Working with Dr. Shelley Kerr
#7
#7
Rethinking your inner critic
Rethinking your inner critic
Rethinking your inner critic
Understanding what your critic may be trying to do and how to relate to it differently.
CFT
Post Video Reflection
Post Video Reflection
Notice
What is your inner critic afraid would happen if it stopped giving you such a hard time? I.e. what is the critic trying to achieve?
What is your inner critic afraid would happen if it stopped giving you such a hard time? I.e. what is the critic trying to achieve?
Try
Try
Write four lines: “My critic says… It is afraid that… The actual effect is… A helpful response would be…”
Write four lines: “My critic says… It is afraid that… The actual effect is… A helpful response would be…”
Live
Live
What honest but constructive “course correction” could your compassionate self make about your sleep without attacking you?
What honest but constructive “course correction” could your compassionate self make about your sleep without attacking you?
I've answered these (e.g. in my notebook)
Session Recap
01
The critic gives a narrowed version of reality
When the threat system is active, the critic focuses on danger and overlooks evidence that you have coped after difficult nights before. Your compassionate self can acknowledge that tomorrow may be harder without treating it as an inevitable catastrophe.
01
The critic gives a narrowed version of reality
When the threat system is active, the critic focuses on danger and overlooks evidence that you have coped after difficult nights before. Your compassionate self can acknowledge that tomorrow may be harder without treating it as an inevitable catastrophe.
02
Compassion is not letting yourself off the hook
A compassionate response can still be honest, responsible and constructive. It replaces personal attack with a useful course correction based on what actually matters, even if it's not easy to do, and what you can realistically do next.
02
Compassion is not letting yourself off the hook
A compassionate response can still be honest, responsible and constructive. It replaces personal attack with a useful course correction based on what actually matters, even if it's not easy to do, and what you can realistically do next.
03
Good critic intentions can be problematic
The critic may believe that criticism will motivate you to fix your sleep nd find a solution. In practice, thoughts such as “What is wrong with your sleep?” can activate the threat system, increase tension and make sleep even less likely.
03
Good critic intentions can be problematic
The critic may believe that criticism will motivate you to fix your sleep nd find a solution. In practice, thoughts such as “What is wrong with your sleep?” can activate the threat system, increase tension and make sleep even less likely.
Explore the other Sluzzle clinician courses
An ACT & CFT based approach helping you to improve your relationship with sleep.
Sluzzle offers educational help for everyday sleep challenges and isn’t designed for medical sleep disorders.
©2026 Sluzzle - All rights reserved. Address: 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE
An ACT & CFT based approach helping you to improve your relationship with sleep.
Sluzzle offers educational help for everyday sleep challenges and isn’t designed for medical sleep disorders.
©2026 Sluzzle - All rights reserved. Address: 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE
An ACT & CFT based approach helping you to improve your relationship with sleep.
Sluzzle offers educational help for everyday sleep challenges and isn’t designed for medical sleep disorders.
©2026 Sluzzle - All rights reserved. Address: 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE