Stages of Life Psychology
A common reason people visit a psychologist like Dr. Chafetz is their lack of a feeling of self-esteem, self-worth, or pride. They want to be more observably productive and useful to themselves, to others, and to the world. Since they are prevented from doing so by poor health or other unfixable reasons, they become convinced that they are irretrievably rendered a shameful burden who has no right to happiness.
Dr. Chafetz understands this line of reasoning, but rejects it as unnecessarily harsh. Dr. Chafetz believes that productivity, past or present, is only one of many reasonable foundations for a sense of self-worth. Self-esteem requires only that one be striving to more fully RECOGNIZE & APPRECIATE the miracle of being alive. This miracle includes having the opportunity to: (a) do, work, help, create, produce; (b) belong, relate to others; (c) be (d) laugh; (e) praise G-d; (f) choose good over evil, right over wrong. The individual who is striving to do all of the manifestations of recognizing the miracle of life of which their are capable, has a right to self-esteem.
Dr. Chafetz understands this line of reasoning, but rejects it as unnecessarily harsh. Dr. Chafetz believes that productivity, past or present, is only one of many reasonable foundations for a sense of self-worth. Self-esteem requires only that one be striving to more fully RECOGNIZE & APPRECIATE the miracle of being alive. This miracle includes having the opportunity to: (a) do, work, help, create, produce; (b) belong, relate to others; (c) be (d) laugh; (e) praise G-d; (f) choose good over evil, right over wrong. The individual who is striving to do all of the manifestations of recognizing the miracle of life of which their are capable, has a right to self-esteem.