Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image: Learning to Love Ourselves as We Are

Discover why women are so often unhappy with their appearance—and how they can learn to love themselves.

When women are told that what is important about us is how we look, it becomes increasingly difficult for us to feel comfortable with our appearance and how we feel about our bodies. We are told, over and over—if we just lost weight, fit into those old jeans, or into a new smaller pair—we will be happier and feel better about ourselves. The truth is, so many women despise their appearance, weight, and shape, that experts who study women’s body image now consider this feeling to be normal. 

But it does not have to be that way. It is possible for us as women to love ourselves, our bodies, as we are. We need a new story about what it means to be a woman in this world. Based on her original research, Hillary L McBride shares the true stories of young women, and their mothers, and provides unique insights into how our relationships with our bodies are shaped by what we see around us and the specific things we can do to have healthier relationships with our appearance, and all the other parts of ourselves that make us women. 

In Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image McBride tells her own story of recovery from an eating disorder, and how her struggles led her to dream of a new vision for womanhood—from one without body shame, negative comparisons, or insecurities, to one of freedom, connection, and acceptance. 

Hillary McBride is a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia in Counselling Psychology where she is continuing research she started for her masters, exploring women’s experiences in and of the body, particularly at significant transitions points. McBride sees patients privately where for a variety of concerns, including acute mental health issues. She works regularly with people struggling with depression, anxiety, life transitions, self-harm, abuse, relationship issues, and sexuality. She specializes in women’s issues from a feminist perspective. McBride has designed body image presentations for young girls and their mothers that she presents regularly in schools and community settings. She regularly speaks on radio, podcasts, and at workshops on a variety of mental health topics including sexuality, body image, well-being, living authentically, and healing trauma.