In this episode of Poetry in Layers, I explore the complicated, layered relationship we have with our bodies. Through my original poem “to my body” from my upcoming book These Kids Are Fighting for Their Lives, I offer both an apology and a promise: to move from silence, shame, and disconnection toward pride, acceptance, and embodied healing.
I unpack how body image struggles can be shaped by trauma, culture, and identity, and how they often show up as self-criticism, perfectionism, or disassociation. Drawing on Internal Family Systems and somatic therapy insights, I reflect on how healing means reclaiming the body as sacred, safe, and unapologetically seen.
This episode is both personal and therapeutic, weaving poetry, clinical reflection, and cultural insight. It is an invitation to reimagine how we speak to our bodies with kindness, compassion, and truth, and to begin rewriting the scripts of shame into stories of resilience.
If you have ever struggled with body image, my hope is that this episode offers you validation, resources, and the reminder that your body is not an apology, it is worthy, kind, sincere, and unapologetic.
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
00:18 - The Struggle with Body Image
01:23 - Attempting to Define Body Image
03:09 - The Poem: to my body
05:20 - The Poem Breakdown
09:48 - The Clinical Breakdown
11:30 - Second Reading: to my body
12:35 - Closing
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Carl's Publication
The Mis-Execution of a Black Son by Carl Patterson, LPC - https://amzn.to/3UyX6nP
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Book Resources
As Amazon Affiliates, we earn from qualifying purchases
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Poetry Books:
The Terrible — Yrsa Daly-Ward - https://amzn.to/4lzpHV2
Don’t Call Us Dead— Danez Smith - https://amzn.to/45VdnJU
The Tradition – Jericho Brown - https://amzn.to/3UvVXxf
Psychology Related Books:
The Body Keeps the Score – Bessel van der Kolk - https://amzn.to/4mvl9jS
Healing the Shame That Binds You – John Bradshaw - https://amzn.to/45ooivxs
Radical Acceptance – Tara Brach - https://amzn.to/45n8t8r
The Gifts of Imperfection – Brené Brown - https://amzn.to/3JfCjTR
The Wisdom of Your Body – Hillary McBride - https://amzn.to/4mk4EGV
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Carl Patterson is a licensed professional counselor, published author, public speaker, and spoken word artist. Click the link to learn more about Carl and his works - https://www.familysolutionsok.com/carl-patterson
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This podcast is published and produced by Family Solutions Media, a media program of Family Solutions Counseling. For more great content, please check out our LinkTree - https://www.linktr.ee/familysolutionsok