SOCF111 Session 4 Self as Practitioner: Developing and Enhancing Self- Esteem Department of Social Science endeavour.edu.au
QUOTATION The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched. They must be felt in the heart Helen Keller Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 2
Developing and Enhancing Self Esteem Session Aim To explore the concept of self-esteem, how to enhance self esteem, and the importance of self-esteem in clinical practice Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 3
Developing and Enhancing Self Esteem At the end of this session students should be able to: Define self esteem Discuss strategies to improve their self esteem Examine personal strengths and qualities Formulate strategies for maintaining self esteem in the workplace Understand the nature of self-compassion and its role in personal growth Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 4
What is self esteem? Self esteem refers to the way you feel about yourself: How much you like yourself How valuable a person you think you are How competent you think you are Your answers reflect your self esteem and the value that you place on yourself Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 5
What is Self Esteem? Belief in your personal rights Qualities Beliefs and Thoughts about self Values/Behaviour consistent with values Valued by others Strengths Skills / competencies / achievements Power / influence over your own life/decisions Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 6
Self Esteem o Our behaviour may be a reflection of our self esteem, e.g. whether you are assertive or shy; whether you approach situations with confidence or caution o Our self esteem can be either Global in nature, e.g. I believe I am a good person Or Specific and focussed, e.g. I am good at tennis Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 7
Self Esteem Handout 4.1 The Invitation Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 8
Activity 4.1 Self Concept and Self Esteem o Complete the Questions on p.3 individually and reflect upon the responses you give o In pairs share your responses and reflections What did you learn about your self? What have you become conscious of? What would you like to do as a result of doing this exercise? o Reconvene as a group and discuss insights and thoughts Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 9
Self Esteem http://family.jrank.org/pages/1475/self-esteem-development-self-esteem.htm o Our self esteem is influenced by many factors Reflected appraisals we see and evaluate ourselves in terms of our perception of how those around us see and evaluate us Social comparisons we compare ourselves to others on a range of abilities and traits Self attributions Bem (1972) states that we make attributions about ourselves on the basis of the observation of our own behaviour Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 10
Self Esteem Robins, R W & Trzesniewski, KH (2005) Self-esteem development across the lifespan o Our self esteem changes over the course of our lives o Generally self esteem is: HIGH during early childhood DROPS during adolescence especially for females RISES slowly through adulthood DECLINES sharply during old age o These authors have also found that individual differences in self esteem are relatively stable over time Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 11
Activity 4.2 - Developmental Factors in Self Esteem o As individuals consider your lives so far. List the factors that impacted on your self esteem from childhood to adolescence and into adulthood. Now consider the following questions: Who were the important figures in your life? What, if any, were the key events? How can you use what you learnt in last week s session to change the influence of any negative factors you have listed? o Discuss your responses in groups of 3-4 o Whole group discussion and identification of common themes impacting on self esteem. Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 12
The Inner Critic & Self Esteem The Inner Critic can leave us with many fears which impact on our self esteem, potentially leaving us fearful of: new things rejection or making mistakes ability to have a successful relationship physical unattractiveness being boring being unimportant expressing ourselves emotionally rejection Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 13
CBT Cognitive Behavioural Therapy You can use CBT to challenge/change your inner fears. Inner Coach challenges Inner Critic Thoughts Feelings Behaviours New More Helpful Thoughts New More Helpful Behaviours
Self Esteem - Quotations o No one can make you feel inferior without your consent Eleanor Roosevelt o Self trust is the secret of success Ralph Waldo Emerson Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 15
Allowing Vulnerability You bring into your relationships your feelings of security or insecurity and your fears and anxieties. Vulnerability can help others feel that you and they are part of the human race. It provides the opportunity for caring and being cared for. Nelson-Jones (1996, p. 58) Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 16
Allowing Vulnerability o You can share your own and another person s vulnerability in ways that enhance and deepen your relationship. o Mutual sympathy and liking develop from sensitive understanding of each other s vulnerabilities as much as from appreciation of strengths. o If you are unable to acknowledge your own fears and anxieties you are likely to lack responsiveness to other people s. Nelson-Jones (1996, p. 58) Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 17
