Accepting Your Self

One of the best successes I have therapeutically was dealing with the self-worth problem and suicidal tendency of a young woman in her late 20s. I worked with her for several months. A success came as a result of her reaching a point of deeper self-understanding and eventual confrontation of her parents.

Every time she experienced a breakup of a relationship with a romantic partner (including that with a married man), her self-esteem would plummet down to its lowest. At least one time, she was hospitalized due to an almost destructive suicidal attempt.

In the course of her therapy, she discovered and was able to finally process a major influence that her "source" relationships (with Dad and Mom) played on how she saw her self and behaved in relationships. Gradually she learned to accept and love her self exactly as she was, independent of what other people (including her parents) say or do to her. She also learned to tap into God's love as her most important source of unconditional self-acceptance and self-love.

"...the love of God is poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us." (Romans 5:5)