A workshop exploring our Inner Critic as a catalyst for profound personal growth and transformation

“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” Buddha

I will be closing Lead From Within on April 5th 2025 to pursue a new direction (more about this). If you are interested in taking part in this workshop, If you are interested in taking part, please contact me as it is likely a friend and colleague (and fellow professional coach) will be taking this work on, from April 2025.

Our Inner Critic…

So many of us struggle with a harsh Inner Critic, that debilitating internal voice which has some - maybe all - of the following characteristics:

• critical, harsh, unforgiving

• judging, blaming, shaming

• fearful, self-doubting, catastrophising

• nagging, undermining, punishing

• obsessed with comparing

• perfectionistic

• degrading, abusive, gaslighting

• relentless, exhausting

• hopeless, paralysing

• and…and….

‘Inner tyranny’

I know how dispiriting and exhausting an active inner critic can be. For most of my 20’s and 30’s I was plagued by my own particular version of this ‘inner tyranny’, pointing out my (apparently endless) flaws, failures and shortcomings, subtly and not-so-subtly undermining my well-being, ease, confidence and more. Its fault-finding, criticism, judging, blaming and shaming were so familiar, so entrenched, it didn’t occur to me that things could be any different. I certainly couldn’t conceive of a life in which I was free of it.

In my mid-forties, I was curious - perhaps desperate - enough to go to my local Buddhist Centre and begin practising meditation. One of the core practices I learned was the cultivation of self compassion and, slowly, the way I related to myself and others began to change.

In the 12 or so years since, I have immersed myself in leading edge research and practice, alongside a wide range of wisdom and spiritual traditions, exploring different compassion-based wisdom, tools and practices. As a consequence, these days, my inner critic is much quieter, much softer and far less intrusive, something I wouldn’t have believed possible at the beginning of my journey. As importantly, the way I relate to critical narratives when they do arise is radically different.

This experience has inspired me to create this workshop to share with others who may be suffering as I was.

I’m offering this new workshop
because there is another way.

My experience has convinced me that our Inner Critic can be a catalyst for profound healing and growth. By understanding and engaging with this voice with kind curiosity, we can begin a process of transformation that is truly life-changing, enabling us over time to foster a gentler, kinder, more generative inner dialogue and a greater sense of confidence and trust in ourselves.

In this workshop, I will be offering a weave of wisdom, tools and practices designed to help you dial down your inner critic and engage with yourself, your life and other people with greater compassion, peace, clarity, confidence, ease (and much more).

What’s on offer…

• A live small group learning journey designed to help you understand and befriend your inner critic, potentially benefitting all areas of your life;

• We will meet for 2 hours via Zoom and learn together in a safe, supportive and encouraging environment;

• I will share knowledge, insights and practices from a range of wisdom traditions blended with leading-edge compassion-based research and practice;

• To enrich your experience and help deepen your learning, the workshop also features story, personal inquiry, visualisation and poetry.

• Your stories, reflections and questions will be welcome throughout (everything is invitational with no to pressure to share).

• To ensure as rich and fulfilling an experience as possible, group size will be kept to 10 people.

• My intention is for our time together to be engaging, inspiring, experiential and above all transformational.

• No previous experience is assumed or expected; there are many levels to this work and you can take what you need for where you are in your own journey.

• Before we meet, I will send you some preparation information featuring group agreements and optional inquiry questions which you may like to explore in advance.

• After our session, I will send you a curated selection of resources (podcasts, videos, poems, articles, practices) to support your on-going journey.

Workshop outcomes

In this session you will:

• Learn what your Inner Critic is, why you have one, and what it is trying to do for you;

• Explore common Inner Critic motivations and beliefs, and map these to your own experience.

• Learn how to recognise your inner critic and gain insight into the ‘triggers’ which activate it;

• Learn steps you can take immediately to start connecting with and fostering a more empowered relationship with this aspect of your psyche;

• Explore practices which over time help you gently transform harsh inner narratives and negative self-talk into something more compassionate and workable;

• Learn in a small, like-minded, like-hearted group in a safe, supportive and non-judgemental environment;

• Experience the inherent healing of having your experience compassionately held and witnessed;

• Benefit from a range of curated resources supporting your onward journey.

Pricing

I want this work to be accessible and am offering a pricing scale to support this.

• £60.00 - Standard Rate (choose this option if you have sufficient financial resources for this experience).

  £40.00 - Discounted Rate (choose this option if you have limited financial resources and would benefit from supported access to this workshop).

• Other: If the above pricing is beyond your present means, I welcome a conversation about payment plans or other ways of contributing.

Ready to book?

Friday February 28th 12pm-2pm (UK)

This workshop is taking place for the last time as shared above. Places are limited to 10; to reserve yours, book here.

If you have any questions about this workshop please contact me.

With patience and practice…

Understanding and befriending our Inner Critic is a practice with many potential rewards. Over time, we may find we experience greater:

• self-awareness;

• embodied safety, self-trust and trust in life;

• compassion for ourselves and others;

• healthy self-worth and self-love;

• curiosity, courage and capacity for healthy risk-taking;

• confidence and agency;

• healthier relationships;

• authenticity, connectedness and belonging

• flow, creativity and self-expression;

• fun and enjoyment of life

• inner peace and ease