Want to help your Teen Daughter Build a Positive Body Image (Without solely focusing on Looks)

In our signature groups for teen girls (The Happiness Path) where we focus on building confidence, connection, and resilience, we explore a lot of different topics!

We unpack stress.
We explore relationships.
And then we arrive here:

Self-image.

Not just how we see ourselves…
but how we relate to ourselves.

Many girls today are walking through the world carrying a HEAVY weight:

• The pressure to look a certain way
• To fit in but also stand out
• To be confident, but not too much
• To act a certain way
• To belong in a certain way

And in all of that noise, things can get… muddied.

It becomes harder to answer a really important question:

A Different Way In

In our BeYoutiful session (B-E, “YOU,” -tiful), week six of our program, we explore a simple concept that is incredibly powerful when it comes to self-image.

We shift the focus.

Instead of asking about what we like about our bodies…
we talk about what our body supports us to do.

At first, it can sound almost too simple.

But then we get real with it.

We ask:

What do you love to do?

And the answers come quickly:

• Playing volleyball
• Drawing
• Laughing with friends
• Baking
• Dancing
• Being outside
• Walking in nature

And then we hone in:

What parts of your body support you in doing these things you love?

And something shifts in that moment.

From Judgment to Curiosity

We invite the girls to notice.

To appreciate.

To recognize what their bodies are doing for them every single day.

They say things like:

• My legs help me move across the court
• My hands and eyes let me create art
• My lungs carry my breath when I run
• My voice lets me laugh with my friends

And it's not forced positivity.
It’s not about pretending everything feels amazing.

It’s a grounded in genuine appreciation of their lived experiences.

For many girls, this is completely new.

A new way of relating to their body.
A new way of relating to themselves.

Why This Matters

Body image struggles are everywhere.

Research shows that up to 70% of teenage girls report dissatisfaction with their bodies. Many begin internalizing comparison culture pressures as early as elementary school.

We’ve even had parents share that their eight-year-olds are already checking things like thigh gaps.

It’s real.

And it’s showing up earlier than we think.

And while some girls like athletes are often seen as confident, they are not immune.
In many environments, performance and appearance become tightly intertwined.

For girls navigating injury, recovery, or changes in their sport, this can feel even more intense.

When your body isn’t performing the way it used to…
or looks different than it once did…

It’s easy for the relationship with your body to become strained.

Rebuilding the Relationship

In our groups, rebuilding that relationship is a big part of the work.

And this matters far beyond the group setting.

Because when we focus only on how our body looks, we feed into comparison.
The shoulds.
The expectations.
The constant evaluation.

But when we shift toward what our body supports us to do, We move into connection.

Curiosity.
Respect.

Our body becomes less of something to judge…
and more of a partner.

A support system.
A vehicle for the life we want to live.

And from there, how we care for it, speak to it, and see it can begin to change.

When It Feels Hard (Because Sometimes It Really Does)

It’s important to say this clearly:

There will be moments where this feels hard.
Maybe even impossible.

For some girls, body image struggles go deeper into patterns of body dysmorphia, where the way they see their body feels very real, even if it doesn’t match what others see.

In those moments, this isn’t about forcing gratitude.
It’s not about trying to convince yourself to love your body.

It’s about creating just a little bit of space.

Space for:

• curiosity instead of criticism
• a little bit of grace instead of harshness
• support instead of isolation

And sometimes, that also means reaching out.

To a parent.
To a trusted adult.
To a therapist or support system.

Because it’s okay to not be okay.

And no one is meant to navigate that alone.

A Practice You Can Try (For You or Your Teen)

If this resonates, here’s something simple you can try:

1. Make a list of 20 things you love to do​
   (big or small everything counts)
2. Choose 5 of those things
3. For each one, ask:
   ​What parts of my body support me in doing this?
4. Take a moment to sit with that.
5. And if it feels right, gently add:
   ​Thank you for supporting me in this.

A More Compassionate Way

This isn’t about pretending to always love your body
or even always appreciate it.

It’s about creating space for a relationship with your body that includes:

• curiosity
• appreciation
• respect

Even when things are hard.
Especially when things are hard.

With so much gratitude,

Chantal

Chantal Menard Côté | Psychologist | Teen Coach |

Founder of Pyramid Psychology & The Happiness Path

- Inspiring teen girls to build unbreakable mindsets

THP Hangouts April Edition

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​Saturday April 11th | 12-130pm | Social Grounds Calgary (Oakridge)

A relaxed hangout to create, move, connect!

👉 Are you in? Join us here​

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