Self-Esteem: A Proven Program of Cognitive Techniques
by Matthew McKay & Patrick Fanning
Summary
This workbook applies CBT specifically to the inner critic and harsh self-judgment, giving you the same structured, exercise-driven approach used for anxiety and depression but aimed squarely at how you talk to yourself. It's a practical complement to more theory-driven self-esteem books, focused on actually changing the pattern rather than just understanding it.
Who it's for
Readers whose low self-esteem shows up mainly as harsh self-criticism and negative self-talk, who want a structured, CBT-based way to work on it directly.
Key takeaways
- A method for identifying your specific "pathological critic" voice and its recurring arguments
- Cognitive techniques for disputing harsh self-judgments with the same rigor used for anxious or depressive thoughts
- Exercises for building a fairer, evidence-based internal narrative over time
McKay and Fanning, both well-known authors of CBT-based self-help workbooks, apply the same cognitive restructuring techniques used for anxiety and depression specifically to self-criticism and low self-worth in this book.
Its structured, exercise-based format — including naming and directly disputing your “inner critic” — makes it a good practical complement to more conceptual self-esteem books, since it focuses on the mechanics of changing the pattern rather than just understanding where it came from.
Available on Amazon
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