Self-Worth & Self-Criticism Therapy in Phoenix, AZ
Online therapy throughout Arizona, Massachusetts & Ohio.
Do you constantly second guess yourself?
Maybe you question if you’re good enough, compare yourself to others or don’t trust your own decisions. This might show up as perfectionism or people-pleasing if you try to avoid mistakes, meet impossibly high expectations, or keep everyone else happy in order to feel worthy or accepted.
Low self-worth, self-criticism and perfectionism can feed off of each other. When they inform your relationship with yourself, you may find that:
You compare yourself to others and worry that you’re not good enough
You second guess yourself even when others seem to trust in you
You are much harder on yourself than you would be towards someone else
You feel self-conscious and afraid of how you are perceived
You feel like you need to be perfect in order to be accepted
You have trouble speaking up, and struggle to set boundaries because you worry about what people will think of you
You say “yes” when you want to say “no”
You avoid taking risks because you’re afraid of failure
You apologize when it’s not necessary and seek reassurance frequently
Are you tired of feeling like you don’t measure up?
You may know, intellectually, that you are worthy and capable, but still find yourself caught in cycles of self-doubt and criticism.
You might wish you could..
Trust yourself and your decisions more
Feel more comfortable making mistakes and being imperfect
Speak up for yourself without constantly worrying about what others will think
Set boundaries without feeling guilty
Take more risks and pursue the things that matter to you
Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you offer to other people
Are you ready to develop a new relationship with yourself?
I am here to help
If you struggle with low self-worth and self-criticism, you may be carrying painful beliefs about yourself.
You might find yourself thinking:
“Something is wrong with me.”
“I’m not as capable as other people might think.”
“I should be doing more.”
“If I make a mistake, people will think less of me.”
“I feel like a burden to the people I care about.”
“Even if I did a good job, it still feels like it wasn’t enough.”
My Approach
I help adults who struggle with low self-worth, self-criticism, perfectionism, and people-pleasing develop a stronger and more compassionate relationship with themselves.
Together, we will look closely at the thoughts, feelings and ideas that are shaping the way you see yourself. We’ll explore the patterns that keep you caught in self-doubt, perfectionism, or the need for approval, and work toward helping you respond to yourself with greater acceptance and self-compassion.
My approach is, first and foremost, collaborative. My trust in you as the authority of your own experience is at the core of my therapeutic process. I’m here to guide you in uncovering your own internal resources and developing them from the inside out. I believe that when you know and accept yourself, meaningful change will occur.
“Loving ourselves through the process of owning our story is the bravest thing we will ever do.”
— Brené Brown
How Therapy for Low Self-Worth & Self-Criticism Can Help
Therapy can help you:
Understand the patterns that contribute to low self-worth and self-criticism
Learn new ways of responding to harsh or self-critical thoughts
Develop greater self-acceptance and self-compassion
Build confidence in your own judgment and decisions
Speak up for yourself and communicate your needs
Set boundaries without being overwhelmed by guilt
Become more comfortable with uncertainty, imperfection, and taking risks
Reconnect with your values and the things that matter most to you
Therapy Approaches
ACT
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help you develop a healthier relationship with self-critical thoughts and difficult emotions.
Rather than letting thoughts like “I'm not good enough” or “I have to do this perfectly” dictate your choices, ACT helps you make room for difficult thoughts and feelings while staying connected to what matters most.
EMDR
EMDR is an evidence-based treatment that helps your brain process distressing experiences so that they become less overwhelming and lose their emotional charge.
When low self-worth or self-criticism is connected to painful past experiences, EMDR may help you process those experiences and the negative beliefs about yourself that developed around them.
Self-compassion
Self-compassion-focused therapy helps you quiet your inner critic, respond to yourself with greater kindness, and learn to respond to your emotions without being hard on yourself.
For people who struggle with perfectionism or feel that they need to constantly improve themselves to be worthy, self-compassion can provide a different way of relating to yourself—one that supports growth without relying on criticism or shame.
You can develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself and build a stronger sense of self-worth. I am here to help.
Tara (she/her), MSW/LICSW, ACT/EMDR/ Self-compassion informed therapist
Frequently Asked Questions
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You may benefit from therapy if you frequently compare yourself to others, worry that you're not good enough, struggle with perfectionism or people-pleasing, have difficulty setting boundaries, or find yourself constantly criticizing or second-guessing yourself.
You don't have to have a specific diagnosis to seek therapy for these concerns. We can talk during a free consultation about what you're experiencing and whether working together might be a good fit.
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We'll first work together to understand the patterns that are affecting how you see yourself. Depending on your needs and goals, I may incorporate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), EMDR, and self-compassion-informed psychotherapy.
The goal isn't to convince yourself that everything is perfect. It's to develop a more flexible and compassionate relationship with yourself so that self-doubt, criticism, and fear don't keep you from living the life you want.
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Yes. Perfectionism and people-pleasing can sometimes be connected to fears about rejection, failure, disappointing others, or not being good enough.
Therapy can help you understand these patterns, develop greater self-trust, and begin making choices based on your own values and needs instead of constantly seeking approval or trying to avoid making mistakes.
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If you are interested in learning more about starting therapy with me, you can book a FREE 15 minute consultation. If we decide to work together, we will then schedule a 60 minute initial evaluation. During the evaluation, we’ll talk more in depth about the concerns that are bringing you in, and we’ll collaborate to create a plan for our work together, including your hopes and goals as well as how often we will meet.