Move from self-doubt to steady, kind self-worth.
An evidence-based course that blends positive psychology with practical, everyday tools, created by a former mental health nurse to help you quieten the inner critic and feel good enough, on the inside too.
Capable on the outside. Critical on the inside.
- I brush off compliments before they can land.
- I say yes when I really mean no.
- I replay conversations at night, looking for what I got wrong.
- I’ll rest once everything is done. It never is.
- When will I finally feel good enough?
You’re the person everyone relies on. You run households, teams, wards and calendars. From the outside, you look like you have it handled.
But inside there’s a different conversation. A voice that says you should have done better, that you got lucky, that people will eventually see through you. You work twice as hard so no one can find fault, and still it never feels like enough.
This isn’t a character flaw, and you’re far from alone. Low self-esteem is usually a belief we formed long ago, often as children doing our best to make sense of a confusing world. It made sense then. It doesn’t have to define you now.
Rooted helps you understand where that belief came from, recognise how it shows up in your everyday life, and replace it, gently and practically, with something steadier and kinder.
Self-esteem is an opinion you hold of yourself. And opinions can change.
Rooted is built on published research from psychology and mental health. Here’s some of what it shows.
On average, self-esteem keeps rising through adulthood and peaks around age 60. Your 30s and 40s are a time of growth, not decline.
Orth, Erol & Luciano, 2018 · 164,868 peopleLow self-esteem predicted later depression about twice as strongly as depression predicted low self-esteem, so building it is an act of prevention.
Sowislo & Orth, 2013 · 77 studiesIn four experiments, people who met a setback with self-compassion were more motivated to improve, not less. Kindness is a better coach than criticism.
Breines & Chen, 2012Hi, I’m Joanna.
I’m a qualified nurse and former mental health nurse, a positive psychology coach, and a mum of three. For years I worked alongside people of every age who were quietly carrying the same belief: “I’m not quite enough.” Many of them were the most caring, capable people I’d ever met.
My MSc in Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology showed me the other side of the story: what helps people flourish, and how much of it can be learned. Rooted brings both together. The clinical understanding of how low self-esteem forms and keeps itself going, and the science-backed tools that help you grow out of it.
I’ve built this course the way I’d want someone to support me: with compassion, with honesty, and with practical steps you can take on an ordinary Tuesday.
- MSc Positive Psychology & Coaching Psychology
- Former Mental Health Nurse
- Mother of three
Joanna Nodes
Your path through Rooted
An introduction and six short modules, each with a video lesson, a workbook section and a practice to try during the week. Follow them in order, at your own pace.
- Intro
Welcome to Rooted
What self-esteem really is, who the course is for, and how to get the most from your workbook, practices and challenges.
You’ll know exactly where you’re starting from - 1
Understanding Self-Esteem
The difference between self-esteem, confidence and self-compassion; what healthy self-esteem looks like; and why it matters for your mood and relationships.
Outcome: a clear, realistic picture of healthy self-worth - 2
Where Low Self-Esteem Comes From
How early and adult experiences become beliefs, your “bottom line” and rules for living, and the modern pressures of burnout, comparison and perfectionism.
Outcome: you see your old beliefs as opinions, not facts - 3
Recognising the Signs
How low self-esteem shows up in your thoughts, feelings, body and behaviour, including the habits that look like strengths, such as people-pleasing and over-preparing.
Outcome: you catch the old pattern before it runs your day - 4
Working With Your Thoughts
Meeting your inner critic, the “catch it, check it, change it” method, and the self-compassion and mindfulness skills shown to ease anxiety and self-judgement.
Outcome: a kinder, more balanced inner voice - 5
Building Through Action
Behavioural experiments that test old predictions, finding and using your character strengths, kind boundaries, and care that treats you as someone who matters.
Outcome: real-world evidence that you are enough - 6
Protecting Your Self-Esteem for Life
Moving from conditional to unconditional worth, relationships that nourish you, stepping out of the comparison trap, and a personal plan for the harder days.
Outcome: changes that last, and a plan for setbacks
Who you’re becoming
Rooted won’t turn you into someone else. It helps you meet the person you already are with steadier, kinder eyes. Here’s what that shift can look like.
Made for busy women who give a lot, and are ready to give some of it back to themselves.
Rooted is a great fit if you…
- Are hard on yourself in ways you’d never be with a friend
- Find it hard to say no, ask for help or accept a compliment
- Feel your worth rises and falls with how productive you’ve been
- Want practical tools, not just inspiration
- Value an approach grounded in research and real clinical experience
- Need something flexible that fits around work and family
Rooted may not be right for you if…
- You’re looking for a quick fix or a confidence “hack”
- You don’t want to try the exercises between lessons
- You’re in crisis or need treatment for a mental health condition. Please speak to your GP or a mental health professional first; Rooted can be a gentle companion later.
The Rooted bundle
The full course, plus three companions to help you go deeper, practise and keep growing.
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Rooted: the full course Core
An introduction and 6 video modules with lifetime access, plus:
- The Self-Esteem Checklist, your one-page daily and weekly guide
- 18 practical challenges and a 21-day Rooted challenge
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The Rooted Ebook Extra 1
Six chapters that explain the research behind every module in plain English, with reflection prompts. Read alongside the videos, or on its own.
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The Rooted Workbook Extra 2
30 pages of write-in exercises: thought records, a signs tracker, a compassionate letter, a strengths finder and your personal wellbeing plan.
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Relaxation & Mindfulness Practices Extra 3
Eight guided practices written specifically for self-esteem, including the Self-Compassion Break, Loving-Kindness for Yourself and the Kind Body Scan.
Your questions, answered
Is Rooted therapy?
No. Rooted is an educational coaching course. It draws on my background in mental health nursing and positive psychology, but it isn’t a substitute for therapy or medical care. If your mood is very low, you feel hopeless, or you’re thinking about harming yourself, please contact your GP, NHS 111 or Samaritans (116 123, free, day or night) straight away.
How much time will it take?
Each module is short, with a video lesson, a few workbook pages and one practice to try. Many people take one module a week, but you can go at whatever pace suits your life. You keep lifetime access, so there’s no rush.
What if I fall behind or miss a week?
Then you pick up where you left off. Setbacks and busy weeks are part of real life, and the course is built around that. Being kind to yourself about it is part of the practice.
Is it really evidence-based?
Yes. Every module draws on published research, including cognitive behavioural approaches to low self-esteem, self-compassion research and positive psychology interventions. The ebook explains the studies in plain English and includes a full bibliography.
I’m quite confident at work. Is this still for me?
Very likely. Confidence is believing you can do things; self-esteem is believing you’re worthwhile as a person. Many capable, high-achieving women have plenty of the first and very little of the second. Module 1 explains the difference.
What do I need to take part?
A phone, tablet or computer, somewhere quiet for a few minutes, and a willingness to try the exercises. You can print the workbook or fill it in on screen.
How do I access the course after I pay?
You’ll get instant access via a download link as soon as your payment has been made. If anything doesn’t arrive, email joanna@joannanodeslifecoach.com and I’ll help.
There is no such thing as the perfect time, only the right choice for you.
Like a tree, healthy self-esteem grows slowly and quietly, and it holds you steady when the weather changes. You can start growing yours today.
Enroll in the Course