Building Self Esteem The Nurturing Adult Focus on positives Stretching the comfort zone - Changing something each day - Trying new things - Taking small risks - Asking for honest feedback - Asking for support - Receiving support Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 18
Building Self Esteem o Make a firm commitment to change o Acquire the knowledge you need for personal change o Set fair and reasonable goals o Accept yourself as a process o Create an environment that supports o personal change o Avoid self sabotage Wood, J.T. (2004, pp. 42-68) Interpersonal Communication, CA: Wadsworth Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 19
Building Self Esteem in Others As practitioners: We nurture our clients Foster self esteem Know our boundaries and communicate these Give full attention to others Encourage clients to be independent, self reliant, mature Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 20
Planning for Personal Growth o Plan to take action o Setting goals both personal and professional life goals o Use of SMART Simple well defined Measurable determination of success Action Oriented how to make it happen Realistic it can be accomplished Time limited must have a time frame Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 21
o Simple Setting Goals Using SMART http://www.topachievement.com/start.html Get into shape vs. Join a health club and workout 3 days a week o Measurable- Lose weight versus Lose 2 cm off of my waist and hips o Action oriented By exercising I can lose 1 kilo in a week o Realistic There is a gym close to my home I have spare time every Monday, Wednesday and Friday o Time limited I will enrol in gym membership by July 3 rd Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 22
10 Tips on Self Esteem o It's important to accept the way you are o Stop criticising yourself o Don t compare yourself unfavourably with others o Allow yourself to accept praise or compliments fully o Forgive yourself for past mistakes Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 23
10 Tips on Self Esteem o Say positive things to yourself o Search out, taking responsibility for your life o Value your ideas & interests & expand on them o Being sensitive to others needs but not taking responsibility for them o Accept the variety, range & depth of feelings you experience Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 24
Activity 4.3 How to Build Self Esteem o Answer the questions on Student Handout 4.3 o In groups of 3 4 share your answers and ideas with one another. o Still in your small groups, answer the following: When could your self esteem be challenged in clinical practice? What could you do to support yourself at those times? o Feedback your group s responses to the whole class Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 25
Some further notes on Self Esteem Research is continuing around the idea of self esteem There is no unified agreement on self-esteem is it a general feeling about self or a judgement about one s value, worthiness and competence? Self esteem can be easily and reliably measured Cannot determine if it has a causal influence on behaviours Relatively low self-esteem is not a risk factor for delinquency, violence towards others, AOD abuse, racism or educational failure Emler, N (in Youth Studies Australia 2002) Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 26
Some further notes on Self Esteem Research is continuing around the idea of self esteem Relatively low self-esteem is a risk factor for suicide, suicide attempts, depression and victimisation of other. But other factors involved. The strongest influences on self-esteem are parents, parenting style, physical and sexual abuse, genetic factors. Planned interventions can enhance self-esteem but it is unknown why these work and how long lasting the effects are Low self-esteem in a absolute sense is rare Emler, N (in Youth Studies Australia 2002) Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 27
Some further notes on Self Esteem Self esteem Vs self compassion Self-esteem is conceptually and empirically different from self-compassion Self compassion is non-valuative unlike self-esteem which means you can still be compassionate towards yourself even if your self-worth is not high You can also be compassionate to another even if you disapprove of their actions Breines & Chen 2012 Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 28
Some further notes on Self Esteem Self esteem Vs self compassion Self-compassion avoids self-deprecation and selfenhancement which are linked to self-esteem Research suggests self-compassionate people react in more balanced ways under some conditions, show lower levels of negativity and have more realistic self-appraisals Self compassion predicts greater stability in self-worth and lower narcicism than self-esteem Breines & Chen 2012 Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 29
Some further notes on Self Esteem Four studies in self-compassion 1. reported greater motivation to make amends and avoid repeating a recent moral transgression 2. spent more time studying for a difficult test following an initial failure 3. exhibited a preference for upward social comparison after reflecting on a personal weakness 4. reported greater motivation to change the weakness These findings suggest that, somewhat paradoxically, taking an accepting approach to personal failure may make people more motivated to improve themselves. Breines & Chen 2012 Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 30
Revision Questions o What is self esteem? o How can a person enhance their self esteem? o What are your own strengths and weaknesses? o Is self esteem important for a natural health practitioner? o What is self-compassion? o Why might it be important for a natural health practitioner? Endeavour College of Natural Health endeavour.edu.au 31