Conquering the Critical Inner

Voice

Presented by: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes

Executive Director, AllCEUs

AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs and Specialty Certifications $59

By Robert and Lisa Firestone

Objectives

Define the critical inner voice

Explore common messages from The

Voice

Identify helpful responses to The Voice

Reflect upon why positive affirmations

and prior interventions may not have

worked.

The Critical Inner Voice

It is the defended, negative side of our

personality that is opposed to our ongoing

development.

The voice consists of the negative thoughts,

beliefs and attitudes that

Oppose our best interests

Diminish our self-esteem

Warns us about other people

Promotes angry and cynical attitudes

Creates a negative, pessimistic picture of the world

The Voice cont…

It edits our thoughts, controls our behavior, and

inhibits our actions.

It thinks it is protecting us from being hurt or

feeling abandoned

It reinforces our feelings of shame and guilt and

insufficiency.

When managed effectively, the barbs of your

inner critic prevent complacency and boredom

while nudging you to improve your life

Common “Voices” in Yourself

You’re stupid.

You’re unattractive.

You’re not like other people.

You’re a failure.

You never get anything right.

No one will ever love you.

You’re fat.

You’re such a loser.

You’ll never make friends.

You’ll never accomplish anything.

Common “Voices” in Your Career

You don’t know what you’re doing.

Who do you think you are? You’ll never be successful.

You’re under too much pressure. You can’t take it.

You’ll never get everything done. You’re so lazy.

You should just put this off until tomorrow.

No one appreciates you.

You’d better be perfect, or you’ll get fired.

Nobody likes you here.

When are you ever going to get a real job?

No one would hire you.

Common “Voices” in Relationships

You’re never going to find another person who understands you.

Don’t get too hooked on her.

He doesn’t really care about you.

She is too good for you.

You’re better off on your own.

As soon as she gets to know you, she will reject you.

You’ve got to be in control.

It’s your fault if he gets upset.

Don’t be vulnerable or you’ll wind up getting hurt.

Responses

So what?

Who says?

Who cares?

That doesn’t matter.

Prove it!

Positive affirmations only help when you actually

believe the message.

Trying to substitute positive words for negative

feelings can delay your self-discovery

More Responses

Cognitive restructuring is only effective when you

have no subconscious desire to hold onto a

negative thought.

What is the motivation for holding on to a negative

thought

Fear of failure, rejection, the unknown?

Replace negative thoughts with realistic ones.

I have to be the best//impress…

I will DO my best.

Identifying Your Critical Inner Voice

Recognize the events that trigger your critical

inner voice

Recognize the specific outside criticisms that

support your critical inner voice

Become aware of times you may be projecting

your self-attacks onto other people

Notice changes in your emotions, thoughts,

sensations or urges

Visualizing the Real You/Developing

Self-Esteem

My positive qualities and Abilities

My interests and activities

My long-term goals

My short-term goals

Where do I stand in relation to my goals?

What is the next step I need to make to achieve

my goals?

In Therapy

The client will…

Identify the content of the negative thought process.

Articulate his or her self-attacks in the second person.

Discuss insights and reactions to verbalizing the voice.

Attempt to understand the relationship between voice

attacks and early life experience.

Answer back to the voice attacks

Develop insight about how the internal critic is

influencing his or her present-day behaviors.

Plan changes in these behaviors

Other Interventions

Stop ruminating

Shift your attention

Write it down

Think about who these voices sound like

Direct experience

Observational learning

Ask what advice you would give a friend who was

experiencing self doubt.

Other Interventions

Examine the evidence

Replace overly critical thoughts with more

accurate ones

Balance acceptance with self-improvement

Balance the negative with the positive

Practice self compassion

Summary

Everyone has a critical inner voice.

In some ways it tries to protect us keeping us in

our comfort zone

Conquering The Voice requires

Understanding of why you may want to hold on to those

messages

Development of self-acceptance

Practice!