Self-Esteem

It seems that others’ successes, beauty, and achievements are all around us. It can feel natural to question our worth when we are surrounded by these things. I truly believe that all individuals are capable of reaching a place of confidence. I am passionate about empowering others to see their strengths and what they are bringing to the world.

Building awareness around your truest self, thoughts, and desires can support you in feeling more confident. Gestalt therapy strongly supports this practice!

Therapy and changing our beliefs, behavior, and how we think about ourselves can raise our self-esteem. I use a 'person-centered' approach when it comes to address issues with self-worth - meaning that we work from the inside out. Additionally I use CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based approaches to address these concerns so you recognize and change the core beliefs that get in the way of building confidence.

When confronted with difficult relationships, be it with a friend, family member, romantic partner, coworker, or employer, we often adopt roles to fit those relationships and compromise our relationship with ourselves. I help my clients to examine their relationships with themselves and others by observing what they do, how they think, and how they feel. We then use this information to heal the client's internal relationship with themselves and forge healthier external relationships.

If it is difficult to feel as though your needs and wants matter, if you aren't sure that what you are experiencing is "bad enough" to receive support, if you know how it feels to have "imposter syndrome", always waiting for someone to find out that you aren't measuring up, I can help. In therapy, we learn together what it is that you need to feel comfortable and courageous enough to be in your own skin.

How do we feel like we are enough? It’s a simple idea that’s complex in the real world. I have experience helping clients navigate these murky waters to the source of low self-esteem and begin the healing process. Together we can discover, accept, and celebrate your authentic self while learning how to work with shame, self-criticism, and low confidence.

I believe lack of self-esteem to be the root cause of many mental health conditions. As such, I have always used a strength-based approach and focus on self-esteem goals with all clients. Working with students with IEPs, many had IEP goals relating to self-esteem and these goals were achieved through receiving validation, acceptance, and unconditional positive regard in therapy.

When the way we perceive ourselves becomes unhealthy, it is difficult to manage and respond appropriately to challenges in life. I help clients learn how to befriend themselves by nurturing and accepting who they are in order to find internal well-being.

Negative emotions are a natural part of our emotional repertoire as they are a component of our threat-protection system so we need to learn how to accept, tolerate and cope with them. How you interpret your own beliefs, thoughts and feelings as well as others’ and how you cope with them can have a significant impact on your self-esteem. Making yourself and your emotional health a priority while investing in growth and recovery will lead to increased self-worth, self-esteem and confidence.

Elevating self-esteem is a transformative journey. With empathy and evidence-based techniques, we unravel self-doubt, nurture self-compassion, and challenge limiting beliefs. Together, we build a foundation of resilience, guiding you towards embracing your worth and living authentically.

Self-esteem challenges often go hand-in-hand with anxiety and are common within the LGBTQ+ community. Equally importantly, whatever good people may take from counseling must continue to be fueled by them, both between sessions and after counseling ends. People who develop a more confident or kinder self-concept are most likely to apply strategies to maintain their own wellbeing and pursue a fulfilling life. As such, I strive to support clients in developing intrinsic self-worth and empowerment.

Self-esteem is a concept that speaks to how we feel about ourselves. The good news is that it is something that can be changed! The recommended treatment is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helps you learn to change your beliefs, behavior and how you think about yourself.

Self esteem is about how you view yourself. If you view yourself in a positive light and feel you have what it takes to overcome life challenges, that is called high self esteem. If you don't have a positive assessment of yourself, or feel like you can't overcome life challenges, that is called low self esteem. Another term that is used interchangeably is self image. Low self esteem chips away at life quality and it takes a toll on emotional health. We help you to improve self esteem.

I specialize in helping individuals build healthier self-esteem and cultivate a stronger sense of self-worth. I understand that struggles with self-esteem can deeply impact various aspects of life, from relationships to work and overall well-being. Together, we'll explore the underlying factors contributing to your low self-esteem and self-worth issues, whether they stem from past experiences, negative self-talk, or external influences.

From my perspective, all parts of us are precious - although occasionally misguided in their efforts to help us. I see therapy as a safe place to try out befriending the parts within you that hold compassion and kindness, and invite them to extend that compassion and kindness inward.

You'd be surprised how many successful people feel like they have no idea what they're doing. Maybe you judge yourself as never good enough no matter what you achieve, or that you can't afford to make mistakes. Together, we'll teach you skills to appreciate your strengths and successes instead of always focusing on what's wrong, and learn that flexibility is a faster way to your goals than rigid perfectionism.

Improving self-esteem and fostering self-acceptance are central to my therapeutic approach. Drawing from my experience working at an LGBTQIA+ nonprofit, I recognize the impact of societal stigma on self-worth. Through a strengths-based approach, I help clients challenge self-critical thoughts and cultivate a positive self-image. By incorporating mindfulness and self-compassion practices, I support clients in embracing their inherent worthiness and living authentically.

Recognizing and addressing unproductive thinking patterns, building on strengths, and assertiveness training.