How to Counter your Inner Critic through Self-Compassion, in Eating Disorder Recovery

If you have an eating disorder, you likely have a strong inner critic. 'You're not good enough'. 'You've failed again'. 'Why can't you get anything right?' As much as this critic judges and berates, making life distinctly challenging, it probably feels safe and known to you. You might even fear being without it, as you worry that you might lose purpose and motivation. Offering yourself compassion may feel fluffy and counter-productive. You may expect yourself to 'just get on with it', and to not attend to your inner feelings and vulnerabilities. But the research shows that these fears are unfounded. By becoming more self-compassionate, this can set the stage for better health, relationships, and general well-being. And self-compassion yields a number of benefits including lowering levels of anxiety and depression, raising self-esteem and building better body image. What's not to like? So if you're feeling skeptical about self-compassion but interested to dip your toe into the water, this episode is one for you. It references work by Kristen Neff, Paul Gilbert and Ken Goss. I hope that you find it helpful.