Brought to you by the Virginia Mental Health Counselors Association
About the Event
Body image concerns are common in clinical practice and can significantly affect clients' emotional well-being, relationships, behaviors, and overall quality of life. This training provides outpatient clinicians with a practical framework for understanding, assessing, and conceptualizing body image distress across a range of presenting concerns. Participants will explore cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and sociocultural factors that contribute to body image concerns and learn how to apply practical CBT and DBT-informed interventions. Emphasis will be placed on translating assessment into individualized treatment while supporting clients in reducing body image distress, increasing flexibility, and building a more compassionate and values-aligned relationship with their bodies.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
1. Identify common cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and sociocultural factors associated with body image distress.
2. Assess body image concerns and identify behaviors that may maintain or exacerbate body dissatisfaction and distress.
3. Develop a clinical conceptualization of body image concerns that considers individual, interpersonal, cultural, and environmental factors.
4. Apply CBT-based interventions to address body image-related thoughts, cognitive distortions, avoidance, checking, and other maintaining behaviors.
5. Apply DBT-informed strategies to support emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and acceptance in the context of body image distress.
6. Integrate body-inclusive and weight-inclusive approaches into outpatient clinical practice while avoiding reinforcement of weight stigma or appearance-based self-worth.
About the Presenter
Kira Denney, M.S., LCPC-S, LMHC, LPC, NCC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and co-owner of Pearl Wellness Practice, a virtual practice focused on eating disorders, body image, and mental health. In addition to her clinical work, Kira consults and supervises mental health providers and is passionate about supporting clinicians in developing thoughtful, inclusive, and sustainable clinical practices. She is particularly interested in DEI, increasing access to quality eating disorder care, and reducing barriers that prevent people from receiving needed support. Kira also serves as a Clinical Director at Monte Nido Walden, bringing experience across levels of eating disorder care and a strong commitment to multidisciplinary, person-centered treatment. Outside of work, you can usually find Kira watching football, playing intramural sports, hanging out with her two huskies, or at a concert.
Disclaimer: This event is organized and hosted by an AMHCA-affiliated chapter and is not an official event of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA). Any questions, concerns, requests for accommodations, or issues related to registration, content, logistics, or participation should be directed to the organization hosting the event using the contact information provided in the event listing.