Befriending your inner critic
with Internal Family Systems
So many of us struggle with loud critical voices inside of us. Inner critics can be very relentless and persistent in demanding improvement, perfection and action. Their high expectations lead to a lot of internal conflict and feelings of anxiety, anger, shame and a sense of worthlessness.
That’s why we hear so much advice on how to ‘silence’, ‘beat’, ‘conquer’ or ‘fight’ your inner critic’! But what happens if we try to befriend our inner critic? What would it be like to change our relationship with it, so that it could become our ally?
This is what you’ll learn in this course, applying the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS), a compassionate and curious form of psychotherapy.
What you’ll get
- 3 modules including short educational videos and guided practices (around 80 minutes of content)
- Suggestions for creative homeplay for your own practice
- Downloadable slides and journaling questions
What you’ll learn
- Gain a basic understanding of Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Learn about why inner critics exist
- Experience what it’s like to get in touch with your own inner critic
- Learn basic techniques of how to meet and dialogue with your inner critic
- Gain a pathway towards transforming your relationship with it
Curriculum
Module 1 - Introducing Internal Family Systems
Module 2 - Why inner critics exist
Module 3 - Befriending your inner critic
Reviews
I learned so much about myself. I have two parts which want to make sure I don’t fail in my sugar free eating. One part (F. It) wants to make it as easy as possible as if it’s too hard I won’t sustain it. The other (Watch it!) part wants to get it done and do it right, with structure, discipline and no wiggle room. My Self (not a part) brings these two parts compassion and understanding.
Joanne
Taking part in the IFS group was a very positive and enriching experience for me. Vanessa is a caring facilitator who created a safe and judgement-free environment where I felt comfortable sharing freely with other participants. Learning to identify and dialogue with my various inner parts helped me understand the root of my compulsive behaviours. Internal Family Systems is a fascinating theory, but what I really enjoyed was the way the sessions brought theory into practice through the experiential visualisations and meditations.
