How can I practice self-compassion when my inner critic shouts me down?

[AaronHC]

I’ve been in therapy for a while now, and I keep hearing about the importance of self-compassion, but honestly, it just feels like a hollow concept to me. When I try to be kind to myself after a setback, my inner critic immediately shouts it down as making excuses. Has anyone else struggled to actually feel this, rather than just intellectually understanding it?

[AuroraT]

I hear you. The idea of being kinder to myself sounded hollow until my inner critic slammed it as excuses after every small slip.

[Stephen54]

I did try to pause after a setback and say a small, kind line to myself, but the voice that follows was louder and harsher.

[AddisonJC]

Sometimes it feels like the problem isn't the critic but the whole day being off, and the talking to myself just sits there. Is there any way this actually helps?

[Kenneth_R]

I keep thinking maybe the issue isn’t about kindness at all, but about what the critic is trying to protect, and I’m not sure how to address that without feeding it.