People work hard every day to improve their relationships, find love, secure friendships... yet these are so difficult to achieve and manage if you neglect the most important relationship in your life. The one you have with YOU.
What does self love mean? That of course is relative, but for me self love lies in knowing and accepting ones true self, having empathy with regards to our reactions, responses and accepting all parts of ourselves. This is not something that happens overnight. To love ones self we have to first believe we are lovable and if there's one thing I've learned along my own journey, it's that almost everyone loves authenticity.

Here is a little bit of disclosure for you: I have never once disliked a client. You may find this hard to believe but because the therapeutic space is one that accepts and welcomes all parts of the client, I get to see all of them: The authentic child, the shadow parts, the vulnerable parts and the light in their souls. This makes it easy to like them. There is a child in all of us and that child just wants connection, acceptance, validation... how can you dislike a child?

So can you love that child within you?
Counselling is a way to get to know that child again, potentially buried deep below the survival strategies you've been learning throughout the years to protect that vulnerable child. What does your child need? Want?
Finding compassion for that child within is, in my opinion the beginning of the road to self love.
Accepting that you are who you are, because of the life journey you have been on.....
For me self love isn't looking in the mirror and seeing what you imagine to be perfect skin, features, a perfect body or luscious hair. It's seeing beyond that and loving the person you ARE despite the imperfections.