Self-Esteem Therapists in Toronto

Browse 7 therapists specializing in Self-Esteem in Toronto. Find the right counsellor or psychotherapist for your needs.

Low self-esteem is not a personal flaw or a fixed trait. It is usually a set of beliefs people develop over time, often shaped by early relationships, criticism, comparison, or experiences that left them feeling inadequate, unlovable, or not enough. These beliefs can operate quietly in the background, influencing how someone approaches relationships, work, conflict, and daily decisions. Therapy for self-esteem focuses on understanding where those beliefs came from and working through them at their root.

What to look for in a Self-Esteem therapist on Purple Lotus

  • Experience with negative self-beliefs, shame, or inner critic work
  • Familiarity with CBT, Schema Therapy, ACT, or self-compassion approaches
  • Comfort exploring early experiences and relational patterns when relevant
  • Clear explanation of their approach and realistic expectations for progress

7 therapists for Self-Esteem in Toronto

Browse 7 therapists specializing in Self-Esteem in Toronto. Find the right counsellor or psychotherapist for your needs.

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Sam Srijani

Do you find yourself constantly on edge, overcome with anxiety, work-related stress, low self esteem, or people pleasing? Are you putting yourself on the back burner while you struggle to keep up with the demands of your busy life? Are you stuck in a cycle of setting high expectations and never feeling good enough? If you’re feeling like this you may even be experiencing guilt and shame about these feelings. Maybe you're craving the chance to shed your responsibilities and just be yourself. If you’re nodding along, you're not alone. And you've just taken an amazing step in seeking help. I'm passionate about helping you build your confidence and regain control of your life. I specialize in anxiety, relationships, self-esteem, and ADHD. My therapeutic approach is personalized to meet your unique needs. My LGBTQ+ affirming culturally sensitive approach honours your unique experience, beliefs, and identity. If you're looking for a therapist who you can be real with; who is there with you through both the tears and the laughs, please reach out! I offer a free 15 minute video consultation so we can touch base and see if we're a good fit to work together. I look forward to supporting you on your journey to your best self.

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Suzanne Paszkowski

Suzanne Paszkowski

Maybe you have tried therapy before and it has helped you work through certain feelings or get through a specific crisis. But maybe you still find yourself repeating the same behaviors in subtle ways—perhaps until they become not so subtle and you find yourself back in therapy, in the midst of another crisis, one that eerily echoes your past experiences. You want not just to work through present issues, but also to delve deeper into your personality and life experiences to come to a better understanding of who you are, where you come from, and what your values are—with the goal of becoming the person you want and are able to be. Together, we will explore your past and present, thoughts and feelings, in order to help you gain a more holistic understanding of yourself and your potential. My background is in ancient philosophy and I am training to become a psychoanalyst because I believe that talk therapy can lead to genuine connection and enable self-discovery and self-understanding. If any of the above sounds intriguing, please feel free to contact me. I am open to new clients, especially those looking to dig deeper. Therapy can be truly transformative; sometimes it just takes finding the right person to connect with.

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Diana Ben

Diana Ben

Hi, I’m Diana! As a first‑generation African Canadian, I understand the complexity of navigating cultural identity, family expectations, people‑pleasing, autonomy, and the stigma surrounding mental health. Many clients come to therapy feeling overwhelmed by unprocessed trauma, anxiety, and the pressure to hold everything together. They often feel alone in their experiences, struggle with confidence, and second‑guess their decisions and experiences. My goal is to offer a non-judgmental, compassionate, culturally sensitive space where you feel heard, respected, and supported. I help you understand the roots of your thoughts, emotions, and patterns so you can shift them with intention. My work focuses on identity, self‑awareness, and healing from trauma and anxiety in a space that feels grounding and supportive. My approach blends insight, compassion, and practical tools to help you create real, sustainable change! Therapy with me is about understanding yourself more deeply so you can move through life with clarity and confidence. I believe insight is a powerful tool for healing; it helps us break old cycles and create new possibilities by moving beyond the feeling of “I don’t know why.” If you’re ready to explore your inner world with support, I’m here to help!

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Natalie McMullen

Natalie McMullen

Top Specialities: trauma, anxiety, attachment issues I believe our life events shape us into who we are today. We weren’t BORN with an inner critic, perfectionism, or people-pleasing tendencies! Something happened in our lives that taught us those behaviours. Maybe we learned that it’s less painful to avoid confrontation than to risk rejection or failure. Maybe we learned that to ensure safety, we must be hypervigilant, constantly looking out for threats. Those behaviours likely helped you survive at one time, but now, they might be causing chronic anxiety, difficulties in your relationships, and low self-esteem. I will help you understand your emotions and unlearn beliefs and coping behaviours that are no longer serving you. We’ll learn how your past and present experiences are contributing to the issues you want to let go of, and carve a path forward. Therapy can help you process your experiences and develop coping skills to manage your reactions and emotions. I have experience helping with anxiety/stress/burnout, trauma, relationship/attachment issues, self-esteem, depression, emotion regulation, and borderline personality disorder. I’m especially passionate about treating developmental/attachment trauma to improve self-esteem, foster safety and security, and move towards secure attachment patterns. My Approach/Style As a therapist, I have a friendly, authentic, and warm demeanour. I believe a strong connection with your therapist is of crucial importance, so I take extra care to ensure I’m understanding your needs and perspective. (This doesn’t mean I’ll never challenge you!). I’m also happy to share appropriate information about my own life if helpful and relevant. I believe everyone has inner wisdom and resilience. I respect your autonomy, so I will always support you in coming to your own conclusions and finding your own solutions. But I also don’t shy away from sharing different insights and perspectives, or giving guidance and advice if needed. Types of Therapy After spending some time getting to know you, I’ll apply the therapy techniques that best suit your concerns. I use techniques informed by schema therapy, inner child work, IFS, ACT, CBT, DBT, EFT, mindfulness, and attachment theory. I am also trained in EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapy, which is an evidence-based and WHO-recommended treatment for trauma and PTSD. If you’d like to learn more, please reach out for a free consultation! *Please note, I am located in Toronto, and my working hours are as follows: Tuesday and Wednesday: 11am-7pm Eastern Time Thursday: 1pm-7pm Eastern time Friday: 10am-5pm Eastern Time

