What would you say to a client who feels as if they’ve wasted years of their life trapped in a cycle of harsh self-judgement? You see, feeling like you’re “never enough” is very common. According to Tara Brach, PhD, this sense of inadequacy leads to some of the most pervasive suffering in our culture. In […]
A Compassion-Focused Approach to Self-Critical, Negative Thoughts
For some clients, not an hour goes by without an intrusive thought from their “inner critic” . . . . . . and the shame, blame, and fear that it stirs up can be paralyzing. So how can we help clients who struggle to keep these unwelcome thoughts in check? Well, Dennis Tirch, PhD, has a […]
[Infographic] A 5-Step Process for Transforming Shame with Self-Compassion
As practitioners, we know how transformative self-compassion can be – especially when it comes to healing shame. But here’s the thing – when a client is deeply rooted in shame, the very idea of being kind to themselves can feel undeserved and uncomfortable, even unnatural. So what if we could give them a step-by-step process […]
How to Reframe a Client’s Relationship with an Inner Critic
A toxic inner critic can often trap our clients in painful patterns of shame, or sometimes leave them frozen in fear. But according to Rick Hanson, PhD, the inner critic can also serve an important function. So how can we help clients counteract a harsh inner critic in order to experience healing and growth? In […]