Feel good in your body, on your terms.

Functional Self Care™ is built on research that connects mindful movement, emotional well-being, and sustainable physical activity. Our goal is to help people build a positive relationship with movement by focusing on how it feels, not just how it looks.

Why Body Image and Movement Matter

Exercise can improve body image and confidence—even in people who don’t exercise regularly. Feeling more satisfied with your body makes it easier to stay active and take care of your health. But the way we think and feel during movement matters too. If we only exercise to change how we look, we may end up feeling worse.

Research shows that negative feelings like guilt, shame, or self-punishment often lead to dysfunctional exercise patterns. This includes working out to “earn” food, pushing through pain or injury, or avoiding movement due to past body shaming. These patterns reduce enjoyment and harm both mental and physical health.

A New Approach: Mindful, Attuned Movement

Instead of focusing on appearance, Functional Self Care™ encourages attuned exercise—movement that’s joyful, safe, and connected to the body. Learning to move with care and attention can lead to stronger body confidence and self-respect.

Building Self-Worth Through Movement

We use proven tools like the Physical Self-Attribute Questionnaire (PSA-Q) to help people explore their strengths and feel more confident in their bodies. Our approach is guided by the Health Belief Model, which shows people are more likely to make lasting health changes when they:

1. Recognize a risk in their current behavior,

2. Believe the benefits of change outweigh the challenges, and

3. Feel confident and ready to act.

We also use motivational interviewing, self-compassion, and goal setting to help participants align their values with how they move. This leads to more positive experiences with physical activity, which in turn improves adherence and long-term well-being.

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Srismith, D., Dierkes, K., Zipfel, S., Thiel, A., Sudeck, G., Giel, K. E., & Behrens, S. C. (2022). Physical activity improves body image of sedentary adults. Exploring the roles of interoception and affective response. Current Psychology, 42(30), 26663–26671. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03641-7