Dr. Linda Mintle is a nationally recognized author and speaker.  She is a licensed clinical social worker, specializes in marriage and family therapy and eating disorders.  As a therapist her compassion and spiritual insight have allowed her to help many in need. 

 

Dr. Mintle is credited with writing thirteen wonderful books which include Kids Killing Kids; Getting Unstuck; Divorce Proofing Your Marriage; the six booklet series Breaking free; A Daughter’s Journey Home: Finding a Way to Love, Honor and Connect with Your Mother; the bestseller Lose It For Life, co-authored with Stephen Arterburn; Overweight Kids, a book aimed at helping parents prevent and fight the current overweight epidemic among our children: and her latest book, Making Peace With Your Thighs, Get Off the Scales and On With Your Life.

 

 

Dr. Linda is seen regularly as the resident mental health expert on ABC Family’s daily television talk show, “Living the Life with Terry Meeuwsen and Louise Duart” (10:00a.m. EST).

 

Finding a Healthy Self Body Image    

 

This show pertains to both genders for positive self body image and for what the media promotes as a perfect man and woman.  The average woman is a size 12 not a 2, but society affects the way we look at ourselves through magazines, television and movies.  Recognize that most of the celebrities on the magazines and on television have been air brushed and are sometimes not even real photographs of the person’s body. 

 

Dr. Mintle promotes a change in self image and where to find our inner beauty.  She is challenging us to rethink conforming to what the media and society says we are to look like.  We do not have to jump to the newest trend of implants, injections or altering our physical appearance through cosmetic surgery to alter how we look. 

 

Linda Mintle speaks at Women’s conferences and universities to help women of all generations look at physical appearance in a healthier light.  According to Dr. Mintle, it can be easier to confront our own physical imperfections, than to look at the inner discontent of our relationships or self.    

 

 

 

Get Off the Scales and Get On with Your Life

 

 

Dr. Mintle says, “We need to quit comparing ourselves to other people and realize God created us in a certain image and he was not having an off moment, but a definite intention.  If we can become aware of how much we feed our minds with negative thoughts, but replace those with the positive thoughts of God and our true identity in him, we can begin to find our own sense of peace.  Family and loved ones can either help or hinder what we think of ourselves.  Most of the eating disorders that we deal with in life are from our childhood and from family members or people around us in our impressionable years.

 

Youthanasia is a word the author made up to poke fun at our society for not growing old gracefully.   We need to find a healthy way to heal spiritually, mentally and pass down this growth to our children and the younger generations.  Parents can impact their teen kids from their words and own self image, teaching them how to view their bodies and not obsess over them.  Kids with eating disorders are getting younger and younger, but with our help at earlier ages we can make changes in our children.  Some women never struggled in their early years with their weight or image, but through mid-life crisis or hormone changes, they can experience a negative self mage later in life. 

 

Dr. Mintle shares that, if we do not have a strong anchor in the Lord and know who we are in Christ, we will look for exterior kudos and approval.  The Lord looks at the heart and not the outward appearance and that is what we need to look at.  If we are focusing on our outward looks and appearance, we may need to step back and see if we are missing something deep inside of us and find a balance in our life.  We also need to learn to be assertive, give and receive compliments, be a leader with friends and co-workers to create a positive direction for all our relationships.

 

 

 

Fore more information on Dr. Linda Mintle and her books, please visit her website at www.drlindahelps.com.