How to Feel More Comfortable Being Naked with Your Partner

By csatchell Last updated Oct 10, 2013 13

With all the images you see of beautiful girls looking picture-perfect in magazines and films and advertisements, it’s a wonder that any of us ever get naked in front of another human being. Being worried about body image can affect your mental wellness, as well as your sexual health, meaning that you’re afraid to eat – in case you put on a few more wobbly bits – and you’re too embarrassed to have sex with the lights on, or take your clothes off at all. So how do you stop that fear of being naked from affecting your wellbeing?

According to Rachel Hercman, a psychotherapist specialising in dating, sex and relationships, ‘Today, it’s hard to feel beautiful, and for many women feeling beautiful and feeling sexy go hand-in-hand. The culture we live in makes it difficult for women to feel adequate physically, as everywhere you look—the movies, magazines, billboards – there are images of women that are unrealistic to attain.’

However, Hercman explains, ‘In many cases the images are photoshopped to make the woman’s body look even more ‘perfected’ than it does in reality, but the knowledge that it’s photoshopped doesn’t curtail its dramatic impact. Consequently, many women walk around with a negative body image and feel like they aren’t perfect enough to be beautiful and for many, this translates into insecurity in the bedroom.’

So what can you do to fight your negative body image? Hercman recommends the following exercise:

1. If you’re comfortable enough to do so, stand in front of the mirror. If not, just sit in a comfortable position.

2. Look at a body part you don’t like – we all have them!

3. Spend a few moments trying to think about positive things to do with that body part. If you don’t like your bum, for example, focus on the positive things that your bum does for you, like providing a cushion on which to sit.

4. Once you have some positive aspects to dwell on, focus on that grateful feeling and remind yourself you are more than just your body. These body parts provide positive functions, but they do not define who you are.