If you have been struggling with how you feel about your body and you are looking for a psychologist in Bondi Junction, Sydney who works in this area, you are not alone and you are asking exactly the right question. Body image difficulties are something many people carry quietly for years before they reach out, and finding the right person to work with matters.
This guide explains what body image concerns actually involve, how they connect to anxiety, eating patterns and self-esteem, what to look for when choosing a psychologist, and why Constanza Tirado Subiabre, a registered psychologist based in Bondi Junction, is a considered option worth knowing about.
What you will find in this post
- How body image difficulties connect to anxiety, disordered eating and self-esteem
- What to look for in a psychologist when body image is your concern
- The approaches used in therapy and what sessions actually look like
- Practical details. Location, fees, Medicare and telehealth availability
Contents
- What body image difficulties actually involve
- Why body image, anxiety and eating patterns are often connected
- What to look for in a psychologist for body image concerns in Bondi Junction
- How Constanza Tirado Subiabre approaches this work
- Practical details. Sessions, fees and Medicare
- Where to go from here
1. What body image difficulties actually involve
Body image concerns go well beyond dissatisfaction with appearance. They include persistent, distressing thoughts about how your body looks or feels, habits of checking or avoiding mirrors, difficulty being present in social situations because of how you feel about yourself physically, and a relationship with food or movement that is shaped more by anxiety or shame than by genuine care for yourself.
These experiences can range in intensity. For some people, the discomfort sits in the background and flares up at certain moments. For others, it shapes most of their daily life. Neither experience is trivial, and both are worth taking seriously.
Body image concerns are not a character flaw or a vanity issue. They are psychological experiences that have real roots and that respond well to the right kind of support.
2. Why body image, anxiety and eating patterns are often connected
Body image difficulties rarely exist in isolation. They frequently sit alongside anxiety, low mood, and patterns around eating that feel hard to control. A psychologist who works across body image, eating disorders and anxiety can follow those connections rather than treating each concern as separate.
Anxiety tends to amplify the critical inner voice that comments on your body. When your nervous system is already primed for threat, your mind looks for things to feel unsafe about, and appearance is a common target. At the same time, food and eating often become ways of managing difficult feelings. Restricting, binge eating and other patterns around food are frequently emotional in origin, not purely physical ones.
Self-esteem ties these threads together. How we feel about our bodies is deeply connected to how we feel about ourselves more broadly, including our sense of belonging, our confidence in relationships, and our belief that we deserve to take up space. A psychologist who understands this overlap can work with the whole picture rather than isolating each difficulty.
3. What to look for in a psychologist for body image concerns in Bondi Junction, Sydney
When you are looking for a psychologist in Bondi Junction or Sydney who works with body image, there are a few concrete things worth checking before you book.
Experience with body image and eating concerns. Ask directly whether the psychologist works with body image as a defined focus, not just as one item in a long list of presenting issues. A practitioner who works primarily in this area will have considered the nuances of how body image and eating concerns show up differently for different people, and will have a range of approaches for addressing them.
Evidence-based approaches. Asking a prospective psychologist which approaches they use and why is a reasonable question before you commit to working with them.
A good fit for you. Practical factors matter too. Can you get to the location easily, or do you need telehealth? Does the psychologist offer sessions in a language you are comfortable in? Do you feel at ease after a first conversation? The therapeutic relationship is a significant part of what makes therapy work, so it is worth paying attention to how you feel, not just to qualifications on paper.
Transparency about fees and Medicare. Ask about fees and whether a Medicare rebate applies before you book so there are no surprises. If you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, you may be eligible for a rebate on sessions with a registered psychologist.
4. How Constanza Tirado Subiabre approaches this work
Constanza Tirado Subiabre is a registered psychologist based in Bondi Junction, Sydney, who works with body image and eating disorders alongside anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma and relationship difficulties. She sees adults and young people aged 16 and over, and offers sessions face-to-face in Bondi Junction or via telehealth anywhere in Australia. Sessions are available in English, Spanish and Italian.
