Self-Esteem: A Case Study

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Self-esteem incorporates an individual’s appreciation of his or her own worth as a human being as well as his or her value and competence in abilities to be in control of to live well (National Association for Self-Esteem, 2016). Self-esteem initially begins when a child is young and it is dependent on outside sources to build experiences for the him or her to experience that fosters their innate value, self-respect, and self-confidence. The confidence the child gains in him or her becomes internalized and increases self-esteem. As the child grows into an adult, he or she begins to internalize their self-esteem when evaluating the self against the personal values that have been put into place. A child, adolescent, or adult suffering from a …show more content…

This form of therapy targets a person’s thoughts and emotions. The hope is to recognize and challenge the irrational thoughts in order to change the person’s emotions (Lecture 1, 2010). The therapist helps the client identify the automatic, irrational, or faulty thinking and teaches the client new skills to change his or her thought process and behaviors (Corey, 2013). As a person begins to change their thinking and feelings about their value and self-worth, their self-esteem also rises. Research has demonstrated that combining positive psychology with CBT increases self-esteem in an individual (Marrero, Carballeira, Martin, Mejias, Hernandez, …show more content…

Teaching self-compassion to this population can help to relieve much of this distress. The practice of self-compassion emphasizes the person giving kindness, patience, and empathy to him or herself instead of judgment and criticism (Taylor, Barnard, & Curry, 2011). Self-compassion does not ignore the painful emotions and symptoms of depression, rather it allows for the individual to face them with mindfulness and care. People who practice self-compassion have a higher self-esteem and lower rates of depression (Taylor, et. al., 2011). Utilizing the skills in self-compassion can help prevent the reoccurrence of a depressive episode in the future. This practice can be incorporated with positive psychology, CBT, and ACT to help the client’s inner voice become