Healing from Weight Stigma: Strategies for Self-Care and Empowerment
June 3, 2026This article "Healing from Weight Stigma: Strategies for Self-Care and Empowerment" is based on the workshop session “Rewriting the Story: Understanding Weight Stigma and Its Impact” presented by psychologist Dr. Steven Reyes (Dr. Steve) at the ObesityHelp 2025 National Conference. In his talk, Dr. Steve explored weight stigma and how it harms both mental and physical health. He offered practical tools to counter its effects, build resilience, and support a more fulfilling, consistent self-care lifestyle.
Recognizing and Countering Internalized Stigma
Weight stigma often becomes internalized, causing self-critical thinking and perfectionistic tendencies. At the 2025 ObesityHelp National Conference, Dr. Steve emphasized that this internal dialogue can significantly affect health and well-being: “A common thing with the population I’ve worked with over the years, they’re very self-critical. When we practice that self-criticalness, basically what we’re doing is giving ourselves that bad message, you know, that we’re not worth it.”
Practical strategies to counter this include:
- Practice self-acceptance: Treat your self-worth as a priority and engage in daily intentional practices.
- Interrupt negative thoughts: Recognize self-critical thinking and consciously redirect or distract from harmful internal messages.
- Affirmation and validation: Accept compliments and recognition from trusted people in your life to reinforce positive self-perception.
Dr. Steve explained, “If someone gives you validation, affirmation, you acknowledge it. Thank you. You don’t have to reciprocate, but get better at that. Really important.”
Engaging in Person-First Language and Respectful Dialogue
Language plays a key role in healing weight stigma, especially in healthcare settings. Person-first language helps separate an individual’s identity from their condition. Dr. Steve offered a clear example: “John has obesity versus John is obese. Right? You see the difference there?”
Tips for implementing person-first language include:
- Replace labels with statements that recognize the person first.
- Encourage healthcare providers to use respectful terminology in medical records and conversations.
- Promote wellness-focused communication instead of temporary diet-centered language.
Adopting this approach improves the psychological experience for patients and reinforces the message that their worth is not determined by weight.
Community Support and Professional Guidance
Support networks are vital in coping with weight stigma. Dr. Steve encouraged connecting with others who share similar experiences:
- Support groups: Join local or online bariatric or weight management communities.
- Professional counseling: Seek a therapist skilled in addressing weight-based stigma and negative self-perception.
- Peer mentorship: Share experiences and coping strategies with peers to build resilience.
He noted, “Connecting with others who have had similar experiences is really, really important. There’s a lot of value in that. It helps alleviate a lot of our distress when we discover that.”
By combining professional guidance with community support and intentional self-care, individuals can foster resilience against weight stigma and improve long-term mental and emotional well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions
What strategies help reduce the effects of weight stigma?
Self-acceptance, interrupting negative thoughts, practicing person-first language, and engaging with supportive communities all help reduce stigma’s effects.
Why is person-first language important?
It separates the individual from their condition, reducing internalized stigma and promoting respectful dialogue in healthcare and daily life.
How can community support improve coping with weight stigma?
Connecting with others who share similar experiences provides validation, empathy, and strategies for managing bias, boosting resilience and mental health.
Watch the full video of Dr. Steve's session below!
 | ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Steven Reyes offers expertise on the psychological adjustments associated with weight loss surgery. Dr. Reyes is best known for his compassionate coaching and therapeutic approach in helping others with their psychological and physical well-being. Dr. Reyes' research includes a phenomenological study of the post-surgical adjustment issues with weight loss surgery patients between 1 and 2 years post-op. Read more articles from Steven Reyes! |
