Self-Identity

“An individual’s identity is the identity they form about themselves, affected by various factors, such as self-esteem, one’s social identity, and the roles which one plays in their society.” (source)

What would you say to someone if they asked you “Who are you?” Would you list personal identifiers like name, and age; or maybe some descriptive words of your strengths? Would you make comparisons to other members of society, for example your height in comparison to others as being short/average/tall? Would you reveal some of your past history, such as struggles, accomplishments, travel experiences or life stages? Evidently, the concept of self-identity is more complex then just any single one of these examples, it often extends beyond us as an individual as we inherently compare ourselves to others and societal norms on a regular basis.

Wholistic counselling encourages clients to explore different parts of their self-identity and piece them together to foster greater understanding of the whole tapestry. Each of these components can play a part in their struggles and achievements throughout their lives.

One particular approach, laid out by Carl Rogers, identifies three core parts of the “self-concept”:

Ideal Self: your vision and ambitions of who you want to be
Real Self (self-image): how you currently see and perceive yourself
Self-esteem: how much worth and value you believe you have

In delving into each of these, we might recognise patterns of thought such as regularly being hard on ourselves in some areas; or maybe being conceited in others. Such thinking patterns can significantly impact our sense of self-worth and confidence, and our overall sense of identity in how we view and interact with the world. For many of us, our self-identity is a crucial factor when feeling a sense of belonging or isolation.

If you would like to explore parts of your self-identity further, we encourage you to use our contact form to get in touch.