Internalized Weight Bias: How It’s Harming You and What to do About It with Dr. Robyn Pashby

The Innovative Therapist

Episode 85. I am super excited to share this conversation for a few reasons. First, we talk about a topic that literally is relevant to everyone, regardless of your body size or history of how much you've struggled with your eating. Second, I've been wanting to connect with Dr. Robyn Pashby for a while now, so many people told us we should chat! I learned a lot in this conversation, and I'm sure you will too. What to Expect in this Interview In this interview, we cover: Why Dr. Pashby got into this work Why she uses the term obesity or persons with obesity (and the intentionality around this choice) and how it actually can help reduce shame and help many people feel seen and supported What is weight bias? What is internalized weight bias? (and a surprising stat about what countries you will find it in) How to know if you have internalized weight bias How internalized weight bias is impacting you (and how none of us are totally immune from it's impacts) psychologically and biologically (often without your awareness) How a trauma informed approach is essential most of the time when you are dealing with an eating or weight concern (and why) What you can do about internalized weight bias? Ready to Break the Binge Eating Cycle for Good? Ready to stop avoiding and break the binge eating cycle for good? The first step is to disrupt the cycle. My free practical guide has 23 positive ideas for things to do instead of eating. Don't worry, you wont find the standard diet culture BS advice (take a walk, have some water!) Take the first step to finally stop binge eating and grab my free practical guide today! Grab my free guide to disrupt the cycle of emotional and binge eating today! Who is Dr. Robyn Pashby? Dr. Robyn Pashby is a clinical health psychologist who specializes in the cognitive, behavioral and emotional aspects of disordered eating and high weight. She completed her undergraduate training at Colby College in Maine and then earned a Masters in Psychology from American University and a PhD in both Medical and Clinical Psychology from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) F. Edward Hebert Medical School. She completed her post-doctoral training at the Washington DC Veterans Hospital and her post-doctoral Fellowship in the Eating Behavior Lab at USUHS. Dr. Pashby is highly experienced in the use of evidence-based interventions for eating and weight concerns including Interpersonal Psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Her clinical specialization is in the psychological treatment of obesity, weight bias, and binge eating disorder as well as pre- and post-bariatric surgery concerns. Dr. Pashby is currently the owner and director of DC Health Psychology (DCHP), a group health psychology practice with an office in Washington DC and she is approved to work with clients using telehealth in more than 30 states around the US. She is currently serving as the Chair of the Mental Health Committee for the National Board of Directors of the Obesity Action Coalition, an international non-profit organization aimed at increasing awareness and education about obesity and reducing weight bias and stigma. She has been featured in various media outlets including NBC, CBS, Weight Watchers, Thrive Global and more. Dr. Pashby lives in Washington D.C. with her husband, daughter, and dog. "If you feel held back from doing what you want to do to live the life you feel like living, whether that's working on your health by going to the gym, or going for a walk in your neighborhood or playing badminton on the beach, whatever it is, if you feel hindered by that, it's probably a reflection of weight bias and may be internalizing some of that."-Robyn Pashby, PhD Support Local Bookstores Near You! Did you know that that if nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will have almost 80% of the book market by the end of 2025? Look,