Marissa and Alex, both therapists and moms, talk body image from fertility through postpartum, and why caring for a baby also means caring for the person nourishing them.
In this episode of Colors Out Loud, Marissa Lecaros, therapist and Clinical Director at Colors of Austin Counseling, and Alex DeHoff, also a therapist at Colors of Austin, explore body image across the perinatal journey: fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum. As clinicians and mothers themselves, they bring both professional expertise and lived experience to the conversation.
They discuss the unique challenges of navigating fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum recovery with a history of disordered eating or an eating disorder. Together, they unpack why old body image struggles can resurface during these transitions, how experiences like weigh-ins, food rules, and the six-week postpartum checkup can trigger past narratives, and what meaningful support and recovery can look like.
From parts work and self-compassion to collaborative treatment teams, postpartum doulas, and pelvic floor therapists, they explore ways to care for both the parent and the baby. At the heart of the conversation is an important reminder: supporting a baby’s well-being also means supporting the person nourishing and caring for them.
Content note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorder behaviors, including food restriction and purging, plus body image struggles and postpartum mood changes.
This episode is for educational purposes and isn’t a substitute for therapy or crisis support. If you’re in crisis, call or text 988.
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