My internal critic tags along to my therapy sessions and says, "you're not doing this correctly." And then when I pay the bill, my internal critic-- who served with the SS during the second World War --explains that there is an inflationary fiscal crisis going on, and I am wasting money on, of all things, talking.

My internal critic would like me to stop therapy. Now. Because of money, because my therapist is not handsome enough (or too handsome), because my therapist's office is too far away or the cushions on the couch are too firm or not firm enough. You get the picture. But guess what? If I stopped therapy, my internal critic would castigate me for failing at ...therapy!

I fight this internal critic every step of every day. If I manage to still that critic, I'll find the voice....embodied all around me. You're wearing that?

A few approaches have helped. The War of Art by Steven Pressler, made a difference. Pressler calls this inner critic Resistance. Also, the books of Julia Cameron made a huge difference for me. She writes about creativity...and as creative people know, critics are everywhere...including inside. Cameron asks readers to define and dialogue with their inner critic. These writers have changed my whole outlook on life.

Thanks for this thread.