Stories

Katie's story: body image after pregnancy

Katie found it hard when her body started to change during pregnancy and a traumatic birth saw her struggling to accept the amount of time it took to get back to 'normal' physically. However, after a few months she found she emerged with a new sense of pride and identity in her new body as a mum.

Mohammed’s story: watching my body change with age

Mohammed talks about noticing changes in his body as he ages. He also talks about how other people's perceptions of him as he ages, alongside cultural pressures can have a negative impact on how he feels.

Iain's story: the pressure to look a certain way

Iain was about 15 when he first started to notice a pressure to look a certain way, this led him to start comparing himself against his peers at school and had a negative impact on his mental health.

Frances' story: how I think and feel about my body

Frances talks to us about the way she thinks and feels about her body and how this impacts her mental health. Feeling comfortable in her own skin is something that she rarely feels but has learnt to allow herself to do.

Rachael's story: I've always been curvy and felt a bit different

Rachael has always been curvy and felt a bit different. Moving into her 30s she is starting to feel more comfortable in her own skin and wants to spread the message that it is important to unlearn the negative things we were taught about body image and to move towards self-love.

Lucy's story: confident and comfortable

Lucy talks to us about what it is like to be a teenager today and talk about body image. She doesn’t find it easy to put down on paper what she feels in her head about the image she has of her body.

Nicole's story: not recognising myself and my body

Nicole speaks to us about self-harm and body image, and about viewing her body from her hospital room. She speaks about reconnecting with her body through Aerialhoop exercise

Danny's story: a fixation on body image and deep feelings of shame

Danny talks to us about how a fixation on body image negatively impacted his mental health leading to deep feelings of shame and a diagnosis of Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

Justyn's story: finding power and beauty in my body and scars

Justyn had an accident when he was one which left him with third degree burns. Justyn and his family didn't receive any after care for their mental health which left him struggling with how he thought and felt about his body. Today he now sees power and beauty in his story.

Kerry's story: I constantly battle with my body image

Kerry feels like she constantly battles with her body image. In this blog she talks to us about how things such as social media, advertising and becoming a parent has impacted how she thinks and feels about her body.