Low self-esteem is a common mental health issue among people of all ages. It is usually the result of childhood trauma.
When we experience emotional injuries at an early age, we tend to disown parts of ourselves as a defense mechanism. By only displaying those aspects of our personhood that are likely to be rewarded by our caretakers, we begin a practice of alienating ourselves from ourselves.
While this coping strategy is effective during childhood, it does a great disservice in adulthood. When we hold the belief that parts of us are unworthy of love and must remain hidden, we develop deep-seated low self-esteem.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Works Directly with Past Trauma
For many years, talk therapy was the primary modality to help people overcome low self-worth. The problem is, there are some individuals who are so buried in their own self-hatred, that talking about it only seems to make it worse. I have found in my own practice that shining a direct light on a lack of self-worth often backfires and leads to deeper judgement, self-loathing, and more anxiety for my clients.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a body-centered approach that treats somatic symptoms, or physical symptoms, of unresolved trauma. While in talk therapy, we develop and adjust treatment plans based on the words our clients use, in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, we base it on the bodily experiences of the client. When we release old childhood trauma through this approach, an increase in self-worth is a natural byproduct, just as when you clean a window, more light is naturally able to enter a room.
As a certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapist, I help my clients release the physical sensations associated with a traumatic event or chronic trauma in a safe environment. The profound change that occurs in my clients’ mental and emotional health as a result of this technique never ceases to astound me.
If you suffer from low self-worth, there is a reason for it, and that reason is buried deep within you. If you would like to explore Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, please get in touch with me. I would be more than happy to discuss the process further with you.
Stephanie Post, PsyD. at Higher Self Psychotherapy specializes in anxiety therapy, depression therapy, self-esteem therapy, and in trauma therapy online anywhere in California and in the Marina neighborhood of San Francisco. She uses EMDR therapy, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and IFS therapy to help clients thrive.