At Guerin Therapy Group in Raleigh, NC, we offer more than just therapy—we offer a healing space rooted in respect, liberation, and the belief that all bodies are worthy of compassionate care. That’s why our practice is proudly weight-inclusive and aligned with the principles of Health at Every Size® (HAES®).
If you’ve ever felt dismissed or shamed in a healthcare setting because of your body size, you’re not alone. Sadly, this is way more common than you might think (TW: the “O” word). And if you’ve avoided therapy—or any form of care—because you feared it might focus on weight loss or “fixing” your body, we see you. There’s an alternative approach…
Here’s what weight-inclusive, HAES®-aligned mental health care means to us—and why it matters for your healing.
What Is HAES®?
Health at Every Size® (HAES®) is a framework developed by the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH). This paradigm challenges weight stigma and promotes equitable, compassionate care for people of all sizes. Rather than focusing on weight as a measure of health, HAES® supports:
- Respect for body diversity
- Eating for well-being, not restriction
- Joyful movement that’s accessible and sustainable
- Compassionate, individualized healthcare
- Rejection of weight-based discrimination
In short: HAES® asks providers to stop making assumptions about your health or worth based on your body size. Instead, this approach supports your goals with a more compassionate, nuanced understanding of bodies, size, and health.
Why Weight-Inclusive Therapy Matters
Traditional mental health care, even with good intentions, can perpetuate harm by:
- Framing body image concerns as “just about confidence”
- Reinforcing diet culture as a solution to anxiety or depression
- Assuming weight loss is always a desirable or healthy goal
Weight-inclusive therapy offers something radically different. (Though we wish it wasn’t so radical!)
In our work, we:
- Validate your lived experience in a world that often pathologizes larger bodies
- Explore your relationship with food, movement, and your body without tying it to weight or BMI
- Understand how weight stigma, oppression, and trauma intersect and impact your mental health
- Support body autonomy—your right to decide what’s best for your body, without pressure or shame (yes, even if your choice is weight loss… we will hold space for any and all decisions).
This isn’t just about eating disorders or body image. People in all body sizes deserve therapy that doesn’t assume weight loss is the answer.
Weight-Inclusive Mental Health Therapy in Raleigh, NC
Whether you’re seeking support for trauma, anxiety, eating disorders, or relationships, here’s what you can expect from a weight-inclusive, HAES®-aligned therapist at Guerin Therapy Group:
- No weigh-ins. No weight-loss goals (though we can hold space for your desires). No food moralizing.
- Space to process medical trauma or internalized fatphobia
- Understanding of systemic oppression, including anti-fat bias and its impact on self-worth
- Tools for reconnecting with your body in safer, more empowering ways (e.g., somatic therapy, mindful movement)
- Affirming care, regardless of your size, race, gender identity, ability, age, etc
We believe healing happens when you’re not being judged or asked to shrink—but instead supported in expanding into your full self.
Who Is Weight-Inclusive Therapy For?
This approach is for anyone who:
- Has been harmed by diet culture or weight-centric care
- Is in recovery from disordered eating
- Feels disconnected from their body
- Wants to explore mental health without being encouraged to change their body
- Desires therapy that honors their identity, autonomy, and lived experience
Whether you identify as fat, thin, in recovery, body neutral, or body curious—you are welcome here.
Our Commitment to Social Justice and Liberation
Being HAES®-aligned isn’t just about individual care—it’s part of our larger mission to dismantle systems that uphold body hierarchies. We’re committed to:
- Ongoing education around anti-fat bias, ableism, racism, and other intersecting oppressions
- Collaborating with other providers who uphold size-inclusive care
- Creating a practice where every body is respected and no one is pathologized for how they exist in the world
You Deserve Therapy That Honors Your Whole Self
If you’ve been waiting for a therapist who will never talk about your body like it’s a problem to solve—you’ve found the right place.
At Guerin Therapy Group, we offer individual, couples/relationship, and family therapy rooted in trauma-informed, affirming, and inclusive care.
Learn more about our team or schedule a free consultation today.
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