Uncover the worth that’s always been inside you.

Therapy to boost self-esteem in-person in Springfield or online across Missouri.

It’s draining when  you look at yourself and all you see is flaws.

How many of these things apply to you?

  • For as long as you can remember, you’ve never fully seen yourself as a person worth knowing. After all, you have too many flaws. 

  • Compliments and kindness from others are painful to accept, even from the people closest to you. You can give people praise and love, but something short-circuits in your brain the second it’s turned to you.

  • You feel that if only you could fix your flaws, you’d be worth love and having good things happen to you. If only you could lose those few pounds, get better at socializing, not be so… You. 

  • You mentally spiral into anxiety when you inevitably start comparing yourself to others and you always fall short. Their body, accomplishments, social life - They’re always better than you. It hits like a cannonball to the gut.

  • The second you make any kind of mistake, you question your ability to accomplish anything or be a good person at all. Sometimes you wonder, why should I even try?

If you resonated with any one of these, you’re not alone. Many people struggle with their self-esteem, sometimes called self-worth.

Part of you knows that this isn't the kind of life that will make you happy in the long run. At the same time, the voice in your head telling you these things feels like fact.

Gay couple lifting a paper lantern into the starry sky together. Both are smiling, hopeful.

Therapy can wash away the shame and embarrassment about being who you are.

Small changes in how we think about and treat ourselves can have a ripple effect throughout many areas of our lives. 

Imagine a day that goes something like this:

  • You wake up thinking about all of the possibilities of the day ahead rather than dread.

  • Getting dressed, you barely think about the way your body looks or how you dress. You’re fine, and you know that down to your bones.

  • Someone comments on something you made a mistake on at work. It might hurt, but you walk away believing you can improve the mistake and it says nothing about you as a person.

  • You give and accept kindness freely, without discomfort or awkwardness. Especially in those difficult moments, you can still give yourself compassion.

  • At the end of the day, you look back on the events of the day with a feeling of gratitude for who you are and what you’re capable of. 

You know you have flaws. But, instead of hating yourself for them, you see having flaws as a natural part of the human experience.

Therapy for self-esteem builds:

Awareness

We’ll look at what it’s like to be you, both when you’re struggling and feeling your best. We’ll get curious and ask questions about both ends of the spectrum, and everything in between. Maybe when you feel good, you feel it in your body, your mind, or vice versa! We might also look at your past and how it contributes to how you feel about yourself today.

Confidence

 I approach improving your sense of self-worth not by eliminating the negative things about yourself, but helping you find the good and the beautiful that has been there since you were born. This looks different for everyone. Some need help getting stubborn negative beliefs unstuck with EMDR (see more here), and for others it's all about building coping skills to help you feel more capable when dealing with life in new ways.

Resilience

As we clear out the gunk of old beliefs and ways of being, the more we can approach life and all of its challenges with confidence, ease, and even joy. Mistakes and challenges don’t hit as hard anymore, and you don’t hold yourself to standards you cannot meet. You can enjoy feeling contentment and happiness, and not get dragged down by the bad stuff when it hits.

Completing therapy to boost your self-esteem can help you…

  • Improve your awareness of where negative beliefs about yourself have come from, how they impact you, and assess them for how true they actually are.

  • Boost up your self-care skills and know that you are worth being treated well.

  • Reduce shame and guilt regarding past, present, and future mistakes and regrets.

  • Learn more about your values and practice following them to feel more confident in your actions.

  • Make decisions more easily knowing what you want and who you are.

  • Let go of negative thoughts about yourself, especially when you’re struggling

Bright sunset over rolling hills.
Black woman smiling in joy on a blue background

Let’s help you find freedom from the weight of your insecurities.

FAQs

  • There are a lot of factors that go into the timeline for improving your view of yourself. It might take more time than you think, and there’s no definite time frame. From my work with many people struggling with this, those who are the most successful tend to invest time outside of sessions working on the things we discuss, are open to exploring difficult topics, and show up regularly to sessions physically, mentally, and emotionally.

  • The beliefs we hold about ourselves and the world have often been taught to us over years and years, from places like our parents to the media, and so on. These beliefs often feel automatic, and so challenging them and accepting ourselves can be difficult. This is especially true if you’ve experienced any kind of trauma in your life. However, it isn’t impossible! If you believe it can change, then it can.