dissatisfaction
Body dysmorphia
Social avoidance
Feeling unsafe
Disconnection from sensations
Constant self-monitoring
Pressure to look a certain way
Body image issues exist for a reason.
The patterns are protective, even when they’re painful.
What Body Image Therapy With Me Is Like
With me, it’s not about learning to love your body or forcing positivity that doesn’t feel true. Neutrality is our goal.
We work to shift your relationship with your body from control to compassion. Instead of overriding your body, we build communication and trust. Together, we identify the root causes of negative body image and find your path to acceptance.
Our work also explores how culture, race, gender expectations, and social pressure shape how you see yourself. This is individualized, person-centered therapy that moves at your pace while staying grounded in nervous system safety.
Modalities I Use
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Reduces body-based judgment and supports respectful, weight-neutral care.
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Helps challenge distorted appearance beliefs and harsh self-criticism.
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Builds skills to tolerate distress without turning against your body.
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Keeps therapy collaborative, respectful, inclusive, and paced around your readiness. Your personal goals and values are centered.
“I help you care for your body without letting it define your value as a person.”
Every body image story has context
Your body image distress makes sense given what you’ve lived through. It served a purpose. Therapy can help you understand it, soften it, and create space for a different relationship.
After Body Image Therapy, My Clients Report
Increased acceptance of their body shape and size
Less body checking and monitoring
Reduced appearance focus
More internal safety and regulation
Improved relationships
Easier self-care
Freedom to be seen
You can be fully recovered and still have hard days. The difference is that your body size and shape no longer run your life.
About Me
My stance on body image work leans more towards body neutrality than body positivity. Instead of pressuring you to love how you look, we focus on body neutrality; learning to nourish, respect, and care for your body even when your feelings about it are complicated.
Sessions with me are human, direct, and compassionate (and often involve some humor!). We take this work seriously while also leaving room to laugh. I approach therapy as a human-to-human relationship, not expert and patient, so you feel less alone while connecting with the parts of you that are ready for change.
Outside of therapy, I’m a fourth-generation Santa Monican and my favorite sport is napping. I have a 12-year-old Pit Lab mix named Kora, enjoy spending time with friends and family, and despite all the cookbooks in my office, my husband does most of the cooking.
Availability: Telehealth available across California.
Education, Credentials, & Trainings
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), California
MA in Marriage and Family Therapy, Chapman University
Former Clinical Director at Monte Nido
Extensive experience in residential, IOP, and outpatient levels of care
Treating eating disorders since 2020
Advanced training in CBT, DBT, Internal Family Systems, Attachment-Based Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy and trauma-informed care
3 Steps To
Get Started
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Fill out the contact form. If I’m not the right fit, I’ll help connect you with someone who might be.
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We’ll talk briefly to see if this feels like a good match and discuss next steps.
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We’ll start building safety, understanding patterns, and creating a plan together.