Low self-esteem – when you doubt your own worth
It is important to know the difference between self-esteem and self-confidence. Self-confidence is about your abilities – what you can do and achieve. Self-esteem, on the other hand, is about your basic sense of being worth something, simply because you exist.
If you struggle with low self-esteem, you may often think:
❌ "I'm not good enough."
❌ "I have to perform to be worth anything."
But the truth is that you have worth, whatever you achieve. Unfortunately, that can be hard to believe, especially if you have learned through life that you need to be a certain way or do something extra to be good enough. Those are exactly the beliefs we can work with in therapy.
Signs of low self-esteem
🔹 Racing thoughts
🔹 Low mood
🔹 Putting other people's needs before your own
🔹 Self-criticism
🔹 Perfectionism
🔹 Difficulty saying no or setting boundaries
🔹 Doubt and insecurity
🔹 Negative thoughts about yourself
🔹 Difficulty making decisions
🔹 Focusing too much on what others think
🔹 Withdrawing into yourself
🔹 Procrastination
🔹 Feeling inadequate
🔹 People-pleasing tendencies
If you recognise several of these, it is a sign that your self-esteem could use some attention.
Why does low self-esteem develop?
Low self-esteem is often about the stories we tell ourselves – stories shaped by our experiences throughout life.
Perhaps at important moments you felt overlooked, unheard or not met in the way you needed. That might have been in childhood, in your teens or as an adult. When our feelings are neglected, we can develop a deep doubt about our own worth.
That doesn't mean something extreme has to have happened. Even small, repeated experiences of having to "be a certain way" to be loved or recognised can create a feeling of never quite being enough.
The good news? Your self-esteem can be rebuilt.
Why is it important to take care of your self-esteem?
When you work on your self-esteem, you build a stronger foundation for:
✔ Sensing your own needs and standing by them
✔ Setting healthy boundaries without feeling guilty
✔ Meeting yourself with care – also when things are hard
✔ Having more calm and acceptance in your relationships
✔ Handling life's ups and downs without losing yourself
In short: Healthy self-esteem gives you the freedom to be yourself – without feeling that you have to prove anything.
How do I book, and what does it cost?
Prices:
- DKK 1,100 per 50-minute session.
📅 Book a free introductory call using the button below. Sessions are held in English, either in person at my practice near Aarhus or online by video.
📩 Any questions? Send me a text message on +45 24 81 67 79 or an email to kontakt@marlenelyby.dk – I will reply as soon as I can.
How do I work?
Trust and confidentiality
Starting a therapeutic process and opening up to someone you don't know can feel vulnerable. I understand that completely, and I take great care to create a safe and confidential space for your change. The focus of our conversations will vary, and nothing is too big or too small to bring up. I know that the relationship between us matters most, so the method is adapted to you – not the other way round.
Body and emotions
I work with relationships – both your relationships with others, such as your partner, children, siblings or parents, and your relationship with yourself. Relationships are central to how you relate to your emotions and your wellbeing. My aim is to help you understand your emotional patterns and give you tools that make it easier to live in the present and sense yourself with clarity.
The framework
I offer a free introductory call because I know that the relationship between us is crucial to your therapy. The course of therapy is adapted to your process, so there is no fixed recipe for how often we should meet or how many sessions you need. It depends on your needs and your progress.
Why in-person therapy?
Meeting in person creates a particularly present and safe setting for therapy. Here we can work directly with bodily signals, facial expressions and the energy in the room, which can be a valuable part of the process. I keep waiting times short, so you can get an appointment quickly – often within a week.