Search Results for: critical inner voice

Five Questions for a Better New Year

…re all susceptible to a destructive thought process known as the “critical inner voice” that detracts from our happiest times. This self-critical thought process critiques us and those close to us, while limiting us in achieving our goals. Surprisingly, these thoughts often arise in our most precious moments. After memorable time spent with a loved one, your partner or your child, for example, what do you take away from that moment? Do you feel ha…

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5 Ways to Fight Loneliness Over the Holidays

…a mess. You don’t fit in anywhere. You’re just different. These “critical inner voices” make up an ongoing dialogue that reinforces the basic belief that we are not good enough. This inner critic makes us feel worthless and unlike others in some negative sense. It encourages us to be alone, then disparages us for being a loner. It contributes to our loneliness by constantly reminding us we are unworthy of the life we desire and by alienating us f…

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What Does the Popularity of 50 Shades of Grey Say About Our Sexuality?

…oughts when they were being sexual. When asked to describe these “critical inner voices” in the second-person, a key step in “voice therapy,” she shouted, “What does he want from you? Don’t let him get too close. He’s just using you. Don’t trust anyone.” These thoughts were confusing to her, because even as she was saying them out loud, they didn’t sound like her point of view. Critical thoughts that arise during sex, whether directed toward ourse…

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Living Mom’s Life?

…and goals that resonate with who we truly want to be (Glendon, 2012). The critical voice in my head has been unknowingly passed down through generations and it will probably never completely disappear, but I can ignore it. More importantly, I can defy it. I can ACTIVELY invest in and empower the qualities that I want to express and demonstrate. In the end, Mal makes the clear choice to be good, and she inspires her friends to stand up and differe…

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How to Overcome Insecurity

…insecure Outline therapeutic steps to challenge and overcome the critical inner voice Illustrate the value of practicing self-compassion Present techniques to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors that feed feelings of insecurity Feelings of insecurity often source from early in our lives: attitudes directed toward us, labels we were given, and attachment patterns we experienced. As we grow up, our insecurity is exacerbated by a negative internal di…

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trauma covid-19 isolation

Dealing With Today’s Trauma

…r from feelings of failure. When we are overwhelmed and down, our critical inner voices often flare up and have a lot to say. Because the situations are different than usual, our voice attacks are different from the ones we are used to. In relation to the longer amount of time you are spending alone, you may have these voices: No one misses you. They don’t care about you. No one loves you. About your new work conditions: You’re failing at this. Yo…

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Dr. Robert Firestone

Dr. Robert Firestone: Answering Back To The Voice

…Answering Back To The Voice Answering Back To The Voice…

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Be Mine: Dealing with Possessiveness in a Relationship

…to resist the urge to exert power over our partner. We have to ignore that inner voice telling us, “Just don’t talk to her. She needs to know she can’t just work late and expect you to be happy.” Or, “Let him know you won’t stand for this. He better not think he can just goof off every weekend.” 3. Accept that these feelings are from the past – Our anxiety will never ease until we deal with where it’s really coming from. Current events trigger old…

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Challenging the Fantasy Bond: A Search for Personal Identity and Freedom

…. It is manifested as a destructive internal thought process, the critical inner voice. Later, the fantasy bond is extended to family members, intimate partners, and social groups. In Challenging the Fantasy Bond, Dr. Firestone presents his latest thoughts and observations about the self-defeating aspects of this process and places the original concepts in the broader context of his overall theoretical approach, Separation Theory. Compelling case…

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Coping with Grief

…ts of loss we don’t necessarily expect. This includes a cruel and critical inner voice that turns against us. This “voice” may be sparking our guilt with thoughts like we should have done more for the person we lost, spent more time with them, or even that we should feel guilty for being the one to survive. This voice can also feed us thoughts that the way we’re grieving is somehow wrong. It may tell us that we’re feeling “too much,” that we’re be…

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