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Lia Marks

Lia Marks

Lia is a Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist who supports individuals facing anxiety/depression, life transitions, parenting challenges, trauma and attachment difficulties. Whether you’re having trouble managing stress, understanding your emotions and behaviours, or want to develop coping skills, it is helpful to have a sounding board to support you. She provides a non-judgemental space to explore how your past experiences have influenced your current ways of coping. Through this process, she can assist you in developing new strategies to manage complex thoughts and feelings. Lia works from a trauma-informed, collaborative perspective to help you make the changes you want to make in your life

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Melanie Brooks

Melanie Brooks

I provide individual therapy to children, adolescents, and young adults experiencing anxiety, emotional dysregulation, interpersonal challenges, and life transitions. Those who have difficulty managing stress, understanding their emotions and behaviours, may find it helpful to work through challenges and develop coping skills to navigate life experiences during therapy sessions. My approach to therapy offers a warm, collaborative, and non-judgmental approach with an emphasis on the therapeutic relationship. I strive to create a safe space working alongside children, adolescents, and families to establish goals and a plan to achieve them in hopes of creating meaningful and sustainable change!

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Christine Peddle

Christine Peddle

I (she/her) have been practicing therapy since 2016. Originally from Newfoundland and Labrador I’ve made the West End of Toronto home and St. Joseph’s Health Centre my primary workplace where I work as a Child and Family Therapist. I have countless trauma trainings, plus DBT, CBT, DDP, EFFT, Psychodrama for Traumatic Stress, and exposure to Gestalt Therapy. I participate in psychoanalysis and am a true believer in the healing relational aspect of therapy. I know the importance of an intersectional approach to personal growth, and I seek to help you discover wholeness versus the elusive permanent wellness. Relational dynamics are my expertise, they play important roles in how we see ourselves and live our lives.

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Looking beyond Toronto? Browse all Self-Esteem therapists in Canada.

Self-Esteem therapists in Toronto — at a glance

accepting new clients
7/ 7
offer online sessions
6/ 7
offer sliding scale fees
5/ 7

Frequently asked questions

What does therapy for self-esteem actually involve?

Therapy for self-esteem focuses on identifying and working through negative beliefs about yourself, understanding where they came from, and building a more grounded self-view. Depending on the approach, this can involve thought-challenging exercises, exploring early experiences, self-compassion practices, or working with the inner critic directly.

How long does it take to see results from self-esteem therapy?

It depends on the depth and origin of the self-esteem issues. Situational self-criticism tied to specific patterns may shift in a few months of regular sessions. More pervasive beliefs rooted in early experiences, sometimes called schemas, typically take longer to work through. A therapist can give a more specific estimate after an initial assessment.

Is low self-esteem a mental health condition?

Low self-esteem is not a diagnosis on its own, but it commonly occurs alongside conditions like depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. It can also be a primary concern that significantly affects quality of life without meeting criteria for a specific diagnosis. Therapy can address it in either case.

What is the difference between self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-compassion?

Self-esteem refers to how you value and regard yourself overall. Self-confidence is more specific to your belief in your ability to do things well. Self-compassion is about how you treat yourself when you struggle or fail. They are related but distinct, and different approaches in therapy may target one more than the others.

Can therapy for self-esteem be done online?

Yes. Many therapists offer self-esteem work through video sessions, and this format works well for talk-based approaches like CBT, ACT, and self-compassion programs. Some people find it easier to be honest about self-critical thoughts when talking from their own space. Check each therapist profile for available formats.

How is self-esteem therapy different from positive thinking or coaching?

Therapy examines why negative self-beliefs formed, how they are maintained, and what keeps them in place, rather than replacing them with positive statements. The goal is a realistic and stable self-view, not simply a more optimistic one. This tends to produce more durable change than affirmations or mindset coaching alone.

How do I find a self-esteem therapist in Toronto?

Browse therapists in Toronto who list self-esteem, self-worth, or inner critic work as areas of focus. Look for providers with experience in CBT, Schema Therapy, ACT, or self-compassion approaches, and check whether they offer in-person or online sessions based on your preference.

Is self-esteem therapy covered by insurance in Toronto?

Coverage depends on your extended health benefits. If your therapist in Toronto is a registered psychologist, psychotherapist, or social worker, sessions focused on self-esteem may be eligible for reimbursement under mental health coverage. Check your policy for eligible designations and annual limits.

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