Identity Concerns and Self-Confidence

Assertiveness

Assertiveness means expressing your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs in direct, clear, and honest ways. Being assertive is a communication skill and can help you express yourself effectively while also respecting the beliefs of others. 


There are many benefits of assertiveness, including: 

 

  • Gaining self-confidence and self-esteem  
  • Understanding and recognizing feelings 
  • Earning respect from others 
  • Improving communication skills
  • Improving decision-making skills 
  • Improving relationships 

 

How can you increase assertiveness?

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) can be especially helpful for increasing assertiveness in relationships. Additionally, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help individuals to increase self-esteem and become more confident in asserting themselves. 

To learn more about assertiveness, contact us for a free 15 minute consultation to see how we can help. 

Body Image

Body image is defined as one’s thoughts, perception, and attitudes about their physical appearance. This includes:

 

  • What you believe about your appearance 
  • How you feel about your body including height, shape, and weight
  • How you physically experience/feel in your body 

 

Having a positive body image involves feeling comfortable and confident in your body, accepting its natural shape and size, and understanding that physical appearance does not determine one’s character or value as a person. 


Negative body image often involves a distorted perception of one’s self, body dissatisfaction, shame, anxiety , and self-consciousness. Individuals who experience high levels of body dissatisfaction often feel as though their bodies are flawed and are more likely to suffer from depression , low self-esteem , and eating disorders. Severe forms of body image can lead to body dysmorphic disorder . ď»ż

Some signs of poor body image can include:

 

  • Focusing excessive attention on minor flaws in appearance 
  • Viewing oneself as unattractive
  • Fearing that other people can see so-called deformities 
  • Being a perfectionist 
  • Avoiding social gatherings 
  • Constantly looking at oneself in the mirror 
  • Constantly trying to hide perceived flaws with clothing or makeup 
  • Constantly comparing your appearance to other people 
  • Pursuing excessive cosmetic surgery or procedures 
  • Needing reassurance from others 
  • Never being satisfied with your appearance 


Body image is often shaped from a young age, and can be impacted by the messages that we hear about our bodies from television, movies, and social media. Bullying, peer pressure, and the changes that occur during puberty can also impact body image. Body image concerns affect all genders and cultures, but there are typically different appearance-based concerns depending on one’s gender. For example, women often feel pressure to be thin and beautiful according to a certain idea, whereas men are often faced with pressure to be lean and muscular.

How is negative body image treated? 


Cognitive behavioural therapy can help individuals address thoughts and beliefs that may be contributing to negative body image and low self-esteem. Additionally, CBT can help individuals learn ways to increase self-esteem and look at their body in a more positive way. 


If you or someone you know is struggling with negative body image, contact us to see how we can help.

Gender Identity

Gender identity is defined as one’s personal view of oneself as male, female, or other. Gender is how a person feels and who they know themselves to be when it comes to their gender. This can also differ from an individual’s sexual anatomy as well as their sexual orientation. We often assume that an individual's gender assignment at birth matches their gender identity, however, this is not always the case. There are several gender identities including male, female, transgender, gender neutral, non-binary, pan gender, agender, genderqueer, two-spirit, and more. Research has shown that most children have a sense of their gender identity by age four. 

    Alternatively, gender expression is how an individual expresses and presents themselves to the world. For example, what clothes they wear or their use of makeup. Gender expression is not necessarily related to sex, but instead is about personal interest. This is why it is incredibly important to never assume someone’s gender based on how they look. 


    Gender dysphoria describes discomfort or suffering associated with the conflict that can existed between one’s assinged sex at birth and what they feel their true gender is. This discomfort can be especially present for children proceeding through puberty.


    If you or someone you know is struggling with gender identity or gender dysphoria, contact us to see how we can help! 

    Self-Esteem

    Self-esteem describes a person’s overall sense of self-worth and personal value. Self-esteem plays a significant role in many parts of our life including work or school, interpersonal relationships, and our own psychological well-being. 

    Some signs of healthy self-esteem include: 
    • Expressing your needs 
    • Feeling confident 
    • Having a positive outlook on life 
    • Being assertive 
    • Seeing your overall strengths and weaknesses and accepting them 
    • Knowing the difference between confidence and arrogance
    Some signs of low self-esteem include: 
    • Finding it difficult to express needs 
    • Focusing on weaknesses 
    • Frequently experiencing shame, depression, or anxiety 
    • Having a negative outlook on life 
    • Having an intense fear of failure
    • Having trouble accepting positive feedback 
    • Trouble being assertive 
    • Struggling with confidence 

    How can you increase self-esteem?

    Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) or Schema-focused therapy, can all help individuals to improve self-esteem. 

     

     

    Do you feel like you’re suffering from low self-esteem? Contact us to see how we can help. 

    Self-Awareness

    Self-awareness involves seeing yourself clearly and objectively through being introspective. Self-awareness involves paying attention to our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours and examining the reasons behind them. In short, self-awareness is about being honest with yourself and focusing on the reality of your behaviour. 
     
    Benefits of becoming self-aware can include: 
    • Positive self-development
    • Being able to see other’s perspectives 
    • Increased self-control 
    • Increased confidence 
    • Communicating more effectively 

    How can you increase self-awareness?

    There are many different approaches to therapy and modalities that can help individuals become more self-aware. For example, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help individuals to examine connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, to better understand themselves. 

     

     

    If you’d like to increase your self-awareness, contact us to see how we can help. ď»ż