self-esteem: It’s time to quiet that inner critic.
Psychotherapy for Self-Esteem in the Ottawa Area and across Ontario.
If I am the longest relationship
of my life
isn’t it time to
nurture intimacy
and love
with the person
I lie in bed with each night?
- Rupi Kaur
We all experience insecurities from time to time - be it our appearance, our abilities, or our place in the world. However, these insecurities are often fleeting and do not necessary get in the way of our choices or impact our sense of self-worth.
Low self-esteem, on the other hand, can feel as though we are driving through life with the brakes on - it can drastically impact our ability to enjoy life. How does low-self esteem show up for you? Perhaps you:
React strongly to criticism or disapproval
Are overly eager to please others
Lack boundaries
Believe you don’t have the right to enjoy life or relax
Experience an intense fear of failure
Are a perfectionist
Don’t properly take care of yourself and your body, and engage in destructive behaviour
Deny yourself certain opportunities
Compare yourself to others
Engage in self-criticism
nurture self-esteem: transform what holds you back
From Self-Doubt to Self-Discovery:
Silence the Critic, Embrace the Companion Within.
How therapy for self-esteem works
Be the love you never received!
Maybe you were criticized for your looks, made to believe you weren’t good enough, or only received love and praise when you were busy achieving goals or pleasing others in some way. One way or another, you received the message that you, as you are, aren’t enough and needed to be fixed in some way. You didn’t received unconditional love that we as humans all need and deserve.
Although we can’t change the past or convince others to treat us the way we hope, we can foster a kind, loving and compassionate relationship with ourselves. Therapy for self-esteem can open the door to full spectrum living where we believe in ourselves enough to not settle for second best, take value driven risks, and show up for ourselves in ways that promote resilience and vitality.
Together, we will explore what has been getting in the way of your ability to handle difficult situations and lead you to feel powerless against self-doubt. We will take a deep dive into how you relate to yourself and gain a better understanding of how your insecurities show up. In therapy you will begin to connect to yourself and develop a thorough understanding of your inner critic and it’s roots. Through this process we will also foster ways of relating to yourself that will allow you to turn away from your inner critic and promote self-acceptance.
Therapy for self-esteem isn’t about “fixing” yourself in some way - you, as you are, don’t need to be fixed! You don’t need to better yourself in order to value yourself. Instead, allowing yourself to accept all aspects of you - imperfections and all, increase your ability to be confident, self-assured, less critical and judgemental, AND make decisions that bring you closer to your goals.
Increasing your self-esteem takes time and effort but you are worth the investment!
Therapy for Self-Esteem can help you…
Feel confident in your abilities
Establish healthy boundaries
Communicate needs in an assertive way
Bounce back from obstacles with more ease
Allow yourself to be seen and take up space in realtionships
Increase awareness of strengths
Become more self-compassionate
Make choices that are self-valuing
Frequently asked questions about self-esteem therapy
FAQs
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Self-esteem involves a person’s subjective assessment of their worth and value, playing a vital rold in mental and emotional well-being, shaping thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
Low self- esteem may result in negative consequences like anxiety, depression, or relationship difficulties.
Conversely, those with high self-esteem often exhibit resilience and confidence when confronting challenges.
Cultivating and sustaining positive self-esteem is crucial for mental health and emotional well-being. Acknowledging and appreciating your inherent value can elevate your quality of life and empower you to attain your aspirations.
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If you find yourself consistently doubting your worth, experiencing self-criticism, feeling overly anxious about social situations, striving for unattainable perfection, engaging in negative self-talk, or frequently avoiding challenges due to fear of failure, these may be signs that you could benefit from working on your self-esteem.
Additionally, if your low self-esteem is impacting your relationships, well-being, or ability to pursue goals, it’s worth considering ways to enhance your self-esteem.
Seeking therapy for self-esteem can provide you with valuable support you need.
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Low self-esteem and anxiety are closely linked. Here are a few examples of how they are interconnected:
-Negative self-image fosters self-criticism, self-doubt, and fear of inadequacy, fueling anxiety.
-Social anxiety arises from heightened self-consciousness, fear of judgement, and not meeting social expectations.
-Perfectionism, common in low self-esteem, induces stress and anxiety due to unrealistic standards.
-Rumination on past mistakes or failures reinforce the cycle of anxiety and low self-esteem
-Avoidance behaviours, a coping mechanism for low self-esteem, result in an increases anxiety about one’s missed opportunities.
Increasing your self-esteem can help you manage your experience of anxiety.
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Your self-awareness increases:
You become more aware of your thoughts, emotions and behaviours, and begin to notice in real time when you are engaging in self-defeating behaviour.
You don’t get hooked by your negative thoughts:
As you begin noticing self-defeating beliefs in real time, you are better able to stop it in it’s tracks and not take it to heart.
You bounce back from set backs more easily:
You longer view set backs in life as a reflection of your self-worth and instead can brush it off and keep moving towards what matters most to you.
Your self-image improves:
You are better able to see and appreciate yourself for who you are. You begin to focus on and celebrate your strength instead of fixate on your “flaws”.