Embracing You: A Practical Guide to Body Image and Self-Acceptance

Many people believe that if they could just change their bodies, they would finally feel more confident, comfortable, or at peace. Yet for countless adults, dissatisfaction with appearance persists despite dieting, exercise, or cosmetic change - limiting relationships, enjoyment, and quality of life.

Embracing You offers a different way forward.

Grounded in psychological science, this practical guide helps readers understand how body image develops and why it becomes so powerful. And, most importantly, how it can be changed. Rather than focusing on fixing the body, the book focuses on changing the thoughts, behaviours, and habits that shape how we experience it.

Through clear explanations, real-world examples, and structured activities, readers learn how to:

• reduce self-criticism and appearance-based anxiety
• respond more kindly to physical change, ageing, or illness
• disengage from unhelpful comparison and media pressure
• build self-respect through everyday behaviour change
• develop a more stable sense of self-worth that is not dependent on appearance

Written for both men and women at different stages of life, Embracing You is suitable for both individuals seeking practical help and health professionals looking for a safe, evidence-based resource to recommend.

Change doesn't require loving your body every day. It begins with learning to treat yourself with respect, understanding, and care.

Dr Vivienne Lewis is a clinical psychologist at the University of Canberra specialising in the areas of body image, disordered eating, and eating disorders. Her research focuses on the influence of appearance perceptions on wellbeing and mental health in males and females. Vivienne also has a private practice where she sees clients of all ages dealing with body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, stress, depression and anxiety. She is part of the University of Canberra experts guide and regularly features in the media. (https: //researchprofiles .canberra.edu.au/ en/persons/vivienne-lewis) Vivienne is a member of the professional body, the Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologists. She is a Board Approved Supervisor and supervises clinical students, registrars and fully qualified psychologists. She also offers workshops and supervision to a range of professionals working with people with disordered eating and body image issues and is a strong advocate for body respect and celebrating body diversity. This is Vivienne's fourth book.