Ann Weiser Cornell
& Barbara McGavin
on Working with the Inner Critic
Listen:
Show Notes:
The inner critic seems like an enemy, viciously attacking our character and fostering self-doubt. But what if that critical voice is really just worried about us? What if we could relate to our inner critic differently by recognizing its fears?
In this episode, Ann Weiser Cornell and Barbara McGavin discuss how the processes of Inner Relationship Focusing and Untangling® facilitate healing and personal growth. They describe the personal experiences that led to the development of these methods and share how cultivating self-in-presence can help us hold space for our most challenging thoughts and emotions. Listen in for Ann and Barbara’s take on the inner critic as someone who wants the best for you and how to work with this part in a radically new way.
About Ann & Barbara:
Barbara McGavin has been practicing Focusing since 1983, and along with Ann has been developing Inner Relationship Focusing and Untangling®. Barbara is a Certifying Coordinator for the International Focusing Institute as well as an Accrediting Mentor for the British Focusing Association.
Ann Weiser Cornell was getting her PhD in Linguistics at the University of Chicago when she met and studied with Eugene Gendlin, the originator of Focusing. She began assisting his Focusing workshops in 1980 and worked with him until the end of his life. Along with developing Inner Relationship Focusing and Untangling® with Barbara, she has written five books including the bestseller The Power of Focusing and 21 Days to Healthier Boundaries.
Key Takeaways:
- What it looks like to do the Focusing process with a partner
- How Ann and Barbara developed Untangling® as a way to work with challenging life situations that feel stuck
- The idea of cultivating Self-in-Presence (i.e. "something in me is angry" vs. "I'm angry")
- The built-in safety inherent to Ann and Barbara’s Untangling® and Inner Relationship Focusing processes
- Ann and Barbara’s understanding of the inner critic as a part of you who wants what's best for you
- How self-doubt is a function of the inner critic’s need for certainty
- How Untangling® helps us get comfortable in the not-knowing and learn to trust ourselves
- The power in separating your mistakes from who you are as a person
Connect with Ann & Barbara:
Resources:
- Eugene Gendlin
- The International Focusing Institute
- The Power of Focusing: A Practical Guide to Emotional Self-Healing by Ann Weiser Cornell, PhD
- 21 Days to Healthier Boundaries by Ann Weiser Cornell, PhD
Recent Past Episodes:
Hosts:
Katherine King, PsyD
Katherine King, PsyD is a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of psychology at William James College. She was trained in evidence-based treatments within the Veterans’ Administration and has a private practice specializing in geropsychology. She is also a member of the Boston Shambhala Center Board of Directors, a vajrayana student of Buddhism, and has practiced meditation for over 20 years. Learn more about Kate at www.drkateking.com.
Alex Gokce, MSW
Alex Gokce, MSW has a master’s degree in social work from Salem State University and an undergraduate degree in Comparative Government from Harvard University. He has led psychotherapy groups on topics including mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and mind-body approaches to pain management. He has co-led programs at the Boston Shambhala Center on the topics of trauma and self-compassion. His personal and professional interests center around the individual, societal and intergenerational impacts of trauma, as well as the sociocultural roots of interpersonal harm.
Disclaimer: Please note that the information shared in this podcast is strictly for educational purposes only, and is not intended as psychological treatment or consultation of any kind.
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