Your client is struggling with self-doubt. How can you help them discover their inner strengths?

Self-doubt is the inner critic (or ego) at play. It's a result of our survival instincts kicking in because we are afraid of something and almost always tracks back to childhood. Clients are generally very aware of their self-doubt and how it shows up in patterns. The magic is in helping them to see what's under it and where it began, and to see it for what it really is. Once they see behind the curtain and fully understand what's REALLY going on, they are already one big step towards addressing it.

Reconhecer padrões de dúvida é essencial para superá-los. Incentivar os clientes a observar e identificar gatilhos específicos permite que interrompam o ciclo com base em suas realizações anteriores. Esse processo não só neutraliza a dúvida, mas também fortalece a autoconfiança e empodera sua jornada.

Sure, setting and achieving goals can be helpful, but if the self doubt is strong, this won't do much to rectify the pattern. The thinking part of the brain needs to see and internalize enough contra-evidence (proving the Inner Critic / Ego wrong) so that over time the person builds more power and confidence to more easily overpower that Inner Critic and start believing in themself consistently. Daily affirmations, daily self-acknowledgments, and review of past accomplishments can all be examples of ways to build this evidence bank. In the beginning this will be difficult and require a lot of openness, vulnerability, courage, and patience within the client.

We often believe that we must have confidence in ourselves to be able to do certain activities (let's say public speaking). However, the process works in the opposite way. We have to start taking the necessary steps for the activity we want to tackle, in our case public speaking, to start proving to ourselves that we are reliable and that we can do it.

A key ingredient to help a client who is struggling with self-doubt discover their inner strengths is to have them take consistent action. Encourage the client to think about ways they can apply their new skills or knowledge, review at next session and continue to be a supporting partner by encouraging the client to take action.

Yes. This is a type of manifestation and can actually begin rewiring the brain. It's covered in depth in the book: Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself.

Recognizing patterns of self-doubt is crucial. Encourage awareness of when and how it manifests, as this is the first step to interrupting the cycle. Set small, achievable goals that build on existing strengths to boost confidence gradually. Positive affirmations can shift focus from doubt to a more positive self-perception. Developing new skills through education or workshops can replace doubt with competence. Lastly, seeking constructive feedback from peers and mentors provides valuable outside perspectives, fostering growth and resilience. Each step taken reinforces belief in one's abilities and potential.