Low Self Esteem Counselling
Partnering with you in overcoming challenges
to get back to living life the way you want to
Low Self Esteem
Everyone has self esteem. Self esteem is the way we view ourselves. When we have a good self esteem, we generally feel positive about ourselves and about life. We feel we can handle any challenges in life, even though things can be difficult.
However, when we have low self esteem, we feel negative about ourselves and about life. We feel that we do not have the ability to handle difficult situations in life and life can be viewed as hard, challenging and overwhelming.
People will low self esteem are highly critical of themselves. They perceive themselves negatively and believe other people view them negatively as well.
Sometimes they feel like they are imposters, ie having imposter syndrome. People with imposter syndrome tend to attribute their success to luck or perfect timing.
What causes low self esteem ?
For many people, low self esteem stems from how they were spoken to or treated when they were children. If they had grown up with highly critical parents or parents who had high expectations, they may have developed a belief that “they are never good enough”, or “they are a failure”.
Low self-esteem can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
Negative experiences: Past experiences, such as childhood trauma, abuse, or bullying, can contribute to low self-esteem.
Negative self-talk: Paying attention to and dwelling on negative thoughts about oneself can lead to low self-esteem.
Comparison: Comparing oneself to others, especially on social media, can lead to low self-esteem if you feel that you are not measuring up.
Perfectionism: Setting unrealistic standards for oneself and feeling like you can never meet them can lead to low self-esteem.
Lack of accomplishment: Feeling like you are not achieving your goals or making progress in life can contribute to low self-esteem.
Social isolation: Lacking strong social connections and support can lead to low self-esteem.
Physical or mental health issues: Chronic physical or mental health conditions can affect self-esteem.
It is important to note that low self-esteem is often a combination of these and other factors and can be influenced by a person’s environment, upbringing, and life experiences. If you are struggling with low self-esteem, we can help you explore the underlying causes and develop coping strategies.
How does counselling work for low self esteem?
Counselling can be a helpful approach for addressing and improving low self-esteem. Your therapist can work with you to identify the underlying causes of your low self-esteem, such as negative thoughts or beliefs you have about yourself, past experiences or traumas, or challenges you may be facing in your current life.
Through counselling, you can learn new ways of thinking and behaving that can help you feel better about yourself. Your therapist may use techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you change negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to low self-esteem.
Counselling can also provide a safe and supportive environment for you to explore your thoughts and feelings about yourself and your life. Your therapist can help you develop coping skills and strategies to deal with challenging situations and emotions, and can offer guidance and support as you work to improve your self-esteem.
If you are interested in seeking counseling for low self-esteem, we are here to support you to be who you want to be.
Book now for an appointment.
Counselling Psychologist
Sylvia Tan - Founder, Principal Counselling Psychologist, MPsych (SRP Registered)
Sylvia is a Counselling Psychologist practicing in Singapore. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology from Curtin University of Technology ( Perth, Western Australia) and is currently a registered counselling psychologist and a clinical supervisor with the Singapore Register of Psychologists (SRP).
After her graduation in 2002, Sylvia lived and worked in Australia for many years before her relocation back to her home country Singapore in 2014. To date, Sylvia has over 20 years of experience working in a range of settings both in Australia and Singapore.