We all know that there is a great deal of discord between individuals with different lifestyles and beliefs. It is easy to become stuck in our perspectives about the world and how we and others should live our lives. In doing so, we lose our connections with a greater truth, and how we can be with others without polarization and judgment.

When we judge others harshly, we are also judging ourselves harshly – usually unconsciously. Our relationships with others usually mirror our relationships with ourselves.

For example, many of us have a strong “inner critic” that scolds and punishes us for not living up to a standard of how we should behave and act in the world. The important word here is “should.” When we “should on ourselves,” we are living from some programmed or conditioned part of us that tells us we are not living up to our standards of character, ethics, perfection, etc. Then another part of us feels punished and wants to either rebel or capitulate in despair.

We go back and forth between aligning with one side of this inner polarity, and then the other side. Eventually we experience an inner tug of war, resulting in our feeling stuck, depressed, lethargic, and even helpless. (And then we punish ourselves for these feelings!)

You can begin healing this cycle by noticing how the voice of your inner critic – and what it tells you about yourself – is a mirror of one or the other of your parents and what they said when they were critical of you. Your inner critic usually reflects messages your parents said to you, and almost verbatim! In your mind, you experience both the voice of the critical parent voice and the voice of the child you were when you originally reacted to the critical parent.

The therapists of Soul Wisdom Therapy have helpful tools and techniques to help you work with your inner critic, to allow it to release its hold on you. We can also help you work through feelings of anger, frustration, and other strong emotions which result from feeling misunderstood or angry with yourself. We can provide you with tools to help you move through the stuck emotional patterns in your life so that you can eliminate blocked energy and feel more inner tranquility, joy and contentment.