IFS Growth Programs

Transforming Your Inner Critic

The Inner Critic is the part of you that judges you, demeans you, and tells you who you should be. It undermines your self-confidence and makes you feel bad about yourself. Since this is one of the most difficult and tenacious issues that people face, we have collaborated on a serious study of how to transform the Inner Critic using IFS.

Our core understanding is that self-esteem is your birthright. You deserve to feel good about yourself without having to earn it. However, we’ve all had the experience of feeling bad about ourselves. Think of those times when you felt down and believed that you were worthless, stupid, incompetent, etc. That wasn’t the truth about you; it was a message from your Inner Critic.

The Seven Types of Inner Critics

There isn’t just one Inner Critic part; most people have a number of self-judging protectors that operate in different ways. We have identified seven types of Critics with different motivations and strategies for controlling you. Take a Questionnaire to determine which of the seven types of Critics may be a problem for you. For each Critic type that you score high on, you can read a report that describes that type of Critic and gives a brief idea of how to begin transforming it. You can also read about all seven types of Critics.

When you go inside and actually get to know an Inner Critic part using IFS, it’s surprising to learn that it is actually trying to help you (even though it is really causing trouble). This makes it possible to make a personal connection with a Critic rather than fighting it, and this helps it to let go of its judgments. We have worked out the details of exactly how to transform each of the seven Inner Critics using IFS.

Your Inner Champion

Another exciting and hopeful result of our study: We have discovered that you can develop an aspect of your Self that we call the Inner Champion, which supports and encourages you. It is a magic bullet for dealing with the negative impacts of your Inner Critics. The adage “You can love yourself” is not just a platitude. Our work shows you how to do exactly that. Click here for a brief article on the Inner Critic, self-esteem, and the Inner Champion. Therefore you aren’t stuck with the anguish and difficulties that stem from your Inner Critic. Your inner world can change so that you feel confident and capable, allowing your life journey to unfold in an exciting way.

Self-Therapy for Your Inner Critic

The culmination of our work is a self-help book, Self-Therapy for Your Inner Critic: Transforming Self-Criticism into Self-Confidence, which shows how to apply IFS to working through Inner Critic issues. Click here to get more information and purchase the book.

Profiling Your Inner Critic and Inner Champion

Click here for a web program that allows you to profile one of your Inner Critic parts – how it attacks you, what it looks like, what situations tend to trigger this part, and what motivates it to judge you. You can then profile your Inner Champion to help you with the impact of this Critic -- what nurturing and encouraging messages you would like your Inner Champion to give you and what it looks like. This will help you evoke your Inner Champion to support you in your life.

Inner Critic Classes and Workshops

The following are steps you might take to work on transforming your Critic:
Take an Inner Critic class or workshop.
Women: Take an Inner Critic class or workshop for women led by Bonnie.
Therapists: Take an Inner Critic class for therapists to help you work with your client’s Critics.
Attend an introductory phone call or meeting to learn more about our Inner Critic work.
Join an Ongoing Group, which includes a segment on the Inner Critic.

Read more Inner Critic Articles