What Is Self-Worth?

By Christina Forde, RP {Qualifying} | April 10th

Who am I? What do I believe about myself? What do others think about me?

We all ask ourselves these questions. We all have stories we believe about our identities.

But what do we do when the answers to these questions seem to be negative? What do we do when these beliefs lead us to think that we don’t have a lot of self-worth?

Determining Self-Worth

Many times, self-worth is determined by connecting what we do to who we are. Common factors that people tie to self-worth are physical appearance, career, social status, and achievements.

It is understandable to care about those things, but your worth is not determined by them. Your value is in being, not doing. We believe we need to succeed to have self-worth but having high self-worth helps us succeed. It also helps us cope well if we don’t meet our own expectations.

Definition of Self-Worth

Self-worth is defined as “a sense of one's own value as a human being”¹. It is similar to phrases such as self-esteem or self-confidence.

I believe this is a beautiful definition because it describes a person as worthy just because they are a person. High self-worth is when you understand your value is not dependent on how you look or what you do. Low self-worth is when you struggle to believe your value is not something you need to earn.

How to Increase Self-Worth

Now that we have a better understanding of what self-worth really is, let’s explore how to improve our experience of it.

You may benefit from some self-reflection by asking questions such as:

When am I the most critical of myself? How can I challenge the inner critic?
How can I show myself more compassion?
How can I show myself unconditional love whether I feel like I have succeeded or not?
When do I notice my self-worth increasing?

Psychotherapy treatment can also be helpful for improving one’s self-worth. Therapy can help you reflect on your beliefs about self-worth and redefine what it means to you.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Narrative Therapy are two modalities that can help challenge unhelpful beliefs about self and strengthen healthier ones. CBT utilizes strategies that help you identify unhelpful thought patterns that keep you stuck in self-critical beliefs and replace them with healthier ones. Narrative Therapy can help you recognize that you are not defined by your imperfections.

There are also many other psychotherapy strategies that may benefit you. Connect with us if you have any questions or are looking for support.

References
¹Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “self-worth,” accessed September 18, 2024, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-worth

What is Psychotherapy?

September 26th

What is Psychotherapy?

By Candice Chiu, M.Ed Counselling and Psychotherapy, RP {Qualifying}

Psychotherapy is a form of mental health treatment typically conducted by talking with a professional about emotional or cognitive distress. These conversations can be in a group setting or one-on-one. While most types of psychotherapy involve talking, other modes of communication include art therapy and expressive arts therapy. No matter the mode, the goal of psychotherapy is to help relieve the mental suffering of the individual seeking it.

Understanding the Cycle of Anxiety

June 19th

Understanding the Cycle of Anxiety

By Stephanie Kolaski (Bowen), RP, PMH-C

Anxiety is a common mental health issue that affects millions of people worldwide. It often manifests as a cycle of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that can feel overwhelming and difficult to break.

One key component of this cycle is rumination, a pattern of repetitive, unhelpful thinking that can increase anxiety symptoms.

In this blog post, we'll explore the cognitive and behavioural cycle of anxiety, with a specific focus on the role of rumination.

What is Trauma?

November 29th

What is Trauma?

By Candice Chiu, M.Ed Counselling and Psychotherapy, RP {Qualifying}

What pops into your mind when you hear the word trauma?

Perhaps you see a violent battlefield during wartime. Or you may be visualizing a major plane crash. Maybe it’s a weapon being pointed directly at you.

If you saw one of the above or anything similar, you’re not alone. Most people think of trauma as a life-threatening experience. These dangerous situations can definitely be traumatic for many. However, if you ask most mental health professionals, they will define trauma differently. Dr. Gabor Maté, a leading specialist in the field of trauma and addiction, says that trauma is, “not what happened to you; it is what happens inside of you as a result of what happens to you”. In other words, trauma is not a situation, but an internal experience.

Six Ways to Regulate

August 16th

Six Ways to Regulate

By Kat Giles BSW, MSW, RSW

In this series, Who Are You Emotions, we have looked at externalizing emotions and understanding what they are communicating to us. Throughout this series you have seen me refer to The Three Rs – Recognize, Regulate, Respond. Let’s look a little closer at the last of the Rs – Regulate.