Therapy for Self-Esteem
The way you treat yourself and value ourself makes an immense difference to your life. Do you often feel awkward and self-conscious in social settings? Are you constantly comparing yourself to others and finding you never measure up?
Self-esteem is a concept that speaks to how we feel about ourselves. When one has high self-esteem, they feel confident, centered, and worthy of love. People with low self-esteem often feel shame and self-doubt. They often feel critical of themselves and are unworthy of love or praise.
- Recognizing Low Self-Esteem – Individuals with low self-esteem will often cope with it using one of the following three models:
- Imposter Syndrome – These individuals project false confidence and use their accomplishments to mask their insecurities. We often find perfectionists and procrastinators in this group.
- Rebellion – These individuals pretend to not care about what others think of them. Feelings of inferiority may often come across as anger or blame. Some may act out by defying authority and even breaking the law.
- Victimhood – In this scenario, low self-esteem causes the person to feel helpless in the face of life’s challenges. They may play the role of the victim and rely on others.
Regardless of how low self-esteem manifests, it often results in:
- Depression and anxiety
- Lack of joy in life
- Anger, guilt, sadness
- Self-doubt
- A lack of resilience
- Loneliness
- Isolation
- Eating issues
- Codependency
- Self-harm
Low Self-Esteem and Finding Self-Compassion
The good news is that self-esteem is something that can be changed by changing your beliefs, behavior and how you think and feel about yourself. An important part of this relates to the fundamental story that you tell yourself about your own life.
Most people develop their self-esteem issues in childhood and have been living with negative views of themselves for a very long time. We need to find compassion for our young selves. We need to connect to the fundamental story of who we are—really!
Having a knowledgeable and supportive depth psychotherapist in your corner can help you to develop a healthier and more realistic sense of self. He or she will help you uncover the true story of your life, discover where your low self-esteem came from, and help you to see yourself through kind rather than hyper-critical eyes. This is the road to self-love and self-compassion.
If you would like to explore ways to appreciate and be kinder to who you really are, please reach out to me.
