Self Esteem Concerns - Counseling and Therapy - Joanna Leigh and JL Consultants Professional Practice

Joanna Leigh and JL Consultants Counseling

SELF-ESTEEM and AGING / IMAGE-RELATED CONCERNS:

Our self-esteem is often at the heart of many of our behaviors. Essentially, it is our self-worth, how we feel about ourselves. This concept can determine our social interactions, our eating patterns, and the way we treat ourselves and others on a daily basis. Do we pick partners who mistreat us, or conversely, are our lapdogs? Do we spend to make ourselves feel good, only to leave that impulse item hanging in the closet? Or eat foods that do not treat our beautiful bodies the way they deserve to be treated? Do we tell ourselves we’re stupid (even for small mistakes) or spectacular (even if we’ve done nothing great)? Often we are reinforcing ideas we may have received from others, and our concepts of self-worth have evolved from these past (or even present) voices.

Extremely low self-esteem can lead to excessive debt, eating disorders, depression, cosmetic surgery addiction, engaging in abusive relationships, and other destructive behaviors, while undeserved high self-esteem can lead to shows of cruelty, arrogance and bullying. By far, low self-esteem is more common and tends to affect women in greater numbers.

Low self-esteem does not simply “go away”, and it does not go away as we age. In fact, aging brings its own host of concerns, emotional, physical, and image-related. Individuals with low self-esteem or image and aging related concerns cannot simply “get over it”, and these feelings take a great emotional toll on the bearer. Joanna understands this, and with compassion, support, and even humor, assists individuals to create more positive, reality-based thinking patterns.

If you or someone you love is struggling with self-esteem concerns, please contact Joanna Leigh & JL Consultants for an appointment in either Boston or Scottsdale.