The inner critic is the voice in our heads that whispers, whines, and needles us into poor self-esteem and self-confidence. It edits our thoughts, controls our behavior, and inhibits our actions. It thinks it is protecting us from being hurt or feeling abandoned, but all it really does is reinforce our feelings of shame and guilt, sabotage our intimate relationships, and incline us to self-destructive behaviors. Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice presents a revolutionary new strategy for dealing with the inner critic: externalizing it. This subtle, powerful technique turns internal self-criticisms into 'you' statements that can be evaluated objectively and exposed as the gross exaggerations, unfair comparisons, or flat out lies they really are. This book takes you through the step-by-step process of learning how to keep track of your negative thoughts, analyze their reality, and recognize how they impact your life. Learn to use a variety of techniques to help release your inner critic's stranglehold and combat its subversive effect on your career achievement, intimate relationships, and sexuality. A final chapter of the book offers parents simple ways to help their children avoid forming a tyrannical inner critic.
Robert W. Firestone, PhD, is a psychologist and author whose best-known books—
The Fantasy Bond,
Voice Therapy,
Combating Destructive Thought Processes, and
Compassionate Child-Rearing—outline a comprehensive theory on neurosis and human development. His studies on negative thought processes and their associated effect have led to the development of voice therapy, an advanced therapeutic methodology to uncover and contend with aspects of self-destructive and self-limiting behaviors. Recently, Firestone authored
Overcoming the Destructive Inner Voice, a book of short stories inspired by his experiences as a psychotherapist.
Lisa Firestone, PhD, is a psychotherapist in private practice, program and education director of the Glendon Association, and an adjunct faculty member at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Joyce Catlett, MA, is a lecturer, author and coproducer of The Glendon Association's thirty-seven documentary videos. She developed the Compassionate Child Rearing Parent Education Program and conducts trainings. She lives in Santa Barabara, CA.
Patricia Love, EdD, is an acclaimed therapist and speaker and author/coauthor of six books, including Hot Monogamy, The Truth About Love and How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It. She has appeared on Oprah and Today and on CNN, and has contributed to numerous magazines including Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, and Woman's World.
Pat has a private practice in Austin, TX where she works primarily with couples in an "intensive model" she developed over her years of clinical experience. Couples come for three hours up to three days to work on the important issues in their relationship. This natural, organic process is highly effective as it addresses the strengths as well as challenges presented by each individual couple.
Dr. Love (yes, that's her real name!) also conducts trainings for therapists and counselors based on an evidence-based approach. Utilizing her love for research and curriculum development, she offers a multitude of instructional experiences addressing such timely topics as relationships, marriage, divorce, sexuality, infidelity and recovery, depression, anxiety, loneliness, happiness, addiction, recovery and love in the time of Twitter.
When you work with Pat, whether as a client or a participant in one of her trainings you will notice her warmth, humor and commitment to learning. This combination makes her books, her teaching, her coaching and her therapy a meaningful investment.
