Improving Your Relationship with Your Body (2011)
An Owner’s Manual for Your Mind-Body Relationship
My only complaint about this book is that I didn’t write it first.
Dr. Robin S. Rosenberg is a clinical psychologist and has compressed the essential aspects of renewing body image into 27 short but very practical pages. It’s a very concise work; almost a pamphlet really, but that’s one of its strengths. Rosenberg bases her work on established body image research and, presumedly, mainly that of Thomas Cash and his associates, as well as her long clinical experience (Cash & Smolak, 2011). The book is composed of five chapters each leading the reader step-by-step through their own process of body image rehabilitation. Practical tools include a survey of how a person feels about their body; their thoughts and feelings about embodiment; a review of key problem behaviors stemming from body image disturbance; a review of problematic behaviors; and, finally, an insightful discussion of the differences between body-as-object and body-as-agent. The chapters are supported by simple questionnaire tables to help readers identify and rate their feelings and behaviors. These are extremely handy exercises.
Other things which caught my eye are how she opens the narrative by discussing the world-wide problem of body unhappiness or, as it is technically known, normative discontent (see Tantleff-Dunn, Barnes, & Larose, 2011 as well as Shane, 2023) and how the exercises are designed to simply and directly bring feelings and thinking errors to light. Another thing which I found very interesting is her closing of the book with the object vs. agent dichotomy. I think this is a powerful distinction which people usually make unconsciously and is crucial for recovery from body image disturbance. Self-objectification is a key aspect of body image disturbance and the very essence of Cartesian thinking. (See Mercurio & Landry, 2008 on how self-objectification lowers female self-worth and well-being). Appreciating the body as an agent or as a process as other researchers advocate helps to regain personal power and take satisfaction in the functionality of the body rather than appearance. (See Franzoi,1995 for more on the object vs. process views of the body and Alleva & Tylka, 2021 on the relationship of body functionality to body schema/image and its importance in healing body image issues).
Closing Thoughts
In all, Improving Your Relationship With Your Body, is an excellent piece of work and wisdom condensed into a small but very readable book. This is a great little book that can currently be found on Amazon. It’s simple to understand and use, but don’t be mistaken. It’s founded on a group of really powerful and practical ideas.
This is the kind of information that is so useful to bodyworkers, movement therapists, and clinical somatic psychotherapists but lacking in their training and practices. This little book would make an excellent handout for clients with body image issues or, even better, for coaching the client about their somatic experience. Highly recommended.
Paul Shane, Ph.D., LMT
Director, Academic Content
References
Alleva, J. & Tylka, T. (2021). Body functionality: A review of the literature. Body Image 36, p. 149-171.
Cash, T. & Smolak, L. (Eds.) (2011) Body image: A handbook of science, practice, and prevention, second edition. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Franzoi, S. (1995). The body-as-object versus the body-as-process: Gender differences and gender considerations. Sex Roles 33(5/6), p 417-437.
Mercurio, A. & Landry, L. (2008). Self-objectification and well-being: The impact of self-objectification on women’s overall sense of self-worth and life satisfaction. Sex Roles 58, p. 458-466.
Shane, P. (2023). Principles of Somatic Psychology: A Transdisciplinary Approach for the Holistic Healthcare Professions. Brecksville, OH: Center for Bodymind Education.
Rosenberg, R. (2011). Improving Your Relationship with Your Body. Self-published.