Building Strong Self Esteem

Host: John Graham

Guests: Zoe Aston - @yourmentalhealthworkout

In this chapter I talk with psychotherapist and mental health advisor Zoe Aston about how dancers can build up a strong sense of self esteem as well as why it is so important for authority figures in dance to realise the impact they can have on dancers' mental health. Zoe uses the metaphor of self esteem as the core stability of our mental health and the key role it plays in our well being. She talks about how strong self esteem can help us feel aligned with ourselves, worthy of what is for us and a sense of balance and equal-ness with others. She gives some actionable steps on how to work on your self esteem taken from her 'Your Mental Health Workout' book. We speak about the role teachers and the cultures they create play and she gives suggestions on how to create a healthy environment for students to receive critique in. She also talks us through how a compassion based leadership style produces a far more sustainable type of growth and change than a shame based, toxic approach.

@basedancestudios