The Self-Esteem Workbook

It’s unusual for me to not like at least one thing about a book, but I literally got zero from The Self Esteem Workbook. For starters, the material is old and out of date. The book was first published in 1993 under another title, and the studies and quotes referenced are from the 70s 80s and 90s. Also for me, personally, the organization of content didn’t make sense or function in a smart, naturally flowing way. Even more annnoying, the author typically makes a one liner statement and then doesn’t bother to develop it with a clear and more thorough explanation. Here’s what I mean. In chapter 2 the author says “exercise improves self esteem,” and that’s all he has to say about it. Then he immediately launches into a prescription for aerobic exercise, low fat eating and sleep. Huh? Bottom line: Schiraldi gives us no strategy and no convincing or compelling reasons to engage in 125 days of his exercises and activities. All in all, a dull unsatisfying and uninspiring reading experience. Kind of like sitting in a college class with a teacher who talks but says nothing. There are more relevant, useful books on self esteem and self love. Keep shopping for something that sets your heart on fire.

Due to some health problems, my self esteem has taken a hit over the past few years. I got this workbook at the suggestion of a friend. Very educational & helpful. It's also easy to follow.

this book is one of the most commonly borrowed books by patients. they report liking it and it helping them in making progress in their journey to greater sense of self worth. i personally liked it, as well. easy read. not the most academically-based, researched book, but, then, it's supposed to be an applied workbook. another reviewer wrote about not liking the anti-gay sentiments. i, maybe not as astute as that writer, found that the issue wasn't as much anti-gay as it is the person who is gay who doesn't accept one's self. either way, it's turned out to be an excellent book, i would recommend it and i think that it was definitely worth the purchase price, new.

I have dealt with anxiety from time to time in my life. Lately, I decided to go to a therapist who recommended this book. This book has helped me understand that some beliefs from my childhood are distorted such as "boys don't cry,"and it is wrong to get angry, so I am learning how to use techniques in order to replace negative thoughts into more positive ones. I am learning a lot about myself because of this book. More importantly, I am learning to deal with my anxiety effectively. I wished I had applied these techniques in my childhood, but you know the saying, "it is never too late."

Everyone talks about the importance of self-esteem, but how exactly do you go about increasing it? The Self-Esteem Workbook is a sequence of 27 short chapters that address various aspects of self-esteem along with exercises that promote awareness and change. Schiraldi argues that unconditional worth, love, and growing are the three factors that help self-esteem to flourish, and each gets its own section. For example, in the unconditional worth section, readers are asked to rate themselves on certain personality characteristics and then to reflect on which attributes they feel best about. The concept of self-esteem that is used throughout is the psychological construct, not the kind of "self-esteem" where everyone on the team gets prizes. This book is a tremendous resource for therapists and those who want to increase their self-esteem. I have used various chapters with clients and have encouraged some to just buy the whole book. The chapters are short and don't take that long to get through. The writing is clear and appropriate for people who are not necessarily in the mental health field. The approach is a combination of Rogerian and cognitive-behavioral and would be applicable to a broad client base, although many of the exercises are probably too cognitive for children. Some clients may have difficulty with chapter 14, where readers come up with a list of 10 positive statements about themselves, and so it may be a good idea to discuss this particular exercise in therapy. Overall, a great resource.

In the 25 years experience in the field of trauma, abuse & addiction I've found that healing begins at the core and the seed in the core is self esteem. How does one get to the core when it's emersed in the mire of denial and shrouded in the defense mechanisms of hurt. Schiraldi has a practical, clear step-by-step method of peeling away the layers of dark so one can emerge into the light of self understanding, self compassion, forgiveness and love. This work builds an identity which is based on our own treasure trove of experiences as a survivor with wisdom and consciousness of being part of a whole. Schiraldi offers the individual working solo, or a health care practitioner a simple systematic breakdown of the complex components of self esteem. Depending on one's depth of pain and willingness will determine if one will stick to a four month comittment to use Shiraldi's roadmap to change your perceptions in order to change your life.

A wonderful workbook for someone who is in distress. Dr. Schiraldi has the comforting gift of communicating his ideas as if he is in your presence speaking to you. The many different quotes he uses helped me in my introspection, and helped me to clarify my own thoughts and feelings. Through creative exercises The Self Esteem Workbook helped me to learn how to appreciate myself physically, mentally, and emotionally.