Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a common and often debilitating disorder. Unfortunately, there are also many misconceptions about BDD, and it goes under-recognized.

However, the great news is that there are effective treatments for BDD. Recovery is very much possible, and there’s lots of hope.

Speaking of hope, today is the third part of Maggie’s interview on body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Maggie is the founder of a wonderful organization called Sprout Yoga, which teaches yoga to individuals healing from eating disorders and trauma. She is an incredible inspiration. And I’m so grateful to her for sharing her story.

Today, we’re continuing with our three-part interview with Maggie, who struggled with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Maggie is the creator of Sprout Yoga, a fantastic organization that teaches yoga to individuals healing from eating disorders and trauma.

Below, Maggie talks specifically about her recovery, yoga’s role in that recovery and what she’s learned in general.

I’m incredibly honored to feature a three-part interview with Maggie, an amazing woman who shares her story of recovery from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

Maggie started a wonderful organization called Sprout Yoga that offers free yoga to individuals recovering from eating disorders and trauma. She’s truly an inspiration and a great example of how recovery is possible, when you find the right treatment and put in the hard work.

Here’s part two of my interview on body dysmorphic disorder with Sari Shepphird, Ph.D, an expert in BDD and eating disorders. She’s also author of 100 Questions and Answers About Anorexia Nervosa.

Below, Dr. Shepphird talks about helpful resources, creating affirmations, the common overlap of BDD with eating disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder, how to boost BDD recovery and more.

Instead of kicking off this week with a body image tip, I wanted to dedicate the entire week to body dysmorphic disorder, also known as BDD. Under-recognized yet quite common, BDD is a debilitating disorder where individuals obsess about their appearance.

BDD is typically misunderstood, and individuals who have the disorder don’t always know it. Instead, people with BDD can spend years seeking treatment at dermatologist or plastic surgeons’ offices, thinking that correcting their physical “flaw” will put an end to their suffering.

Today, I’m so pleased to present an interview with BDD expert Sari Shepphird, Ph.D, who clears up the confusion. I’ve interviewed Dr. Shepphird before about her other specialty, eating disorders (part one and part two). She’s also author of the must-read book 100 Questions and Answers About Anorexia Nervosa.

This is the last part of our interview series with the incredible Judith Matz and Ellen Frankel, therapists and authors of The Diet Survivor’s Handbook: 60 Lessons in Eating, Acceptance and Self-Care.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out part one and part two of our interviews. And take a look at their website, which has tons of great information.

Below, Judith and Ellen talk more about attuned eating, how to handle weight worries and their favorite tips for improving body image. You might want to make a list of their tips and have them handy. I think their advice is very practical and inspiring. I really can’t say enough how thrilled I am to be able to share their wise words with you — I’ve definitely learned a lot, and I hope you have, too.

Yesterday, in part one of our interview, Judith Matz and Ellen Frankel, authors of The Diet Survivor’s Handbook: 60 Lessons in Eating, Acceptance and Self-Care, talked about the many myths surrounding healthy living and dieting — pervasive myths that can actually lead to unhealthy habits and a poor self-image.

Below, they reveal the truth about another commonly misunderstood subject: healthy eating. Plus, they provide valuable insight into how we can develop a healthy relationship with food and include several activities to help us do that.

As I’ve already mentioned, I’m a huge fan of the book The Diet Survivor’s Handbook: 60 Lessons in Eating, Acceptance and Self-Care and its authors Judith Matz and Ellen Frankel, who are both therapists specializing in eating problems.

Today, I’m thrilled to present part one (of three!) of our interview. Below, Judith and Ellen talk about what it means to be a diet survivor, the many misconceptions about being healthy and the surprising dangers of dieting. I found their interview to be incredibly eye-opening and thought-provoking. And I think you will, too!

Every Monday features a tip, exercise, inspiring quote or other tidbit to help boost your body image. For many of us, Mondays are tough. We may feel anxious and stressed out, anticipating an arduous week, especially if we didn’t get much rest and relaxation during the weekend. These kinds of feelings don’t create the best environment for improving one’s body image. In fact, you might be harder on yourself and easily frustrated. You might even feel like you’re walking on egg shells – with yourself! With these posts, I hope you’ll have a healthier and happier body image day, that’ll last throughout the week.

Got a tip for improving body image? Email me at mtartakovsky@gmail.com, and I’ll be happy to feature it. It can be anything you do that’s healthy and helps boost your body image. I’d love to hear from you!

Have you ever said the following to yourself?

• I was bad today (about what you ate).
• I’m embarrassed to go out because I feel too fat.
• I’ve let myself go.
• I’m ashamed to eat in public.
• I’m too ashamed to be seen in public.

Do you ever feel disconnected from your body? Like the two of you are separate entities? Or more like enemies?

In college, I used to have many moments when my body would feel foreign. My body just didn’t feel like my own, and I’d walk around in a haze. These feelings were especially palpable on the nights I’d overeat, when I felt like I was outside my body. When I knew I was ingesting tons of calories and crap but somehow, at the time, I felt so detached that I didn’t care. Now thinking about it, I was too focused on soothing the pain.