Self-Esteem Cards for Therapy & Mask Work

Q: How many cards are in the deck?

{{cardsCount}} mask images and one back, in five groups: masks and keepsakes, masks in the world, face and mask, masks alone, and held in hands.

Self-Esteem is a 65-card deck about the masks we wear and the face underneath. Masks held gently in two hands, masks half-lifted from a face, masks left on a windowsill, in the grass, beside a key or a feather. Choosing a mask is a safe way to talk about how we present ourselves, what we hide, and what it would take to be seen as we are.

What's inside

65 masks, five ways of meeting them

From the mask and the face together to a mask left alone with a single object. Each group opens a different conversation about self-worth.

Masks & keepsakes25 cards

A mask beside a key, a feather, glasses, a watch, a stone — what we keep close.

Masks in the world16 cards

In the grass, on the water, by a window, among candles — where we put them down.

Face and mask12 cards

A mask half-lifted, split, glowing — the meeting point of who we show and who we are.

Masks alone7 cards

Glass, plain, floating, a pile of many — the mask with nobody behind it.

Held in hands5 cards

Masks cradled, offered, looked at — the moment of choosing.

Cards65 painted masks + 1 back

FormatPortrait, 1648×2368 px

Text on cardsNone — images only

ThemeSelf-worth, identity, self-acceptance

Typical session15–45 minutes

Works withAdults, teens, groups

When to reach for it

Conversations about self-worth

People-pleasing. Which mask do you put on so others stay comfortable?

The inner critic. Give the critical voice a mask and look at it from the outside.

Impostor feelings. The mask at work, the face at home — and the gap between them.

Body image and appearance. A gentle, indirect way into how someone sees themselves.

Teen identity. Who am I online, at school, at home? Masks make the question safe.

After a breakup or loss. Which mask is no longer needed, and what's underneath?

Group work. Everyone picks the mask they wear in the group — then the one they'd like to.

Self-compassion practice. Hold the mask the way the hands on the card do.

The cards

A gallery of masks

Soft light, warm colour and quiet objects. The masks never look frightening — they look like something we carry.

+50 more

Open the deck to see all 65 masks.

Questions to ask

Prompts for mask work

“When do you wear this mask — and for whom?”

“What does this mask protect?”

“What would happen if you put it down for a day?”

“Who knows the face underneath?”

“What would you say to the person holding this mask?”

“Which mask would you like to keep — and which can go?”

Who it's for

Who reaches for this deck

Therapists

Self-esteem, shame, people-pleasing and identity work. Talking about a mask is easier than talking about yourself.

Teen counsellors

Adolescents live between masks — online, at school, at home. The cards let them explore that without being put on the spot.

For yourself

A mask a week and a few honest lines. Self-worth grows from noticing, not from affirmations.

Example spreads

Three layouts for mask work

Positions frame the question; the mask a person picks answers it.

Mask and face

2 cards

1The mask I show
2The face underneath

Two-sided desk

My masks

4 cards

1At work
2At home
3With friends
4Alone

Quadrants matrix

Letting go

3 cards

1A mask I've outgrown
2What it kept safe
3What I can offer myself instead

Timeline matrix

How to work with it

From mask to self-worth

1

Browse face up

Let the person look through the masks without a task first.

2

Choose two

The mask they wear most, and the one that feels most like them.

3

Look at the objects

The key, the feather, the stone beside a mask often carry the insight.

4

Write one sentence

What the true face would say. The session saves it.

Card from Self-Esteem: a pale mask held gently in two hands

The artwork

Soft masks, warm light

Every card is an original painted image made for MindTrays in warm peach, lilac and sand. The masks are calm and beautiful on purpose — self-worth work goes deeper when nothing feels threatening.

Small objects placed beside the masks — a key, a feather, a cup, a leaf — give each card its own quiet story for the person looking to finish.

Questions

About this deck

What are self-esteem cards used for?

For conversations about self-worth, identity and self-acceptance — people-pleasing, the inner critic, impostor feelings — in therapy, coaching, teen work and personal reflection.

How many cards are in the deck?

65 mask images and one back, in five groups: masks and keepsakes, masks in the world, face and mask, masks alone, and held in hands.

Why masks?

A mask is an image of the self people show. Talking about the mask first makes it safe to talk about what's underneath.

Is it suitable for teenagers?

Yes. Identity and self-presentation are central at that age, and the images are gentle rather than dramatic.

Can I use it online?

Yes. Start a collaborative session and send the link — the client chooses masks on the shared desk, no account needed.

Do the cards have meanings?

No. There are no fixed meanings or messages; the person choosing a mask decides what it stands for.

Other decks

Also for inner work

MindTrays Relationships

60 cards

MindTrays Faces & Expressions

60 cards

MindTrays Doors & Thresholds

45 cards

Which mask are you wearing?

Open Mindtrays Self-Esteem , look through the masks and pick the one you wear most. Working with a client online? Start a collaborative session and send the link.