Befriending The Inner Critic

Befriending the inner critic

Inner critic, self-compassion, perfectionism, people-pleasing, ADHD, psychotherapy, and mental health: in this episode of In Conversation With Myself, I explore why our inner critic develops and how we can begin relating to it with curiosity rather than criticism.

The voice in our head isn’t always our own. Sometimes it carries messages we’ve absorbed from parents, teachers, relationships, or society. Over time, those voices can become our own internal dialogue.

In this episode, I reflect on my own experiences of living with ADHD, the stories I learned about myself, and how I’ve started to understand my inner critic as something that was trying to protect me rather than hurt me.

Rather than asking, “How do I silence my inner critic?” I ask a different question:

“What is this part trying to protect me from?”

Together, we explore: • Why the inner critic develops • The connection between perfectionism, people-pleasing and self-worth • How childhood messages can become our inner voice • ADHD, self-judgement and internalised beliefs • A gentler, more compassionate way of relating to ourselves

If you’ve ever felt like you’re your own harshest critic, I hope this conversation helps you meet that part of yourself with a little more understanding.

🎙️ In Conversation With Myself is a reflective podcast blending lived experience, psychology, psychotherapy, ADHD, identity and gentle conversations about what it means to be human.