Your Inner Critic Is Not the Enemy
“The protector parts of us are loud—but the parts that long for healing are still there, quietly waiting.”
You hear the voice.
“You’re not ready.”
“You’re too much.”
“Don’t do that—you’ll mess it up.”
It sounds harsh. Unloving.
But what if that voice is trying to protect you?
This week in our sangha, a student shared:
“I know this voice isn’t my truth.
But it feels so real. Like it’s trying to stop me before I get hurt.”
In that moment, the room softened.
Because we’ve all heard that voice.
And most of us have spent years trying to silence it.
But here’s the radical idea:
What if your inner critic is not the villain—
But the bodyguard for your most tender parts?
The Inner Critic as a Protector
In trauma-informed yoga, parts work, and Buddhist psychology, we recognize:
Every reaction has a cause
Every protective mechanism once served a purpose
Even the harshest inner voice arose to keep us safe
So when the voice says “don’t speak,”
it might be protecting the part that once got shamed for doing so.
When it says “don’t try,”
it might be shielding the part that once failed—and felt unloved.
Signs You’re Dealing with a Protector, Not a Problem:
You feel a strong inner “no” that’s more fear than logic
You get critical right before something vulnerable or important
You feel multiple layers: fear on the surface, longing underneath
You know it’s not your truth—but it still hijacks your body
Healing Through Compassion, Not Control
What if you stopped trying to fight your inner critic…
And started listening to what it’s trying to protect?
Here’s how:
Acknowledge the protector with gratitude.
“Thank you for trying to keep me safe.”Get curious.
“What are you afraid will happen if I speak/act/try?”Reassure the part.
“We’re not in that old place anymore. I can handle this.”Ask the deeper self: What do you really want?
Final Takeaway
“The voice you fear… is not your enemy.
It’s the guardian of the one who still needs love.”
Don’t silence it.
Hold it.
And let it lead you back to the self who’s been waiting.
The inner critic (protector) shows up fiercely, but beneath it lies a much softer part—the inner child, the one who longs to be free. Learn more 👇🏽
