Feeling Good by Doing Good

Recent years have seen a surprising shift concerning the concept of self-esteem with some researchers attacking the notion of self-esteem as being of little value or too difficult to study. Educators emphasized self-esteem's importance in schools to the extent that sometimes it became more important than academic performance. And a parade of overly-simple and ineffective self-help books promote the importance of self-esteem but seldom deliver real change. <p/>Coming to the defense of self-esteem as a valuable and measurable component of good mental health <em>Feeling Good by Doing Good</em> offers a new evidence-based approach to defining understanding and increasing what is known as authentic self-esteem. Translating decades of research in the fields of self-esteem humanistic psychology positive psychology and psychotherapy into everyday terms Christopher Mruk traces the definition of self-esteem back to when it was first used to describe the value of doing that which is both just and right. Seen this way self-esteem is not just feeling good about oneself - rather it comes from facing life's challenges in ways that demonstrate one's competence and worth as a person. <p/>This approach to self-esteem offers several new and powerful advantages namely understanding different types of self-esteem clarifying the connection between self-esteem and self-control appreciating how self-esteem operates in various domains of life such as work or relationships realizing that self-esteem acts as an internal compass to help steer us in healthier directions and recognizing the connection between authentic self-esteem and basic human values. Featuring clinical and everyday vignettes practical exercises aimed at enhancing personal as well as interpersonal well-being and thought-provoking self-assessments for the reader <em>Feeling Good by Doing Good</em> is a unique resource that will be of interest to mental health professionals their clients and laypersons alike interested in substance over platitudes and feel-good solutions.<br>