Self-esteem difficulties, insecurity and self-doubt are often not simply a matter of character — they are frequently the consequence of early relationships in which a person did not feel sufficiently seen or valued.

How self-esteem difficulties show up

Self-esteem difficulties often show up as an inner voice that constantly judges you, as self-doubt, fear of mistakes or a need for others' approval. You may be successful on the outside and still feel it is never enough, or you may avoid opportunities because you feel you do not deserve them. Such a relationship with yourself is not accidental: it usually formed in relationships in which you learned what is worthy of love and what is not.

A psychoanalytic view of self-esteem difficulties

Early relationships function as a mirror in which a child first 'sees' themselves through another's eyes — Winnicott called this mirroring. Where this mirroring is missing or distorted, self-image forms not from one's own experience but from what appeared acceptable to others.

In the therapeutic relationship, this early dynamic often repeats, allowing the mirroring to be revised — the client experiences being accepted as they actually are.

Psychotherapy for self-esteem difficulties in practice

In practice, this means observing moments within the session itself when self-doubt appears.

How I work with self-esteem difficulties

In therapy we pause together at the moments when this voice speaks up and explore whose it is. As it becomes clearer what is yours and what you took on from others, room for a kinder relationship with yourself opens gradually, without force. Sessions are weekly, in Ljubljana or online.

Help with self-esteem difficulties in Ljubljana

I offer psychoanalytic psychotherapy for self-esteem difficulties in Ljubljana or online (by video call). At the beginning we agree on three introductory sessions (45–50 minutes each), in which you see how I work and whether psychoanalytic psychotherapy suits you. After that we agree on regular weekly sessions.

If you are often accompanied by self-doubt or a feeling that you are not good enough, we can explore together the early patterns that shape your relationship to yourself.

More about how psychotherapy works and how to book an appointment.

Frequently asked questions about self-esteem difficulties

Does psychotherapy help with self-esteem difficulties?

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy for self-esteem difficulties does not look only for a way to ease the difficulty, but for an understanding of what it is communicating. I work with the causes of distress and not only with the distress as expressed. Once we find the cause, and during the psychotherapeutic process, symptoms often ease or disappear.

How long does psychotherapy for self-esteem difficulties take?

Duration is individual and depends on the therapeutic goal and on how long the difficulties have been present. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy can last from a few months to a few years. One session lasts 45 to 50 minutes; usually once a week, and by arrangement sometimes several times a week.

Where does low self-esteem come from?

Often from early experiences in the relationships in which we were formed: how important others saw and accepted us. In therapy we explore together these early patterns that shape our relationship to ourselves.