Self-esteem is the way we feel about ourselves, our abilities, and our worth as a person. It affects how we think, act, and relate to others. Having a healthy self-esteem means accepting and appreciating ourselves for who we are, and being confident in our potential to grow and achieve our goals.
What is Low Self-Esteem?
However, many people struggle with low self-esteem, which can have a negative impact on their mental and physical health, happiness, and well-being. Low self-esteem can make us feel insecure, inadequate, unworthy, and ashamed of ourselves. It can also make us more vulnerable to stress, anxiety, depression, and other mind-body problems. It's important for you to know that low self-esteem is not your fault, nor does it mean that there is anything wrong with you. In fact, low self-esteem stems for the actions and behaviours of others; you weren't born with low self-esteem - it is something you have learnt to carry like a heavy bag, and hypnotherapy can help you put down that burden and lovingly accept yourself and your many gifts and offerings to this world.
The Origins of Low Self-Esteem
Low self-esteem often stems from traumatic or negative experiences in our past, such as abuse, neglect, bullying, rejection, failure, or criticism. These experiences can make us internalise the harmful messages and judgments of others, and believe that they are true about ourselves. We may also develop unrealistic or distorted expectations of ourselves, and feel that we are never good enough or that we have to be perfect to be loved and accepted. The subconscious mind is like a sponge that absorbs and stores everything that happens to us, especially during our childhood and adolescence. It forms the core of our beliefs, habits, emotions, and behaviors. The subconscious mind can influence our conscious mind, which is the rational and logical part of our brain that we use to make decisions and solve problems. When we have low self-esteem, our subconscious mind is filled with negative and limiting beliefs about ourselves, such as “I am not worthy”, “I am not capable”, “I am not lovable”, or “I am not enough”. These beliefs can affect our conscious mind, and make us think and act in ways that reinforce our low self-esteem. For example, we may avoid taking risks, pursuing our dreams, or expressing our opinions, because we fear failure, rejection, or criticism. We may also sabotage our own success, happiness, or relationships, because we feel that we do not deserve them or that we will lose them eventually.
Low self-esteem and the nervous system
Low self-esteem can also affect our brain and nervous system, which are responsible for regulating our bodily functions and responses to stress. According to the polyvagal theory, our nervous system has three main states: the ventral vagal state, the sympathetic state, and the dorsal vagal state. The ventral vagal state is the optimal state, where we feel safe, calm, connected, and engaged. The sympathetic state is the fight-or-flight state, where we feel alert, aroused, and ready to face a threat or challenge. The dorsal vagal state is the freeze or shutdown state, where we feel numb, disconnected, and helpless. When we have low self-esteem, we may get stuck in the sympathetic or dorsal vagal states, and experience chronic stress, anxiety, or depression. We may also have difficulty accessing the ventral vagal state, and feel isolated, lonely, or hopeless. This can impair our physical and mental health, and affect our immune system, digestion, sleep, mood, memory, and learning.
How Hypnotherapy can Help with Low Self-Esteem:
Hypnotherapy is a form of therapy that uses hypnosis to access and communicate with the subconscious mind. Hypnosis is a natural and safe state of deep relaxation and focused attention, where we are more open and receptive to positive suggestions and changes. Hypnotherapy can help us identify and release the negative and limiting beliefs that are stored in our subconscious mind, and replace them with positive and empowering beliefs that support our self-esteem. Hypnotherapy can also help us activate and strengthen the vagus nerve, which is the main component of our parasympathetic branch of the nervous system. By activating and strengthening the vagus nerve, hypnotherapy supports us to spend more time in the ventral vagal state, and restore the balance and harmony of our nervous system.
Hypnotherapy can help us boost our self-esteem in many ways, such as:
Helping us recognise and appreciate our strengths, talents, and achievements, and celebrate our uniqueness and diversity.
Helping us develop a more realistic and positive self-image, and accept and love ourselves unconditionally.
Helping us overcome our fears, insecurities, and self-doubts, and increase our confidence and self-trust.
Helping us set and pursue our goals, and overcome the obstacles and challenges that we may face along the way.
Helping us express our thoughts, feelings, and needs, and assert our boundaries and rights, in a respectful and assertive way.
Helping us cultivate positive and supportive relationships, and connect with others who share our values and interests.
Helping us cope with stress, anxiety, depression, and other emotional problems, and enhance our well-being and happiness.
Hypnotherapy can be combined with other modalities and practices that can also benefit our self-esteem, such as mindfulness, somatic therapy, yoga, meditation, affirmations, journaling, gratitude, and self-care.
If you are struggling with low self-esteem, know there is hope. Hypnotherapy can help you unlearn the limiting beliefs and restore a sense of self in which you feel worthy, loveable and capable. Hypnotherapy can help boost your self-esteem, and move on with your life peacefully.
If you are interested in trying hypnotherapy, or want to learn more about it, please get in touch. I am a trauma-informed hypnotherapist, who is also a mindfulness and somatic therapy practitioner and yoga teacher. I have experience and expertise in helping people with low self-esteem, and other issues, such as trauma, anxiety, depression, phobias, addictions, and more.
You can book in for a consultation, where we can discuss your goals, expectations, and concerns, and see if we are a good fit. I offer in-person and online sessions, which are convenient, flexible, and effective. I look forward to hearing from you, and helping you make peace with yourself.