Self-Esteem

Helping you to own your power, see your worth, and live life confidently.

Our self-esteem can be defined as the way we feel about ourselves. This includes how we perceive our identity, confidence, and ability to do things.

While it’s normal to struggle with self-esteem once in a while, some people struggle far more than others. They develop low self-esteem which can impact their everyday experiences in several ways.

Causes of Low Self-Esteem

While the reasons are unique to each individual, some of the most common causes of low self-esteem include:

  • Abuse or neglect

  • Punishment 

  • Insufficient affection or praise

  • Inability to fit in 

  • Social comparison 

  • Experiencing failure

Signs of Low Self-Esteem

People with poor self-esteem exhibit certain behaviors and traits that stem from their negative self-perception. These can include:

  • Low confidence

  • Negative self-talk 

  • People pleasing

  • Self-doubt 

  • High sensitivity to criticism

  • Trouble setting boundaries

  • Inability to accept praise

A teenage girl closely looks at herself in the mirror.

Impact of Low Self-Esteem

Self-esteem issues can negatively impact several domains of a person’s life.  These can include social interactions, relationships, physical health, and psychological wellbeing.

Some common outcomes of this can be:

  • Avoidance of people and situations 

  • Difficulty forming healthy relationships

  • Anxiety 

  • Depression 

  • Low morale

  • Not feeling good enough

  • Eating disorders

  • Harmful coping mechanisms 

  • Suicidal ideation

How To Improve Low Self-Esteem

Despite the many ways in which someone might struggle with their self-esteem, some effective strategies have proven to help. These include:

  • Celebrating small accomplishments 

  • Doing things you enjoy 

  • Challenging negative thoughts

  • Physical activity 

  • Talking to yourself like you would talk to a friend

  • Practicing compassion

  • Spending time with supportive people

Improving self-esteem is a gradual process. It requires learning to be kind to yourself and accepting that you are worthy of love, praise, and success. While some people can take these small steps to improve their self-esteem, others might find it much harder. 

Negative self-esteem can pave the way for more serious conditions like anxiety or depression. When this starts to interfere with someone’s daily functioning, it’s time to ask for help.

A man sits alone at a restaurant, away from other people.

We Can Help

Located at 206 Ontario Street Stratford, we are local to Tavistock, New Hamburg, and the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Our clinicians also offer remote therapy across Ontario so that you can access the support you need - no matter where you are!

To get started you can fill out a contact form, call (226) 215-4244, or book an appointment online with one of our counsellors by clicking below.

We’re looking forward to supporting you!