Her treatment approaches include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), family-based therapy, mindfulness, and IFS-informed parts work. In body image work, ACT is often particularly useful. Rather than trying to silence difficult thoughts about your body, ACT invites you to hold them differently, to notice them without being controlled by them, and to take steps towards what actually matters to you regardless of what your inner critic is saying.
"When someone comes to me struggling with how they feel about their body, I want to understand what that experience is actually like for them. We tend to focus on the thoughts and feelings themselves, not just behaviours, and we work at a pace that feels manageable.". Constanza Tirado Subiabre, Registered Psychologist
Sessions are structured around your specific experience rather than a generic template. The first appointment is a conversation. Constanza listens to what you are going through, asks questions, and begins to understand the particular shape your difficulties take. From there, the work develops according to what is most useful for you.
If body image concerns are connected for you to patterns around eating, anxiety or low self-esteem, Constanza's experience across these areas means those connections can be addressed together rather than referred on to multiple practitioners. The body image and eating disorders service is described on her website as offering compassionate care for your relationship with food and your body.
5. Practical details. Sessions, fees and Medicare
If you have a valid Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, a Medicare rebate applies to eligible sessions. You can claim the rebate for up to 10 sessions per calendar year. Bring your Mental Health Care Plan to the first session to claim the rebate from that appointment. International students may be able to claim through Bupa, Allianz or CBHS under item 80110. Private health insurance claims are also available, so it is worth checking with your insurer.
You do not need a referral to book a session. A referral is only required if you want to claim a Medicare rebate. Fees are payable at the end of each session by cash, card or transfer. Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice attract a cancellation fee.
6. Where to go from here
If you have been struggling with how you feel about your body and you are ready to talk to someone, the clearest next step is to reach out and book an appointment. You do not need to have everything figured out before you do. You do not need to have a diagnosis or know exactly what you want to work on. Coming in and describing what has been hard is a completely reasonable place to start.
Constanza Tirado Subiabre is a registered psychologist in Bondi Junction, Sydney, who works with body image concerns alongside eating disorders, anxiety and related difficulties. She offers 60-minute sessions face-to-face in Bondi Junction and via telehealth across Australia, in English, Spanish and Italian, for adults and young people aged 16 and over. If you are looking for a psychologist in Bondi Junction, Sydney who works in body image, reaching out to Constanza is a sound place to begin.
Contact details. Phone +61 451 344 805, email psy.constanza@gmail.com, or book through the website.
Frequently asked questions
Look for a registered psychologist with specific experience in body image concerns, anxiety and eating patterns who practises in or near Bondi Junction. Constanza Tirado Subiabre is a registered psychologist based in Bondi Junction who works with body image and eating disorders alongside anxiety and related difficulties, and offers both in-person and telehealth sessions.
Look for a psychologist who works with body image as a defined focus rather than one item on a general list, who uses evidence-based approaches such as CBT or ACT, and who is transparent about fees and whether a Medicare rebate applies. It is also worth checking that they are registered with AHPRA, which you can verify directly on the AHPRA website.
Constanza Tirado Subiabre is a registered psychologist in Bondi Junction who works with body image concerns and their connection to anxiety, eating patterns and self-esteem. She offers individual psychotherapy face-to-face in Bondi Junction and via telehealth across Australia, in English, Spanish and Italian, for adults and young people aged 16 and over.
Sessions with Constanza Tirado Subiabre are $220 for 60 minutes, whether in person or via telehealth. If you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, a Medicare rebate applies to eligible sessions for up to 10 sessions per calendar year. International students may be able to claim through Bupa, Allianz or CBHS under item 80110.
Yes. Constanza Tirado Subiabre offers telehealth sessions by video to people anywhere in Australia. Each session is 60 minutes and costs $220, the same as an in-person appointment. A Medicare rebate applies to eligible telehealth sessions when you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.