Individual Counseling Orlando
Core Belief Exploration
Individual counseling Orlando brings self-awareness and uncovers mental roadblocks. One way this happens is by examining your core beliefs. You would be surprised how these beliefs impact how you view yourself and affect how you interact with the world around you. Individual counseling helps you identify core beliefs and will help you determine if they are positive or negatively influencing your experiences.
Individual Counseling Orlando
What are core beliefs?
Core beliefs are like a lens through which you interpret the world. For example, you may think that the world is a dangerous place, you are a bad person, or that everyone will end up abandoning you. These beliefs will affect your overall outlook and the decisions you make. As you can see, these are negative in nature. We all hold positive core beliefs, as well, such as the world is a forgiving place, you are a good person, and people can be trusted. For the sake of this post, I will be discussing negative core beliefs. In individual counseling Orlando, identifying the negative beliefs, and changing them will increase your overall wellbeing.
Childhood Experiences
Core beliefs are shaped by your childhood, culture, and experiences. They are often passed down unintentionally by caregivers or family members. For instance, your mother may have always expressed fear of you getting hurt, assuming the world is dangerous. You are likely to inherit the belief that the world is a dangerous place. This belief can hold you back from potentially good experiences, and it creates anxiety.
Low Self-Worth
Another common negative core belief is “I am unlovable”. This core belief, along with any others that you have, may not be completely evident, as you may not say those exact words in your head. However, core beliefs have many layers, and if you struggle with self-confidence you may believe you are not loveable, worthy, smart, or good enough. It is worth exploring your core beliefs. But how can you get started?
Individual Counseling Orlando
Explore your core beliefs
Are you relating to the abovementioned beliefs? To a degree, we all think these thoughts every now and then, but when they are deeply rooted within us at the core, these thoughts and the feelings that come with them influence our overall wellbeing in a negative way. Therefore, it is wise to work through these beliefs individual counseling Orlando to better understand them. Then you can begin to brighten your outlook on yourself and the world around you. It’s all about perspective.
Look around and notice where in your world you feel stuck to help find what your negative core beliefs are. For example, if you find yourself in a pattern of breaking up with significant others before things can get serious then explore what the thinking is behind that. Perhaps you are afraid of abandonment because of something in your past.
If you are having trouble knowing your core beliefs, here are two exercises you can try:
- Fill in the blank to this statement: I am _____ you are _____the world is _____. This can give you an idea about your basic assumptions about yourself, others, and the world. After you recognize a core belief, you can begin to think about how you may have developed that belief, question how valid it is presently, and create a new perspective. Journaling is a great resource to release emotions and to understand yourself better.
- Another exercise you can do is to choose one of your core beliefs, and then list out 3-5 reasons contrary to that belief. For example, if you believe that you are unlovable, or unworthy of love, then you may write examples down of reasons why you are lovable (e.g. I am compassionate to my friends) or times that others confirmed that to you (e.g. my boss told me that I am doing a great job). This can get you thinking outside the box of your habitual mindset and bolster your faith in yourself as a decent person worthy of being loved.
Individual Counseling Orlando
What to expect
Core beliefs do not just vanish once we realize they are there. They must be slowly chipped away over time as we focus on good qualities of ourselves, others, and the world. In individual counseling Orlando, these beliefs are likely to come back or never go away completely. That is to be expected. But you are in control of your thinking, and there is hope to correct these negative thinking habits through deliberate effort.
One way to start becoming more self-aware is by contacting a therapist who specializes in individual therapy. At Orlando Thrive Therapy, Coaching, and Counseling, we have Orlando counselors that specialize in helping you reframe your negative core beliefs. Call 407-592-8997 today to get more information or to request an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you.
