BFF: BODY IMAGE PROGRAM
Are you ready to befriend your body?
This program is not another superficial program all about learning to like what your body looks like. This DEEPER body image dive equips you to make changes long after the program ends.
ENROLL NOWYou are worthy...
You are worthy of connection with other people, worthy of dancing, of having friends, of being your whole self. Your body is working hard for you, and your body deserves kindness.
After this program, you will have taken AH-MAZING STEPS to shift from:
01
Body shame to body acceptance
02
Self-criticism to self-compassion
03
Isolation to reconnection to self and others
04
Self-doubt to self confidence
There's just one problem...
Your relationship with your body is getting in the way of:
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Connecting with others (going out with friends and feeling present)
- Moving your body in fun ways (going on a peaceful walk or finally trying that dance class)
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Being emotionally or physically intimate with your partner
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Effectively setting boundaries with yourself and others
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Showing up in your life the way you actually WANT to (taking that risk, that holiday, building the business)
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Feeling confident, desired, joy, vitality, and pleasure
The women I work with are tired of hiding at home or in the black outfit or behind the neck scarf.
They are tired of the isolation, depression, low self-worth and deep loneliness that can stem from body image distress. They are yearning for change but are unsure of how to get there. They are longing to be seen, understood, acknowledged and desired. They long to reclaim parts of themselves, and I am SO HERE FOR THAT!
I truly believe
“It’s not the body they want; it is what they imagine the body will give them. They are attempting to meet deeply relational and existential human needs through the avenue of the body—something which can never fully deliver those results.”
(Travis Stewart, LPC, Owner/Recovery Coach at Revision Recovery)
So lets get curious and work as a team! Lets give you permission to take steps towards the life you’re longing for in your NOW body!
What I see too often in the body image space is the lack of compassion and grace to make changes GRADUALLY!! I see promises of quick fixes, oversimplified suggestions of “just changing your thoughts,” ideas of reciting shallow body image affirmations and people having unrealistic expectations of what body image healing should look like. Whereas the reality is, BODY IMAGE HEALING ISN’T LINEAR. It’s messy. It takes time. It takes practice and consistency. It’s not always sexy.
Here's the truth
Change is possible
My dream for every woman who works with me is to have a life that she’s not hiding from.
And I believe slow and sustainable change is how you get there.
"I have spent the last 35 years wasting a lot of time feeling guilty about my relationship with food, ashamed by my body and viewing exercise as a type of punishment. It has been exhausting and lonely at times; shame and guilt about my weight crept into all aspects of my life - holidays with my family because I didn't want to wear bathers in public, avoiding all photos at any special occasion, it's stopped me from trying something adventurous or new, applying for a promotion at work - I can't do that.
BFF is changing my life!
Is it scary? Hell yes!
Is it hard work? Hell yes! But I am ready and excited to get my life back, and it's happening already 💖
My BFF group is safe, inspiring, incredibly knowledgeable, thoughtful, powerful, non judgmental, funny, weirdly relaxing and at times a little heartbreaking. I have gained so much strength being part of this group, it is one of my favourite times of my week!"
Jo, student of BFF: Body Image
Introducing
BFF: Body Image Edition Program
I have combined evidence-based therapeutic practices that I’ve seen help clients move from body shame to body acceptance to deliver this 12-week program. I truly created the program I wish I had in my own healing, and I would feel privileged to have you join us.
The BFF: Body Image Edition program is a trauma informed, person centered and weight neutral program that finds its foundation in therapeutic frameworks such as Internal Family Systems, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Acceptance Commitment Therapy.
When I say “trauma-informed,” I mean we make changes gradually. It means you may feel discomfort but you should not feel unsafe. It means your opinion matters, your inner wisdom matters, your lived experience MATTERS.
This may look like:
-exploring what needs are being met through the body image distress
-understanding if there’s unhealed trauma that needs our attention
-developing techniques for managing emotions
-examining thoughts and core beliefs and gently learning to reframe them
-cultivating an intentional self-compassion practice
-building safety and tolerance in your nervous system
Are you ready to hear the details?
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12 Pre-recorded Lesson Videos
You'll get lifetime access to these videos so you can watch them as often as you need.
Bi-Weekly group calls
When you join the group program, you can join our bi-weekly group calls.
Workbooks
I have created customized worksheets to accompany each lesson throughout the program.
Bonus Videos
When you join either the live-group or self-paced program, you will get access to 4 incredible bonus lessons.
Here's what you'll learn
Everything you need to befriend your body
Module 1
Body Image Foundation
This sets the stage for deeper body image work by defining body image, learning what sits under your body image distress, understanding the body image spectrum and exploring what messages you've been sent about your body (and from who and where).
Module 2
Cultivating Self-Compassion
This teaches the importance of self-compassion, what it is and practical ways to start practicing it daily. You will learn specific ways to start showing kindness to yourself and your body (even if right now that sounds impossible). I've got you!
Module 3
Building Shame Resiliency
This develops your understanding of shame, how it's showing up in your body image and what to do about it. This is important because shame is often present without people realizing and can have devastating consequences.
Module 4
Parts and Aspects of Self
This teaches all about a framework called Internal Family Systems (IFS) and how it can help you achieve deeper peace with all parts of you! One of my FAV to teach!
