About this episode

Natalie Deering and Chris Burris discuss the complexities of the inner critic and how to approach it with compassion using IFS.

In this episode, I sit down with one of my IFS mentors Chris Burris, LMFT, Senior Lead Trainer for the Internal Family Systems (IFS) Institute, to explore one of the most challenging and misunderstood aspects of our inner world: the inner critic. Chris shares his personal journey with IFS and how the model offers a radical permission to approach ourselves—and our parts—with more love, kindness, and curiosity. Together, we discuss: Why people are more than the behavior of their parts The nature of inner critic parts and why pushing them away doesn’t work How cultural messages often teach us to fight or silence the inner critic, rather than befriend it Common “suck points” when working with critics in therapy The role of legacy burdens in shaping our inner critics What it means to carry the critical energy of others inside us The importance of following intuition in the healing process Practical exercises to begin befriending your inner critic on your own This conversation is both grounding and liberating, offering a compassionate reframe for anyone who struggles with self-judgment or harsh inner voices. About Chris Burris: Chris Burris, M.Ed., LCMHCS, LMFT (he/him), is a Senior…

People in this episode

Host: Natalie Deering

Guest: Chris Burris

Topics covered

• inner critic
• IFS
• self-judgment
• therapy
• healing
• self-compassion

Keywords

• inner critic
• IFS
• self-compassion
• therapy
• healing
• self-judgment
• Chris Burris

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Internal Family Systems Institute

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