The Self-Esteem Maintenance Tool Kit

Tools for Connecting with Your Inner Resources

Each and every human has the capability for courage, for caring, for logical thinking, for self-care. When people remember their resources, they buttress their self-esteem. When self-esteem is robust, people remember their resources.Self-esteem is the basis for living and relating congruently. It aids in creativity, problem-solving, human connection, joy.

We use the metaphor of a toolkit—an idea first introduced by Virginia Satir, a seminal figure the human potential movement and pioneer in system-focused family therapy. Using tangible items as symbols and reminders of capabilities that we all have, this course is a guided exploration of your inner resources.

We’ll introduce eight tools, each of which represents capabilities that are available to each of us, if we remember to use them. For each capability, we offer reflection exercises and application exercises. Our hope is that you will gain a deeper appreciation and access to your own resources.



Your Instructor


Jean McLendon, Esther Derby, Don Gray
Jean McLendon, Esther Derby, Don Gray

Jean McLendon, LCSW, LMFT and AAMFT approved supervisor maintains an active multi-service private practice in Chapel Hill, N.C. Mentored nearly 20 years by the late Virginia Satir, renowned educator-author and family systems therapist, Jean is known as one of the world’s foremost practitioners of Satir's methods. When Satir became ill, she requested Jean direct her International Colorado Summer Module I Process Community Institute. Of Jean’s work, Satir once wrote: "Jean has that rare capacity to be able to sit in the airport control tower and, at the same time, be aware of all the planes in her vision and be able to help them find out about themselves and their relationship to each other. Jean travels widely applying the Satir Growth Model to a variety of contexts, situations, countries and cultures.

In her consulting practice, Jean works with leaders and teams in family owned businesses; high-tech and fast-growing businesses; large well-established insurance and finance companies; hospitals; state and federal governmental agencies; manufacturing companies; and educational institutions. She is regularly engaged by businesses to consult on matters of team and leadership development, succession planning, conflict resolution, transition and change management.

Don Gray's quest to answer “What is the earliest indicator for a project’s status?” has led him to focus on such diverse topics as communication, personality types, team styles, systems thinking and human systems dynamics. For more than 30 years, his clients have ranged from small startups to Fortune 50 involving manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, financial, engineering and telecommunications. Don’s varied interests and client experience provides a platform for helping clients introduce and work through change as they transition to agile development practices. With Esther Derby, he facilitates the Coaching Beyond the Team and Problem-Solving Leadership workshops. Don occasionally writes articles that can be found in STQE, Better Software and on StickyMinds.He contributed to "Readings for Problem-Solving Leadership" and "Center Enter Turn Sustain - Essays on Change Artistry". His blog can be found at www.donaldegray.com.

Esther Derby draws on four decades of leading, observing, and living through organizational change, combining a deep knowledge of complex adaptive systems with an attention to people. She is the founder of esther derby associates, inc., working with a broad array of clients from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups. She also teaches workshops around the world, supporting leaders to amplify empowerment, engage their organizations in joint problem solving, and evolve their systems toward better results.

Jerry Weinberg introduced Esther to Virginia Satir's work in the early 90s. She continued her exploration of using the Satir Growth Model in corporate settings with Jean McLendon, Hugh Gratz, and Sharon Loeschen.




Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends. It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.

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