Having a poor self-image means thinking of yourself as inferior, inadequate, or flawed. It destroys your self-esteem and promotes obsessive negative self-criticism. A poor self-image acts as a distorted, destructive lens through which you see yourself.<\/p>\n
If, in your own mind, you fail to measure up to your standards of intelligence, success, attractiveness, or whatever qualities you value, you are likely to project a poor self image to others as well. How can you enjoy healthy relationships with family and co-workers, make and keep good friendships, or attract a desirable mate and sustain a satisfying marriage if you don\u2019t feel good about yourself?<\/p>\n
People who harbor a poor self-image tend to compare themselves unfavorably to others. They suffer from social anxiety, fear of failure, lack of initiative, poor performance, and various forms of self-sabotage such as perfectionism, underachieving, or second guessing themselves. Left untreated, a poor self-image can lead to unhappiness, depression, isolation, despair, and even suicidal thinking.<\/p>\n
Growing up in a dysfunctional family where there is neglect or abuse (emotional, physical, or sexual) can cause a child to form a poor self-image. The child takes on the responsibility for the bad treatment, as if it were their fault, thinking that if s\/he were better in some way (smarter, prettier, more athletic, or thinner) they would be treated better.<\/p>\n
Often the problem is passed down from generation to generation. A parent with a poor self-image raises a child with the same affliction; and that child becomes a parent who does the same. The cycle can be broken. People can develop a better self-image through therapy and work on themselves. Positive self-image hypnosis provides tools and procedures that facilitate this development.<\/p>\n
Not every person with a poor self-image grew up in an abusive or neglectful family. Some were teased by other children for being culturally, racially, or physically different. Others, whose families moved often, perhaps to different states or countries, had a difficult time fitting in, making friends, adapting to new environments, and learning new languages.<\/p>\n
Traumatic experiences later in life can damage a person\u2019s self-image by suddenly forcing the person to cope with disastrous, often unanticipated dire consequences. But even a minor series of career, financial, health and\/or relationship setbacks and losses, over a relatively short stretch of time, can adversely impact a person\u2019s sense of self-worth. These events can trigger
\nthem to question their abilities and second-guess their choices. If such thinking becomes obsessive and highly self-critical, confidence can plummet and resistance to moving forward may intensify.<\/p>\n
The following list includes common signs of a poor self-image. If you exhibit some, many, or all of these more than rarely, you likely suffer from a self-image that needs improvement.<\/p>\n
The following list includes common negative effects that having a poor self-image contributes to or causes. If you exhibit some, many, or all of these, a poor self-image could well be the cause and self-image hypnosis could very likely help.<\/p>\n
Hypnotherapy is a relaxing, natural, and safe, brief-term form of therapy that involves an interactive process to redirect the attention of both the conscious and subconscious mind where a poor self-image develops and festers. Self-image hypnosis can create positive changes in the way a client thinks and judges him\/herself, creating a more positive self-assessment and greater self-acceptance. The client must really want to make the changes, must believe that they can make positive changes, and must be open to using the tools and techniques.<\/p>\n
The first step in using hypnotherapy for developing a positive self-image is to gain understanding of the client\u2019s problems and goals through conscious cognitive inquiry and to determine whether they have the appropriate motivation and openness. Next I induce in the client deep relaxation and inward focus. This calms their emotions and allows access to their subconscious mind. Then I present a variety of hypnotic suggestions, visualizations, and other techniques that nourish and support the positive attitudes, feelings, beliefs, and actions on which a positive self-image can be based.<\/p>\n
From a digital recording of the hypnosis portion of each session, I provide the client with hypnotic reinforcement in the form of either an audio MP3 file or CD for use in between sessions. The clients who get the quickest and best results are those who use these reinforcements.<\/p>\n
For each client, a treatment plan is established. The treatment plan for a poor self-image must be tailored to each individual client\u2019s particular case. There is no “one plan fits all.” The approach I take to each case, however, is outlined below.<\/p>\n
The following list includes some of the tools and techniques I use in self-image hypnosis:<\/p>\n
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