Idenitity and Confidence
Your sense of self refers to your perception of the collection of characteristics that define you. Personality traits, abilities, likes and dislikes, your belief system or moral code, and the things that motivate you — these all contribute to self-image or your unique identity as a person.
Knowing who you are allows you to live with purpose and develop satisfying relationships, both of which can contribute to overall good emotional health. An unstable sense of self can make you feel flat and unfulfilled, but it’s always possible to develop a clearer self-image.
In therapy, you can:
- Identify values
- Uncover attachment issues or problematic relationship patterns
- Learn and practice decision making skills
- Explore and address unmet needs
- Work through any relationship concerns related to self-image
“I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. How you decorate your home. Or party. Your grocery list. The food you make. How your writing looks. And the way you feel. Life is art.”
Helena Bonham Carter
Personal Development
Therapy can help you use knowledge, skills and experience to develop your self-esteem. This enables you to take responsibility for things like your:
- health
- career
- finances
- relationships
- emotions
- habits
- spiritual beliefs
Self Esteem
If you have low self-esteem, you may view life in a negative way which makes things seem hopeless or pointless. You might think you are worthless, and that other people are better than you. You may have difficulty saying what you really feel, or you may lack the confidence to be assertive. As a result, you may feel that people take advantage of you and treat you badly. Therapy can help you explore the way you feel and change your view of yourself and others.
Self-esteem is how we value ourselves. We may feel positive and confident in our own abilities and our lives, or negative and critical. Our self esteem can be impacted by lots of different things – life experiences, our childhood, our family, our relationships. Sometimes there are particular people who make us feel inadequate. We take on negative beliefs and they affect how we feel about ourselves and our worth.
Our own personalities can influence these beliefs, but sometimes these negative messages can also come from what we see on the media or our interactions on social media.
Sexual Identity and Sexuality
Working out whether we are more comfortable in same sex or opposite sex relationships is part of our sexual identity. You may feel really sure about your sexual identity or it may be more fluid and changeable. Talking to a therapist can help you explore these feelings.
For many people, coming to terms with their sexuality can cause a lot of anxiety and heartache. You may know from an early age that you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender or you may feel confused about your sexuality and take longer to work out what seems right for you. Therapy may help you come to a decision or to deal with a decision that you have already made.
“One of my gifts is that I am situated between places. Between binary genders and sexual orientations. Between social justice and healing practices. I pray that we each bring our own unique gifts, that we cherish the gifts others bring as well, and that we protect one another’s dignity, belonging, and safety along the way.”
Jacoby Ballard
Spirituality
Spirituality is about how you make sense of the world and find meaning in your life. It can, but does not necessarily, involve specific religious beliefs. You might want to explore spirituality to discover meaning or to support a feeling of belonging.