ONLINE THERAPY FOR WOMEN WITH LIPEDEMA· CO, DC, ME, OR & VA
You can feel at home in a body with lipedema.
Years of being told to eat less and move more leave a mark. Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy helps you heal the shame, grief, and anger that come with lipedema, with a therapist who lives with it too.
What the …?
“I did everything right, and my legs kept changing.”
“Three doctors told me to just lose weight.”
“I dread summer.”
“Why did no one tell me this was a medical condition?”
“I’m so tired of fighting my own body.”
In IFS, we call these voices parts. Each one is trying to help.
WHAT BRINGS WOMEN HERE
You were told it was your fault. It never was.
On the surface
Legs that ache, feel heavy, and bruise easily. Clothes that never fit both halves of you. Diets that changed everything except the part you were trying to change. Appointments where you weren’t believed, and hard decisions about treatment.
Inside
Shame that has been with you since you were young. Grief for the years you blamed yourself. Anger at being dismissed. A critic that still says you should try harder. Dread of mirrors, photographs, and being seen.
What it means
You want to live in your body without being at war with it. You want to be believed. You want to make decisions about your care from a calm, clear place.
HAT MANY WOMEN ARE NEVER TOLD
Lipedema is a medical condition
Lipedema is a chronic condition in which fat builds up disproportionately, most often in the legs and hips and sometimes the arms. It occurs almost entirely in women. It is often mistaken for ordinary weight gain, and many women live with it for years or decades before anyone names it.
Women with lipedema commonly describe:
A lower body noticeably larger than the upper body
Fat that doesn’t respond to diet and exercise the way the rest of the body does
Legs or arms that feel heavy, tender, or painful
Bruising easily
Changes that began or worsened around puberty, pregnancy, or menopause
Years of being told to simply lose weight
This list is not a diagnosis. If it sounds familiar, a physician who knows lipedema can evaluate you. I’m a psychotherapist, not a medical provider. I don’t diagnose or treat lipedema itself. I treat what living with it does to your mind and heart.
YOUR CLINICAL THERAPIST
Kathy Manning, LCSW
Certified IFS Therapist · Level 3 trained · IFIO trained
I know this from the inside. A part of me has lipedema, too. With me, you won’t have to explain what it is or convince me it’s real.
I’m a licensed clinical social worker and a Certified IFS Therapist with advanced Level 3 training. I help women with lipedema get to know the parts of them that carry shame, grief, and anger, and the parts that have fought their bodies for years. When those parts feel understood, they can rest, and you can relate to your body with more calm and more kindness.
Certified IFS Therapist, Level 3 trained
Advanced training in Internal Family Systems through the IFS Institute
Lived experience
I live with lipedema myself!
Master of Social Work
Catholic University of America, with clinical training at the VA Medical Center in Washington DC
Licensed in five places
Colorado, Maine, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington DC
STEPS TO GET STARTED
Three simple steps to your first conversation
1. Fill out a short contact form
Tell me a little about yourself and what’s bringing you in. It takes just a few minutes and it is secure, your privacy is protected from the start.
2. Schedule a free 30-minute call
Pick a time that works for you. We’ll meet by secure video.
3. We talk
You tell me what’s been hard lately, and we see whether we’re a good fit. No pressure, and no commitment.
WHAT WORKING TOGETHER LOOKS LIKE
A clear unhurried path
1. We make sense of it
We begin with a careful clinical assessment: your history with your body, with food and dieting, and with the medical system. You’ll be believed.
2. We get to know your parts
The critic. The one that diets and pushes. The one that hides. The one that’s furious at being dismissed. And the ones that hold the shame and grief. With your consent, they can let go of burdens they’ve carried for years.
3. We notice change
We track how you show up more as your authentic Self: how you speak to yourself, get dressed, rest, and advocate for your care.
Therapy works alongside your medical care, not instead of it. I’m glad to coordinate with your physician, surgeon, or lymphatic therapist when that helps.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Lipedema may be lifelong. The war with your body doesn’t have to be.
If something changes
Women often describe relief at finally putting the blame down. Grief moves through. Anger becomes advocacy. There’s room to care for your body as it is, and to choose treatment from clarity.
If nothing changes
The critic keeps running the show. Shame decides what you wear, where you go, and whether you speak up at appointments. Energy that could go toward your life goes toward hiding and self-blame.
WHAT CHANGE CAN LOOK LIKE
More of you, leading
IFS calls the calm, wise center in each of us the Self. When parts trust it, these qualities come forward on their own.
Calm
You make decisions about compression, surgery, or movement from calm, not panic
Connectedness
You feel at home in your body, and less alone with lipedema
Clarity
You know it was never your fault, and the critic’s voice gets quieter
Creativity
You get dressed without a fight, and find ways to move and dress that feel good
Confidence
You walk into a medical appointment and speak up for yourself
Curiosity
“What is this part afraid of?” replaces “What’s wrong with my body?”
Courage
You let yourself be seen, in photos, at the beach, in summer clothes
Compassion
You look at old photographs with tenderness for the woman in them
A plant isn’t failing when it grows the way it was made to grow. It still deserves good care.
Not ready to call yet? Download the free Midlife Check-In, a short reflection guide to help you notice what’s changed and which parts of you are speaking loudest.
INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS, IN PLAIN LANGUAGE
Every part of you has a reason
IFS starts from a simple idea: the mind is made of many parts, and each one is trying to protect you. The part that criticizes your body may be trying to shield you from other people’s judgment. The part that pushed you through diet after diet was trying to fix what it was told was wrong. We don’t fight these parts. We get to know them, understand what they’re afraid of, and help them trust your calmer, wiser Self.
Lipedema often changes at hormonal turning points, including menopause. If midlife is part of your story too, we can work with both.
QUESTIONS
Before you reach out
Does therapy treat lipedema?
No. Lipedema is a medical condition, and its physical treatment belongs with medical providers. Therapy addresses the emotional weight of living with it: shame, grief, anger, anxiety, depression, and a painful relationship with your body.
What if I haven’t been medically diagnosed with lipedema yet?
You’re welcome here. Many women reach out while they are still looking for answers. I can’t confirm whether you have lipedema, but I can assess and treat what you’re going through emotionally, and support you as you seek medical care.
Will you tell me to lose weight?
No. I don’t give diet or weight advice. My focus is your relationship with your body and yourself.
What if years of dieting have affected how I eat?
That’s common, and we can talk about it openly. If eating has become a serious struggle, I’ll help you find specialized support alongside our work.
Do you take insurance?
I’m in network with Moda for Oregon clients. Otherwise my practice is private pay, and I can provide statements you may be able to submit for out-of-network reimbursement. See the out-of-network reimbursement page for details.
Is therapy online?
Yes. We meet by secure video, from wherever you have privacy. Many women appreciate not having to travel or sit in a waiting room.
How long does IFS therapy take?
It varies. Some women come for a focused season; others stay longer to go deeper. We check in regularly on what’s helping and decide together.
Is online therapy as effective as in person?
For most people, yes. IFS works well by video, and many women appreciate not adding a commute to an already full week.
TAKE THE FIRST STEP
Ready to stop fighting your body?
Fill out a short form and schedule a free 30-minute video call. We’ll talk about what’s been happening and whether IFS therapy with me is a good fit.