A client recently described sitting at her kitchen table on a Saturday morning, staring at her to-do list. “A part of me just wanted to curl up on the couch with a book,” she said, “but another part kept scolding me for wasting time.” We’ve all had moments like...
A common exercise in therapy is to write a letter from your future self to your present self. This is an exercise in hope and motivation — a way to connect with the wise, accomplished person we aspire to become. This practice is empowering, but it looks forward,...
“I can’t believe I did that.” “That was so stupid, what’s wrong with me?” Do you find yourself talking to yourself like this if you’ve made a mistake, error, or omission? If so, you have an internalized self-critic who is not...
“Making amends is like tending a garden. You can’t undo the neglect, but you can return with water, patience, and care.” —Anon Saying “I was wrong” may be one of the hardest and most powerful things we can do in a relationship. To recognize when we have...
Picture a thick, green, mossy forest. Close your eyes and see yourself sitting by a gentle stream. What do you hear, smell, see, and feel? What does the air taste like on your tongue? There is a kind of peace in an old forest that is deeply healing—a stillness...
We’re all in conversation with ourselves, all day long. This “self-talk” is the steady stream of thoughts, assumptions, and judgments we direct inward. At times, it’s encouraging—like an inner coach. But more often than not, it becomes a relentless critic. It...
