Self-Esteem Counselling in Vancouver
Self-esteem is an integral feature of emotional health and well-being. When we have positive feelings about ourselves, we exude confidence and see ourselves as valuable. In most cases, others view and treat us in the same respect. However, when we have negative feelings about ourselves, we can be critical, contemptuous, and pessimistic. This behaviour can cause others to take this attitude toward us. Whether positive or negative, these thoughts contribute to our self-image and build our self-esteem.
What is Self-Esteem Counselling?
Self-esteem counselling focuses on helping individuals identify and build on their strengths, learn to trust themselves and develop healthy coping strategies. The goal of self-esteem counselling is to help individuals gain confidence and self-respect.
Types of Therapies for Self-Esteem
While self-esteem-focused approaches may be included with most types of mental health treatment, they are particularly suited to those outlined above.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a scientifically proven therapeutic approach that addresses thoughts and behaviours' impact on a person’s feelings in a given situation. CBT enables nonadaptive learning processes to be replaced by those adaptive processes that align with the client’s objectives.²
CBT is especially well-suited to self-esteem enhancement. It's typically combined with various approaches, such as cognitive restructuring and meditation, which have been effective in treating various psychological issues.²⁻³
Resources
1. Elliott, R. (2002). The effectiveness of humanistic therapies: A meta-analysis. In D. J. Cain (Ed.), Humanistic psychotherapies: Handbook of research and practice (pp. 57–81). American Psychological Association.
2. Hofmann, S., & Smits, J. (2008). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult anxiety disorders: A meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 69, 621–632.
3. Stewart, R., & Chambless, D. (2009). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult anxiety disorders in clinical practice: A meta-analysis of effectiveness studies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77, 595–606.
4. Hofmann, S., Sawyer, A., Witt, A., & Oh, D. (2010). The effect of mindfulness-based therapy on anxiety and depression: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78, 169–183.
5. Chadwick, P., Smyth, A., & Liao, L. (2014). Improving self-esteem in women diagnosed with Turner Syndrome: Results of a pilot intervention. Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, 27, 129–132.