I thought I would do a post on anti-fat bias within psychotherapy. Therapy should be a safe space for all, but as we know us therapists are not immune to bias. Fatphobia and sizeism are present, we can’t and shouldn’t deny that.⁣
⁣We are ethically bound to advocate for body liberation, without it we negate working holistically or even adequately to support clients. This maintains stigma, isolation creating corrosive damage.⁣
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Anti-fat bias, sizeism and body-based oppression are forms of; microaggressions, assumptions and shaming. Therapists with stronger anti-fat bias were more likely to attribute weight to behavioural causes, express frustration about fat clients, and perceive poorer treatment outcomes (Puhl, 2013).⁣
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Here are some ways to be a body liberating therapist.⁣
1. It is not enough to be aware of biases, we also need to 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧; advocating, allyship, accessibility and accountability.⁣
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2.𝐈𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞? Reflect on your therapy set up; from furniture to accessibility.⁣
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3.𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 on body image, diet culture and beauty standards.⁣
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4.𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬; be mindful of where you avoid, negate or change your language and tone that may maintain stigma.⁣
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5. Weight stigma falls into western beauty standards, is intersectional. Challenge how you work with 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝. Hold yourself to account.

6.Look at your social media feed, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰? Do you follow any fat individuals? If not, why? Listed below are some brilliant people.
7.𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞, my fav books are 'FAT! SO? : Because You Don't Have to Apologize for Your Size' and 'You have the Right to Remain Fat'
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𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬, 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.