Female Genital Image Self-Consciousness: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in a Group Setting with College-Aged Women

Increasingly, external female genitalia, specifically the labia majora, labia minora, and mons pubis, have become a target of negative evaluation and source of body image selfconsciousness. The following paper is based on the theory that young women are exposed to and internalize a set of messages and ideas encompassing a female genital ideal. The gap that may exist between that perceived ideal and one’s anatomy leads to negative selfschemas that create anxiety, shame, and discomfort within the woman. This psychological discomfort, sometimes labeled “genital panic,” expresses itself through increased body image self-consciousness, reduced sexual self-esteem (SSE), reduced overall self-esteem, and reduced overall wellbeing. Genital image self-consciousness (GISC) causes women to disconnect from their physical bodies, their sexual selves, and their sexual experiences as a whole, reducing their SSE and overall sexual satisfaction. This paper works to reduce the impact of GISC through an all-female therapy group, which uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to address genital discomfort, shame, and anxiety. This paper identifies empirically supported rationales for positive benefits of ACT and mindfulness to help reduce GISC and increase SSE. A session-bysession outline of the proposed treatment protocol is put forth. A discussion of the limitations and future directions is offered in the conclusion.