We live in a society that seems stricken with mirror-image epidemics: narcissism and low self-esteem. In this age of selfie sticks and endless image-crafting, it can seem as if everyone is either hopelessly self-obsessed or desperate for affirmation—or both.
But true self-esteem issues tend to run far deeper than simply wearing masks on social media, and the effects of low self-esteem can be broadly destructive. Low self-esteem can impair personal progress, preventing otherwise resourceful people from pursuing the relationships and goals that they want. Even when those people accomplish great things, the problem remains, devaluing their accomplishments and leaving behind a sadly familiar, empty feeling.
Building a body of self-regard that is deeper and more substantive than any outside metric of success takes time and patience. One must explore how the problem arose, and one must learn first-hand that she is valued—and valuable—even when she stops trying to do or be what she believes other people expect. This is the great gift of psychotherapy: it can help us disempower the lasting injuries of childhood and development.
My Philadelphia psychotherapy practice helps patients explore and resolve the narrative forces that make them feel bad about themselves on a daily basis. Please call or write me today to learn more about good therapy for low self-esteem.