Overcoming Low Self Esteem: CBT counselling can help with confidence

Overcoming low self esteem might seem like a daunting prospect if its been a part of your life for a long time. But change is possible – before considering how, let us first consider what is meant by the word esteem and what the idea of self-esteem might actually involve.

Esteem – the extent to which someone is held in high regard, thought well of; admired; respected.

If you lack confidence, or are struggling to find anything to like about yourself, then your thinking patterns are typical of someone with low self esteem. But consider this – how did you come to think so poorly of yourself, what is it about how you see yourself that justifies such negativity and self loathing?
Sadly, the roots of much low self esteem arise as a result of complex childhoods where abuse, neglect and or emotional trauma existed.

Sometimes a depressed parent; sometimes an alcoholic parent; sometimes as a result of witnessing violence in the home; sometimes it can arise from the experience of being bullied at school. The roots of low self esteem are complex, often multi-factorial but what is important to recognise is that they were external agents that affected your experience and have led you to think badly of yourself.

CBT counselling (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) for low self-esteem addresses the negative patterns of thinking that hold you back and inhibit your enjoyment of life. The therapy process will help you explore and understand how you came to think poorly of yourself and help you work towards addressing these negative self beliefs by seeing them in historical context. The 'behavioural' aspect of CBT will help you work in practical ways towards more adaptive and positive patterns of behaviour.

By devising and engaging in a series of cognitive behavioural experiments you will be able to develop strategies and tools to give you confidence and help you feel better about yourself and be more effective in your interactions with others.
If you have taken the time to seek out this page and read about how therapy might help you live a better life, freed of the crippling effects of low self esteem then you have made the first and most significant step of the journey to a better life.
The next step will involve you finding a therapist near you:
If you are in South Wales

For other parts of the UK counselling directory.org will help you find a therapist near your postcode – but remember to ask the therapist how much experience they have of dealing with this issue and how confident they are of being able to help you.