Self-Esteem
Work on self-criticism, perfectionism and the belief that you're not quite enough.
Low self-esteem is often the quiet layer underneath anxiety, depression or relationship difficulty. It shows up as a running commentary of criticism, discomfort with praise, and a habit of measuring yourself against everyone else.
Therapy looks at where those rules came from and tests them against your actual life. We work on self-compassion as a practical skill rather than a slogan, and on making decisions from your own values instead of anticipated judgement.
Amelia McDermott works particularly with adolescents and adults on perfectionism and self-esteem.
What to expect
Early sessions trace where the rules about yourself came from and test them against your actual life. Self-compassion is then trained as a concrete skill, not offered as a slogan. The later work is making decisions from your values instead of from anticipated judgement.
How many sessions will I need?
We agree the likely number of sessions with you at the first appointment, once we understand what's happening. A Mental Health Care Plan funds up to ten individual sessions per calendar year, and an initial referral commonly covers six before your GP reviews it. We set a review point rather than committing you to an open-ended course. Beliefs about your own worth formed early take longer to shift than a discrete symptom.
Evidence base
Source: psychology.org.au
Compassion-focused and schema-based approaches to self-criticism are drawn from the psychological interventions reviewed by the Australian Psychological Society in its evidence-based practice guidance.
How we work with this
The shape of treatment, step by step — adjusted to what you bring and the pace you set.
Trace the rules
We identify the beliefs about yourself formed early on, and look honestly at whether they still hold.
Practise self-compassion
Concrete, trainable skills for changing how you speak to yourself under pressure.
Act on values
Choices made from what matters to you rather than from anticipated criticism — the part that makes gains stick.
Questions about Self-Esteem
Is low self-esteem a diagnosis?
No. It is a pattern that commonly sits underneath anxiety, depression or relationship difficulty. Where one of those is present, a Mental Health Care Plan can fund treatment that addresses the self-esteem work as part of it.
How is this different from anxiety treatment?
Anxiety treatment targets a maintaining cycle in the present. Self-esteem work targets rules about yourself formed over years, which need testing repeatedly against real experience before they loosen.
Will I be told to think positively?
No. Affirmations that contradict what you believe tend to backfire. The work is examining whether the harsh rules hold, and building a more accurate account you can actually credit.
Related services
Anger Counselling
Understanding what sits underneath anger, and building a different response.
Attachment & Relationships
Couples, family and individual work on the patterns that shape close relationships.
Social Difficulties
For adolescents and adults who find social situations difficult, draining or confusing.
Book with Amelia
Sessions run 50 minutes, in our Melbourne CBD rooms or by secure video. No referral needed to begin.