The inner critic

The inner critic is the judging, fault-finding, and often merciless voice in a person's mind. Most people confuse this voice with their own real thought, whereas it is usually made up of outside voices internalized early in life. The inner critic claims to carry a protective aim, but it often breaks courage and self-confidence. The coach helps the client tell this voice apart from themselves: 'Who is saying this to you, is it really you?' When the voice is seen to be not a judgment but merely a voice, its power decreases.