Confidence and Self-Esteem Therapy NYC
What would your life look like if you actually believed you were enough?
. For a lot of women, that question feels almost impossible to answer, because the version of themselves they can actually believe in is always just a little out of reach. Self-esteem therapy in NYC can help you understand why that gap exists, where it came from, and how to build a relationship with yourself that does not depend on constant proof.
Does this sound like you?
You are your own harshest critic, and you have been for as long as you can remember
You often feel like other people have something figured out that you have not
Compliments make you uncomfortable because part of you does not really believe them
You compare yourself to others constantly, and you almost always come up short
You say yes when you want to say no because disappointing people feels unbearable
You hold back in rooms, in relationships, and in opportunities because you are not sure you deserve to take up space
You have achieved things you are proud of, and still do not feel any more confident than before
What's actually going on
Low self-esteem and low confidence are often treated as the same thing, but they are worth separating. Self-esteem is about how you fundamentally value yourself as a person. Confidence is about your belief in your ability to handle specific situations. You can be competent and confident in your career and still have chronically low self-esteem. You can present as assured and outgoing and still carry a deep, quiet belief that you are not quite enough.
For most women, low self-esteem is not a recent development. It tends to be something that formed early, shaped by how caregivers responded to you, what messages you absorbed about what made you worthy, and what happened when you needed to take up space. By adulthood, those early messages have often become so woven into the way you think and speak to yourself that they feel less like beliefs and more like facts.
The research is clear that self-esteem is not fixed. It can change. But it does not change just by being told to love yourself more. It changes through consistent, supported work on the patterns underneath.
How we work with self-esteem and confidence at On Par Therapy
At On Par Therapy NYC, building genuine confidence is one of the things we do most. We work with women who are accomplished and still feel small, who are loved and still feel unworthy, who have every reason to feel good about themselves and still cannot quite get there.
CBT is one of the most well-researched approaches for low self-esteem because it goes directly after the thought patterns that sustain it. You will start to recognize the inner critic, understand where it learned its script, and practice meeting it with something different.
Psychodynamic therapy helps us trace the roots of how you came to see yourself the way you do, because understanding where a belief started is often what finally makes it possible to update it.
DBT brings in skills around self-compassion and distress tolerance, which are especially important for women who have spent years being hard on themselves.
And mindfulness helps you build awareness of when your inner critic is running the show, so you can choose how to respond instead of just absorbing it.
We are not trying to make you arrogant or oblivious to your areas of growth. We are trying to help you build a stable, grounded foundation of self-worth that is not constantly at the mercy of how a meeting went, what someone thought of you, or whether you did everything perfectly.
FAQ’s
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Not a diagnosis on its own, but it is a significant factor in anxiety, depression, perfectionism, and relationship difficulties. Treating low self-esteem often creates meaningful shifts in all of those areas as well.
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It can. Self-esteem is about your core sense of worth as a person. Confidence is more situational. Some clients come in struggling primarily with one, others with both. Understanding which is more prominent helps us figure out the most useful approach. Either way, we can work with it.
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CBT helps you identify the specific thoughts that reinforce low self-worth, things like "I am only valuable when I am useful to others" or "if I make a mistake, it means I am a failure." Once you can see those thoughts clearly, you can start to examine whether they are actually true and practice responding to yourself differently.
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It varies. Some clients notice shifts within a few months. For others, especially when low self-esteem is deeply rooted in early experiences, the work is longer and goes deeper. We check in regularly and move at a pace that feels right for you.
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Confidence tips, affirmations, and mindset content can all have value, but they tend to work on the surface. Therapy goes after the beliefs and experiences underneath the low confidence, which is usually where the real work needs to happen. If you have tried other things and they have not held, that is often a sign the root has not been addressed yet.
What High-Achieving Women Say About Our Work Together
About Brianna Paruolo, LMHC
Featured as an expert in
I provide virtual therapy for women in New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, Massachusetts and Florida.
CLINICAL EXPERTISE & CREDENTIALS
As founder and Clinical Director of On Par Therapy NYC, I bring elite training and specialized certification to your therapeutic journey:
Advanced Education
Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, St. John's University
Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, St. John's University
President of Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society
Specialized Certifications
Certified Narcissistic Abuse Treatment Clinician (NATC)
SBIRT Certified
Psychological First Aid (PFA) Certified
Clinical Experience
Former Primary Therapist at one of the nation's leading eating disorder residential treatment centers
Clinical training in integrative psychotherapy, incorporating innovative approaches including play therapy, biofeedback, and neurofeedback
Featured mental health expert in major media publications and news outlets
On Par Therapy exists because I needed it myself. Before becoming a therapist, I managed social media strategy for health and wellness brands, then transitioned to a People & Culture role at a unicorn startup while pursuing my master's degree.
I understand perfectionism, burnout, and self-doubt not just clinically, but personally. This unique perspective has led major news outlets and publications to tap me as a mental health specialist, providing insights on everything from workplace stress and impostor syndrome to dating dynamics and narcissism.
My practice focuses on the challenges high-achieving women face most: the anxiety that never fully quiets, the perfectionism that both drives and exhausts you, disruptive life transitions, and relationship patterns that feel frustratingly familiar. I integrate CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and relational therapy with a real-world understanding of what it takes to excel without self-destructing.
Therapy with me feels grounded and intelligent, and I like speaking with someone who genuinely gets it because I've sat on both sides of the conversation.
You have spent long enough questioning whether you are enough. You are. And you deserve support in actually feeling that way.
Book your FREE 15-minute consultation today.
If you are ready to build a relationship with yourself that does not require constant proof, we would love to connect. Book a free 15-minute consultation and let's talk.
During our complimentary consultation, we'll discuss:
Your current challenges
How my approach aligns with your goals
Practical next steps
My virtual sessions offer the privacy and flexibility you deserve, with early morning, evening, and weekend appointments available.
Don’t see a time that works? Email: Admin@onpartherapynyc.com !