This series of blog posts is written by TheraNest, a site that offers practice management software and useful counselor resources, and edited by me.
Anyone involved in therapeutic work with clients is always on the lookout for tools that can help open up communication and maximize positive outcomes. And speaking of positive outcomes, according to outcome research, a large part is due to what the client does outside of session. Constantly hunting down the right worksheets and exercises takes up valuable time that you could be spending with clients. With that sentiment in mind, TheraNest has developed a series of free self esteem worksheets and PDF resources for a variety of clinical applications.
Helpful self esteem exercises to jumpstart conversations
Getting new clients to start speaking freely can sometimes be a challenge, particularly when they are battling poor self-esteem. They may feel that their problems are not worthy of attention, or they may struggle to articulate what they are feeling. Just knowing where to start can be a real obstacle for some clients. Sometimes they need a bit of a boost to help them over the first hurdle. Worksheets and exercises that can be used in therapy sessions offer structure and a great starting place for “digging deeper.”
A sentence-completion worksheet or core beliefs worksheet may only take 5 to 10 minutes to complete, but can pay dividends for a long time to come. The ease of just filling in the blanks can help a shy client open up, and the answers can provide helpful insights and avenues of conversation to explore throughout treatment. As the client becomes comfortable and familiar with these tools, they can be used between appointments to reinforce new patterns of thought and behavior and track progress.
Yours in the Joy of Knowledge,
Dr. Barb LoFrisco
