Low Self-Esteem

Low self-esteem often develops in environments where emotional needs were minimized, dismissed, or made conditional. In emotionally neglectful or controlling relationships, a sense of “not enough” can take hold quietly, shaping how safe it feels to be seen, heard, or valued.

​

As an adult, this may show up as chronic self-doubt, difficulty trusting your perceptions, discomfort receiving care, or a tendency to question whether your needs are reasonable. These patterns are not flaws. They are adaptations to relationships where staying small, accommodating, or self-critical once felt protective.

​

In therapy, we focus on understanding how these beliefs formed and gently restoring self-trust, emotional safety, and a more stable sense of worth. Healing is not about fixing yourself, but about loosening patterns shaped by earlier relational harm so your value no longer feels conditional.

​

Low self-esteem that develops in emotionally neglectful or controlling environments is best understood within a trauma-specialized framework.  Learn more about this approach:
• Trauma Therapy for Emotional Abuse & Neglect
• Individual Therapy