beyond the books: how to quieten your inner critic

CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081


How to quieten your inner critic

Beyond the Books Online Series

Niamh KeanePsychologist @ headspace Toowoomba


Who is your inner critic?

“I’m such a failure…”

“My hair is so horrible…”

“No one wants to hear my opinion…”

“I can never get anything right…”

“I’m not good enough for this…..”


Poll 1

What kinds of things does your inner critic pick on?


Where did it come from?


Why do we do this to ourselves??

• To get our attention

• To alert us to danger

• To motivate change


What can we do about it?

• Be aware of your inner critic – what is it saying?

• Ask yourself – what if that wasn’t true?

• Practice self compassion


Self Compassion explored..

• Notice the suffering

• Respond with warmth and a desire to help

• Offer understanding and kindness

• Accept imperfection without judgement


• Acting the same way towards yourself!!

• Acknowledge your pain and care for yourself

So Self Compassion is….


• Pain = unavoidable discomfort that comes into our lives

• Resistance = any effort to ward off pain, such as tensing the body or thinking about how to make the pain go away

• Pain x resistance = suffering

What we resist persists…


Self-Compassion reduces suffering

• Acknowledge your inner critic

• Respond to it as if you would to a good friend


• Reduces anxiety, depression, stress, over-thinking, perfectionism, body shame, fear of failure

• Greater compassion and empathy to others

• More forgiveness of others

More reasons to practice Self-Compassion


Tips for practicing Self Compassion

• Do something you enjoy every day, for at least 5 minutes

• Plan to have breaks in your day, your week, your year and allow yourself to take them

• Spend time with people who support and care for you

• Seek support from a trusted friend or a therapist if you need a reminder


Support available at USQ..


Mental Health First Aid Training

USQ offers a two-day Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training program. This program is designed to help you:

– recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health problems

– learn how to help people in the early stages of these problems

– know where and how to refer people to get help

– understand what types of help are effective– know how to assist in a mental health crisis

until professional help arrives

Email: [email protected] to register your interest


mailto:[email protected]


For students

USQ Student Services

usq.edu.au/studentservices

Toowoomba: +61 7 46312372

Ipswich & Springfield: +61 7 34704400

Book online: https://accesshub.usq.edu.au/


https://accesshub.usq.edu.au/


For staff

Employee Assistance Program

https://www.usq.edu.au/hr/healthsafe/eap

Face to Face or via Phone

Contact: 1300 360 364


https://www.usq.edu.au/hr/healthsafe/eap


Support available elsewhere..

• 7 module self help course in self compassion: (http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/infopax.cfm?Info_ID=57)

• Free course on mindfulness based stress reduction: (https://palousemindfulness.com/index.html)

• Daily mindfulness app for phone or computer: (http://smilingmind.com.au/)

http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/infopax.cfm?Info_ID=57

https://palousemindfulness.com/index.html

http://smilingmind.com.au/


Support available elsewhere..

Headspace: www.headspace.org.auCounselling and referral service for young people aged 12- 25 years. Also supports parents.

Relationships Australia: www.relationships.org.auFamily and relationship counselling as well as a range of specialist counselling services.

Lifeline: www.lifeline.org.au24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention.

http://www.headspace.org.au/

http://www.relationships.org.au/

http://www.lifeline.org.au/


Poll 2

How confident do you feel that you could recognise and respond to your inner critic after

this webinar?


“Treat yourself as you would treat a good friend”

Kristin Neff

beyond the books: how to quieten your inner critic

Education