Building Self-Esteem: A Blog with Sarah Burney, LCSW, CEDS-S, CNS
Hi Sarah Burney! Can you tell readers a bit about yourself?
I specialize in treating all types of eating disorders, acute & complex trauma, substance abuse, obsessive compulsive disorder, and depressive/anxiety disorders. My experience includes providing intensive therapy at inpatient & outpatient treatment centers for eating disorders, mental health, and substance abuse for over a decade, and now I’m in private practice. I use a humanistic and psychoanalytic therapeutic approach, and I also do EMDR. Overall my goal is to create a safe environment where people feel supported and simultaneously challenged to take steps towards their goals.
I enjoy spending time with family and friends, often times outdoors, especially at the beach/in the water. I also love traveling and go to India each year, and usually one other tropical location with my friends/family.
I’ve seen the work you do and can attest to the fact that you do a great job helping people feel supported and challenged at the same time. So many people throw around the concept of self-esteem. First, can you tell us: what is self-esteem? And can self-esteem actually be improved?
What is self-esteem:
Self-esteem refers to our evaluation of our overall value.
“To have self-esteem”means we view ourselves as having value. Conversely,“to not have self-esteem”means we view ourselves as not having value.
How do we determine our value:
Our overall value is compilation of our confidence multiple domains (or areas), such as: school, career, physical appearance, finances, personality traits, social skills, emotional regulation, etc.
Domains can be broken down into two categories: "external domains” and “internal domains”.
Internal domains are foundational, and are necessary, for us to have good self-esteem.
Domains for internal self-esteem can include building confidence in our: personality traits, emotions, temperament, needs, desires, and integrity (acting in line with our values).
Internal self-esteem is determined by our confidence in our perception of who we innately are.
External domains are valuable, but are not required to have good self-esteem.
External self-esteem is self-esteem we have because of our confidence in various external domains (or areas), which is built as a result of perceived success in said domains.
Domains for building external self-esteem can include our: physical appearance, finances, education, career, relationships, and success as it relates to meeting society’s material standards.
For example, internal domains are the inside of the book, and external domains are the cover of the book.
Yes! I’m a book person, so I love that analogy. What are some good activities to build self-esteem?
Act in line with your values —— first you have to determine what your values even are! And then place them in a hierarchy. From there, you have to commit to acting in line with them!
What are your impressions of the impact of social media on self-esteem?
Not great for self esteem because it encourages comparison, and not only that, comparisons to images that are unrealistic/fake, and thus comparison to unrealistic standards.
Absolutely. Thanks so much, Sarah. Where can people find you?
Visit burneytherapygroup.com or call/text 949-307-2112 or email info@burneytherapygroup.com.