Module 5
Responding to the Body Critic
This uses IFS to focus on the "body critic" (that voice that relentlessly criticizes your body, photos and reflection). You learn how to respond to this part so it doesn't take over your life anymore.
Module 6
Body Image and Personal Values
This helps you explore what's important to you, what your values are and how this can help create peace in your life and with your NOW body.
Module 7
The Trauma of Body Hate (Part 1)
This helps you understand what trauma I see sitting within the body image space (without people having awareness of this). You learn about the brain, the nervous system and the imperative role of this in your ongoing body image healing. I don't believe we can find true body acceptance without what's taught here.
Module 8
The Trauma of Body Hate (Part 2)
This teaches specific ways to calm your body and get your nervous system get on board with making changes in your life. I teach strategies to face body image triggers in a compassionate and gradual way...this is information you can use long after the 12 week program!
Module 9
Coping with Body Image Distress
This teaches about body discomfort, body distress, coping skills and specifically how to develop a coping plan for any tricky body image situation.
Module 10
Uncovering Core Beliefs (Part 1)
This dives into what thoughts, assumptions, fears and core beliefs are operating under your body image distress. Without this awareness, I don't think true body peace can be achieved.
Module 11
Uncovering Core Beliefs (Part 2)
This teaches specific strategies for uncovering deeper core beliefs, getting curious about where these stem from and ways to start GENTLY challenging and reframing them (something you can use long after the 12-week program ends).
Module 12
Review, Integration and Future Goals
This celebrates all the changes and growth you will have made over this 12 weeks, it sets the stage for ongoing healing and helps you get clear on your future body image goals!
What has this looked like for my past BFF graduates? I’ll tell you because I still love getting their updates!
- Decreasing the brutal self-talk
- Building confidence at work
- Decreasing anxiety when being seen
- Starting the volunteer project they’d dreamed of
- Going to the dance class
- Swimming in the pool with their grandchild
- Booking a dream holiday
- Buying clothes that fit and feel more comfortable
- Going on the hike
- Caring less about what other people think
- Setting boundaries with people in their lives
- Going back to do the study course they’d postponed
- Feeling true gratitude for their bodies
- Going out and not needing to numb with alcohol
- Having a deeper knowing that their worth isn’t defined by their body size
- Feeling strengthened to reject unhelpful messages from culture and family
- No longer constantly mirror checking or weighing themselves
- Experiencing joy that they had been withholding from themselves
"Vanessa's course has truth bombs galore but also lots of practical tips on shifting my relationship with my body-none of which is rule driven. I have developed a deep sense of awareness when it comes to the way I view my body and why."
Yaz, student of BFF: Body Image
Ready to find true body acceptance? Choose either the LIVE-Group option or the Self-Paced Option:
And there is more!
When you enroll, you'll also get these awesome bonuses:
Bonus #1
Guided Meditations
You get 2 guided meditations to go along with modules 4 and 5!
Bonus #2
Tapping Sequence
Add this tapping sequence tool to your list of coping skills and ways to calm your body, relieve stress and anxiety!
Bonus #3
Thought Technique
This teaches how to create a "thought ladder" to gradually practice and implement more intentional and compassionate thoughts!
Bonus #4
Understanding Emotions
This bonus teaches a 3 step process to managing emotions (especially for those who weren't taught or modeled this as children)!
Meet your teacher
Hi, I'm Vanessa
I'm a relatable therapist here in Melbourne, Australia. I grew up in Kentucky, USA but have lived in Melbourne for the past 13 years. I love the people, and the coffee and love being near the water or in the bush!
Over the years, I started seeing in my clients' lives how the complex intersection between trauma, mental health, body image distress and disordered eating impacted them. I witnessed this in their lives but I also experienced so much of it myself…
After years of hating my body, and engaging in an eating disorder only to feel worse about myself, I committed to finding true body respect and kindness.
Everyone's experience is unique but I'm ready to meet you with compassion, curiosity and understanding! Lets work together!
My passion is to help other women find the same body respect
I truly love my clients and consider it a privilege to witness their growth, vulnerabilities, heartaches and their wins. My therapy practice is often fully booked with a lengthy waitlist so I am beyond excited to have developed online workshops and programs supported by evidence based frameworks to help more women!
I believe that TRUE BODY IMAGE HEALING happens when we allow ourselves to be seen, connect with others in a safe environment, and learn from other people’s lived experience….something that happens in the group programs in such a beautiful way!
I would love to have you join us!
Your path to true body acceptance...
01
Join BFF: Body Image
Click the enrollment button and follow the checkout steps. In minutes, you'll get an email with your login details.
02
Dive in and take action
Dive into the content and take action. Can’t start right away? It's okay, you have lifetime access to the course.
03
Reach your goal
Finally feel confident in your body. From understanding body trauma to cultivating compassion, you'll learn everything you need to feel more at peace with your body and yourself.
"It’s helped with my perfectionism, rather than perfect, what I’ve done is good. If I mess up, I can learn from it. It doesn’t cut deep anymore...it’s not brutal anymore."
"I’ve learned a “circuit breaker” to disrupt shameful thought loops and reconnect with my body when it needs ease and care!"
Ready to befriend your body? Let's do it!
I'M READY →
