Here are five areas of exploration that I recommend doing in therapy that can tame the inner critic: Exploring the automatic critical thoughts and reactions Exploring feelings about and around the inner critic Exploring your voice versus the internalized messages Exploring what you want versus what others want for you Exploring what it means to be you

Allow yourself to be silly, shake things up and try something new... just because. Improv can help with anxiety. ImprovHQ Co-Founders, Betsy Crouch and Zoe Galvez, brought their extensive experience to a UCLA workshop helping many clinicians see the value in using improv in the mental health arena, which I have brought into my own practice. Betsy and Zoe propose that we all celebrate our mistakes. Curious to ease up on the negative thought patterns that follow when you feel y

Artist Beth Sleven hits anxiety on the nose in her well done comic. #anxiety

A simple moment of noticing can ease tension and anxiety. If curious... Try to notice your thoughts and the judgements that follow. You may notice that following the judgements tension and anxiety increases. Now, try and notice your thoughts and try not judging them. If judgement arises, try not judging the judgment. If you find yourself continuing to judge, just allow yourself to entertain the notion of not judging. Even if only for a moment, then perhaps for a couple more m