Beauty And Mental Health — Interview w/ Millenial Therapist Amber Robinson
Amber Robinson is a licensed psychotherapist in Los Angeles who works with millennials and creatives helping them navigate anxieties, manage relationships and heal from childhood trauma.
Amber is a Los Angeles native and prior to becoming a therapist, she worked as a SpecialFX makeup artist. After some time in the beauty industry, she decided to go back to school and follow her true passion of psychology. She now works daily with individuals looking to become the happiest and healthiest versions of themselves.
What is the role of beauty in life?
Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. There is beauty in all things if you are looking for it. To me, beauty is kindness. It’s empathy. It is compassion and authenticity.
What are common misconceptions about beauty today?
A common misconception about beauty is that it is external or that it is just one thing. Beauty is all the things. Beauty is internal and it is abundant.
How does a child perceive beauty?
Children are the most pure and beautiful beings. It is interesting because they may perceive the most beauty because there are no standards set on beauty for them. They haven’t been exposed to standards or status. They are just present and pure. That itself is beautiful.
How can beauty/self-care practices empower mental health? Please give an example.
The happier you are, the more confident you feel. That confidence shines through in your personality and the way you carry yourself which can do wonders for your mental health. If getting your hair done or having a spa day uplifts you mentally, that will shine through in your personality and in your appearance.
How can beauty standards affect mental health?
Beauty standards can have a very significant impact on mental health. When we perceive beauty to be only one thing, that can be extremely damaging. It can send a message that if you are not a certain size or skin tone, you are not as worth and that could not be further from the truth.
What is a healthy way to approach beauty?
A healthy way to approach beauty is to set your own standards for beauty. Do not compare yourself to someone else. If you feel good and are happy, it doesn’t matter if you have the right haircut or have met society’s standard for beauty because beauty is what you make it.
What are trends in beauty that you find healthy, which are trends that are unhealthy?
I really appreciate the body positivity movement that has been taking place recently. I appreciate the representation of people who look different. I think this is a great message and very empowering for young people to see realistic bodies in the media. On the other side of that, I feel like an unhealthy trend that is getting a bit out of hand is the use of filters on social media. So many people use them and they can be really fun, but when you are constantly changing the shape of your face or the size of your features, you being to develop a sense of dysmorphia and don’t like looking at yourself without those alterations.
What needs to change to create a healthier image of beauty?
I think continued efforts of inclusivity and representation are both extremely important. I would also like to see the mainstream media portray more realistic standards for beauty. It is not healthy to only see photoshopped images of celebrities and models. It sets an unattainable standard.
What do you wish people knew about beauty?
I wish people knew that there is beauty in everything. There is beauty in sitting on the couch and reading a book after a long day. There is beauty in the mess in the kitchen after feeding your family. There is beauty in success and there is beauty in failure. There is beauty in everything if you’re looking for it.
Is there anything you would like to share that we have not asked you here?
I would just like to say that not everything is as it seems. The people you perceive to be the most beautiful individuals are fighting battles of their own. We never know what is going on in someone’s personal life, so be kind and have compassion. That is beautiful.
THANK YOU!
Connect with Amber Robinson on Instagram.
Demee Koch about the MEDIUM interview series on Beauty And Mental Health:
Hello! I am a serial entrepreneur with more than 2 decades of experience in the health & beauty industry. This interview series is about the effects of beauty, self-care and the beauty industry on mental health.
For me, beauty is a way to love — it is about self-care, art, nutrition, exercise, life, self-love. With this interview series, I invite experts to become part of a movement that re-defines beauty with its trends, standards and practices. Let’s empower beautiful minds.
Thank you for being the change. I’m looking forward to learn from each one of you. Reach out to me via LinkedIn.
Demee ❤︎
