What is self-confidence?

Self-confidence or self-esteem refers to how a person views herself. Specifically, self-confidence relates to the worth and value a person places on herself. Low self-esteem occurs when a person experiences an overall negative opinion of oneself along with negatively evaluating and/or judging oneself. Low self-confidence is generally accompanied by negative self-statements, harsh self-criticism, and negative self-talk.

The impact of low self-confidence:

It’s important to note that low self-confidence is a common problem that many women face. If you are struggling with self-esteem, please know that you are not alone. Low self-confidence in women often involves frequent self-criticism and a lack of self-compassion. Other symptoms associated with low self-confidence are minimizing one’s positive qualities or ignoring them altogether. Women with low self-confidence commonly report experiencing difficult emotions such as sadness, anxiety, depression, frustration, guilt, and shame to name a few.

How to build self-confidence through women’s therapy:

Through a targeted approach and the support of a women’s therapist, it’s possible to take steps toward developing greater self-confidence. Keep reading on for cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to improve your overall self-confidence.

Adjusting negative core beliefs for more balanced and healthy ones:

Low self-confidence is most often accompanied by negative core beliefs. A negative core belief is a negative and generalized judgment you have about yourself, based on past negative life experiences and events. For example, a negative core belief could be “I am a failure” or “ I am ugly”. Through the support of a trusted therapist, you can better understand any negative core beliefs you may hold. Once you identify your negative core belief, you’ll be tasked to come up with a more balanced and realistic belief, one that considers facts, not just the opinions and feelings you hold. It’s important to note you are not being told to simply create a positive belief, but rather one that is realistic, reasonable, and considers all your strengths and weaknesses with as much objectiveness as possible.

Through targeted exercises and practice, your old beliefs will begin to weaken as your new more realistic beliefs strengthen and subsequently improve your self-confidence.

Adjusting rules and assumptions:

When a person struggles with low self-confidence she will develop specific rules and assumptions that help protect low self-esteem. These rules and assumptions are unhelpful because they are quite unrealistic, unreasonable, excessive, and rigid. For example, if you hold a negative core belief that “I am stupid” in order to protect yourself from low self-esteem, you might develop a rule or assumption “I must not make any mistakes at work, or others will know I’m stupid”. This could translate as working extra long days and never asking for help or support from a colleague, even when it’s reasonable to do so.

As you can see, it’s unsustainable to live up to such a rule. These rules and assumptions are additionally problematic as they continue to have a person operate under the assumption that her negative core belief is true. A person is therefore never given the opportunity to challenge her negative core belief and ultimately realize her true self-worth. A psychotherapist will help you challenge and adjust any unhelpful rules and assumptions and develop more balanced ones.

Acknowledging the positives

If you struggle with low self-confidence, chances are you minimize your own strengths and accomplishments or have difficulty identifying your own positive attributes. A person with low self-esteem tends to only pay attention to events and things that confirm her previously held negative view of herself. Often individuals believe that acknowledging or naming their positive qualities is conceited, arrogant, or haughty. However, to develop a more balanced evaluation of yourself, it’s crucial to begin identifying your positive aspects. Your women’s therapist can help you develop a positive qualities record or journal to help strengthen your self-esteem. If you’re interested in increasing your confidence on your own, you can begin by asking yourself some of the following questions:

• What do I like about the person I am?
• What positive characteristics do I have?
• What are some challenges I have overcome?
• What do others say they like about me?
• If someone shared my identical characteristics, what would I like or admire in them?

Strengthening one’s self-esteem takes time and effort, but it’s achievable! I hope these strategies begin to help you improve your confidence and develop a greater sense of self-compassion, but please remember you don’t have to face these challenges alone.

Begin boosting your self-confidence as a NYC woman today

Building self-confidence is a journey, and you don’t have to navigate it alone. At Liz Yarock Psychotherapy, I’m dedicated to helping women overcome self-doubt and develop a stronger sense of self-worth. If you’re ready to transform negative core beliefs, adjust unhelpful assumptions, and acknowledge your strengths, reach out today to begin therapy for women in NYC.

Start your journey to greater self-confidence

Embrace the path to greater self-confidence with the support you deserve. At Liz Yarock Psychotherapy, I’m here to help you tackle self-doubt and build a more positive self-image. Ready to make a change? Follow the steps below!

• Reach out now to schedule a consultation.
• Read more tips and insights for women’s issues through my blogs.
• Begin your journey towards becoming more confident and empowered in therapy for women’s issues!

Other services Liz Yarock Psychotherapy offers in NYC

Liz Yarock Psychotherapy offers a range of services to support holistic well-being. From anxiety counseling and life transition therapy to therapy for highly sensitive persons, I provide tailored support using evidence-based approaches. I also offer relationship counseling to help empower you in all relationships. Psychotherapy is a powerful way to start your journey towards making lasting changes in your life.