What Is Self-Esteem?: how you view your own worth
Self-esteem is the way you view your own worth.. Learning what influences it can help you build a more stable and compassionate sense of self.
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What does the What Is Self-Esteem? Mini Course cover?
What self-esteem is, the difference between global and domain-specific self-esteem, the relationships, life events and cultural influences that shape it, how thoughts and core beliefs act as a filter, and why it matters for how you handle challenges.
Who is this What Is Self-Esteem? Mini Course for?
Helpful if you:
😔 Feel not good enough much of the time
🪞 Judge yourself harshly in certain areas of life
🧠 Want to understand what shapes how you see yourself
For therapists:
Assign this course as psychoeducation at the start of self-esteem work, alongside the self-esteem test. The client's identified life areas and common self-thought give a starting point for formulation. Fully HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Dr Harriet Mellotte
Clinical Psychologist & CBT Therapist, BABCP
“Offload is a fantastic resource for both clients and therapists. The world of CBT has been lacking an app which enables the sharing of CBT worksheets and homework tasks between clients and therapists, but Offload completely does this, making the service we offer more professional and the benefits to clients greater.”
Frequently asked questions
What is self-esteem?
Self-esteem is your overall sense of your own worth: how you value yourself, your abilities and your place in the world. It is not about being better than others. It has a global form, your general sense of worth, and domain-specific forms, such as how you feel about your appearance, work or relationships.
What causes low self-esteem?
Usually a mix of factors: critical or neglectful relationships, difficult life events, cultural pressures, and negative core beliefs such as I am not good enough that formed early and now filter every experience. Understanding your own mix helps you and your therapist decide where to focus.
Why does self-esteem matter?
It shapes how you handle challenges, relationships and opportunities. When self-esteem is low, it is easier to fall into negative thinking, avoid things you might fail at, and feel overwhelmed. Research links low self-esteem to depression and anxiety, and improving it supports recovery from both.
Can my therapist assign this course?
Yes. Therapists on Offload can assign What Is Self-Esteem as psychoeducation at the start of self-esteem work, alongside the Self-Esteem Test, and your identified life areas and common self-thought give a starting point for formulation. Your responses are available for them to review beforehand. Fully HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Are you a therapist?
Assign this therapy tool and 200+ other interactive tools directly to your clients. Build personalised care plans, customise tools, and review client responses before sessions. HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Explore Offload for therapistsReferences
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the Adolescent Self-Image. Princeton University Press. Orth, U., & Robins, R. W. (2014). The development of self-esteem. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 23(5), 381–387. Sowislo, J. F., & Orth, U. (2013). Does low self-esteem predict depression and anxiety? Psychological Bulletin, 139(1), 213–240.
