Self Esteem and Identity

Self-esteem and identity are closely related. One’s identity evolves over time and is impacted by our family of origin as well as our environment. Identity stems around questions such as – who am I and what do I believe? Where do I come from and who do I belong to?

These questions are connected to our cultural group, where we are born, our gender and ethnicity as well as our beliefs and values. Identity can be something people struggle with even into adulthood. I have found my work with adolescents very rewarding as they are in a prime stage of development to explore their identity.

Self-esteem is a reflection of how an individual perceives their worth and their abilities. It’s what we believe, think, and feel about ourselves. Unfortunately, many of us underestimate our worth. This results in us feeling bad about ourselves. Comparing ourselves to others adds to us having low self-esteem and this tends to be a joy as we often come up worse off.

The popularity of social media has added another dimension of what the standard is. Other issues which could be present is having difficulty with setting boundaries, living for the opinion of other people which leads to experiencing disappointment and feeling not good enough. Although this can be challenging to experience, I have successfully supported clients through this.

By validating their experiences, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, thereby giving them a more realistic view of themselves. Facilitating self-exploration which boosts self-confidence.

By encouraging self-compassion clients have been able to make adjustments and practice been kind to themselves. Not allowing their inner critic to be the louder voice, but replacing them with positive affirmations.