The Ottawa–Gatineau Journal

Ideas and information

Recognising the voice of your inner critic

An article about an imagined inner radio station explored the relationship between habitual judgement and a sense of isolation. It began with a client who noticed that criticising other people left her feeling disconnected.

Water lilies stretching in a line across a perfectly still lake at dusk, with smooth stones in the foreground

The radio metaphor made an abstract pattern of thought easier to recognise: a familiar internal commentary can keep playing without being deliberately chosen. The discussion centred on noticing that commentary and its emotional consequences, rather than treating every recurring thought as an accurate description of another person.

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