Self-Love

Dear GoodTherapy.org, I grew up in a fairly loving, supportive environment, and I don’t understand why I’m so filled with self-loathing. I hate my appearance, my mannerisms, ... Read More

“When you know better, you do better.” —Maya Angelou Have you ever met someone who was great at making decisions? Their decisions may not always work out flawlessly, but the ... Read More

“The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express.” —Francis Bacon, English philosopher A large portion of the U.S. economy would grind to a halt if people made peace ... Read More

As a therapist, I hear the word “should” often. Usually it appears just before a spike in anxiety, a precipitous drop in self-esteem, or a sudden crying jag: “I should be over this ... Read More

People generally want to be accepted. For many, this means fitting in with the crowd. In order to do that, you may feel pressure to think and behave a certain way. The trouble is that when ... Read More

I think you have quite a bit of insight about your problem: your childhood experiences and past relationships have shaped your worldview in such a way that you don’t trust your current ... Read More

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right.” —Henry Ford When Henry Ford first conceived of the V8 motor, his engineers told him it was simply ... Read More

Have you ever called yourself “stupid” just because you made a mistake? When you look in the mirror, do you curse your reflection for not being attractive enough? Do you make silent, ... Read More

Being deserving means having an expectation of goodness in your life. It is the goodness of people, relationships, and situations that we all want and deserve in our lifetime. We are all ... Read More

It might surprise you to hear this, but I think you might be on to something in seeking self-acceptance. While I do not think that you should accept that your current circumstances and ... Read More

The world can be a cold and cruel place, and as such, every display of warmth and goodness makes a difference. Performing random acts of kindness for those around you—such as opening ... Read More

You may have heard it said that you can’t truly love another person if you don’t love yourself. I wholeheartedly believe this to be true, and I think it speaks to the “mirror-type” ... Read More