imagine not holding youRSelf back

Self-esteem therapy in Seattle, WA & online therapy in California, Oregon & Washington

Self-esteem isn’t everything; it’s just that there’s nothing without it.” - Gloria Steinem

the narratives we carry matter

How we feel about ourselves impacts every facet of our lives.

More often than not, the stories we tell about ourselves, don’t fully belong to us. They may have been shaped by painful childhood experiences or where passed down in key moments in our life through messages we internalized from parents, teachers, society or friends. But despite their origins, the pain of these deep-seated beliefs can keep us trapped in destructive cycles.

The Traps of Low Self-Esteem

  • Never feeling like enough. Plug in the ___ enough. Good enough, smart enough, lovable enough, successful enoughLooking outside to accomplishments or other people for validation or praise
  • Feeling like an “imposter” in key areas of your life. Believing the successes you’ve achieved (the grades, the schools, the jobs, the relationships) were all luck or a mistake
  • Finding yourself in the wrong relationship over and over again because you doubt you deserve better
  • Having a harsh and unrelenting inner critic that points out all your flaws
  • Being afraid to takes risks or to put yourself in new situations - like dating, leaving your job or switching careers out of fear that you’ll fail or be hurt. 
  • Struggling to know what we want or need in relationships and finding it easier just to give to others
  • Having a hard time setting boundaries

its time to quiet that inner critic

Therapy for self-esteem to help you redefine your narrative.

We’ll work together to help bring curiosity to your narrative from a place that encourages healing. We'll look at when and how these unhelpful stories took hold, and even how they may have helped or protected you at various stages of your life. You’ll learn strategies focused on
  • self-compassion
  • mindfulness
  • taking bold and courageous steps toward the things in your life that are most important
  • letting go of the old scripts of not being enough that don't serve you
  • setting boundaries, communicating your needs & asking for what you want
  • emotional expression as you experience grief fully with all it’s complexities (anger, sadness, regret) for things that may have happened in the past to shape an unbalanced sense of self

Frequently asked questions about Self-esteem therapy

FAQs

  • The answer is that it can be. Especially if you find yourself bending or incessantly giving to others out of a fear that you’re not worthy of that same attention or love.

    If people-pleasing is a concern for you, we’ll look at the origin of this pattern a bit closer together.

  • Some times, but not always, there may be a connection between these two things.

    Trauma can shatter our trust in others, the world around us and sometimes in ourself. It can be difficult to feel safe and believe in our worthiness to deserve good things. Depending on the type of trauma you’ve experienced, this may or not be the case.

  • I’d love to hear from you if you think we might be a good fit to work together. If so, please reach out and schedule a free 25-minute consult.