Unfiltered: Navigating Body Image and Social Media with Dr. Emily Gordon

In this episode of MilesFromHerView, Kat sits down with Dr. Emily Gordon, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in helping adolescents, young adults, and adults navigate body image struggles, eating disorders, and life transitions. Dr. Gordon offers valuable insights into the complexities of social media's impact on our self-perception, especially for women and young people. Together, Kat and Dr. Gordon discuss ways to foster a healthy relationship with social media, body image, and fitness in a world of comparison and curated realities.

Key Highlights:

• Social Media’s Influence on Body Image: Dr. Gordon discusses how social media can perpetuate unrealistic expectations by presenting carefully curated and edited images. These images often don’t reflect reality, leading to harmful comparisons.

• The Comparison Trap: Whether on social media, at the playground, or in professional spaces, comparison is a natural human tendency. Dr. Gordon emphasizes that it’s especially challenging for adolescents who are in a stage of developing their social identity.

• Understanding Developmental Stages: Kat and Dr. Gordon explore how adolescence is a time of shifting self-awareness, where children start to place more value on social validation. This makes them particularly vulnerable to social media pressures.

• Critical Thinking About Social Media Content: Dr. Gordon encourages listeners to question the source of social media content. Much of what we see is curated to sell products or promote ideals, often making us feel inadequate.

• Healthy Social Media Habits: Both Kat and Dr. Gordon suggest being mindful of how social media affects our mental health and to actively work on filtering content that doesn’t align with personal values or well-being.

• Shutting Down the “Shoulds”: Kat shares her own experience with feeling pressured by social media’s fitness culture, reminding listeners that everyone's journey is unique. Dr. Gordon agrees, encouraging listeners to reject the harmful “shoulds” and focus on what works for their individual goals.

Links & Resources:

• Follow Dr. Emily Gordon on  LinkedIn for more insights into body image and mental health or visit www.dremilygordon.com 

☎️ - Schedule a complimentary call to see if podcasting is a good fit for you: https://katfit.moxieapp.com/public/katfit/consultation-call
❓ - Have A Question About Strength Training, Nutrition, and cardio training? Submit It HERE:https://forms.gle/kndmqaf91psZEmPs6
📧 - Join The Email List: https://katfit.ck.page/8c2fa05ed8