Many people come to therapy with a harsh inner voice that judges them more strictly than they'd ever judge anyone else. Self-esteem work isn't about repeating affirmations until they stick — it's about understanding where that internal critic came from, and how it became such a powerful part of your inner world.
Often, this voice develops through early relationships, experiences, expectations, or environments in which we learned something about who we were expected to be. For some, this may also include the experience of questioning or navigating aspects of identity, including gender or sexuality, in a world where acceptance has not always been guaranteed. Whatever your story, therapy offers a space to understand how these experiences have shaped your relationship with yourself.
As these patterns become clearer, self-criticism is no longer experienced as an unquestionable truth, but as something that developed over time and can be understood differently. This is quieter, more gradual work than a confidence-building programme, but it often leads to a deeper, steadier sense of self — one that feels more authentic and less governed by old patterns.