Do you often find yourself having a hard time standing up for yourself? Or do you sometimes inappropriately unleash your anger or irritability towards others? If you find yourself answering yes to any of these questions, then you may be struggling with a lack of assertiveness. Assertiveness is the ability to use your voice to stand up for yourself or your beliefs in an effective, respectful, and direct way. The key to being assertive is standing up for your rights, while remaining respectful to someone else’s opinions or beliefs. Assertiveness requires effective communication skills in moments of discomfort or difficult situations.
Why is it important to be assertive? Being assertive may decrease an individual’s symptoms of anxiety or depression, as it increases an individual’s self-confidence. Individuals who are assertive tend to be open; therefore, they are able to express what they may want or need rather than bottle it up. Often times being passive or avoidant may impact an individuals sense of self, while being arrogant or aggressive with words, may lead to social consequences- such as being pushed away by others.
Therapy services often helps individuals become more assertive by helping individuals develop more effective communication tools. Therapy can also be educational, as the individual learns how his or her nonverbal language can help them appear more assertive in social settings. Learning active listening skills and respectful ways to respond to other people’s opinions and beliefs can also improve an individual’s assertiveness skills.
Our psychologists, located in Miami Beach and Miami, can help you craft a plan of action to become more assertive and become empowered.