Freedom from the Inner Critic & Self Compassion for Women: Science & Practice

COURSE DETAILS

One of the biggest roadblocks that legal professionals face is how hard they are on themselves. Research suggests that a strong inner critic leads to procrastination, anxiety, and burnout, while self-compassion is the key to resilience and productivity.

This interactive workshop takes a scientific, evolutionary perspective on the inner critic to uncover how the inner critic was created, what purpose it serves, and how we can transform harsh judgments into wise discernments.

According to scientific studies, women are more hypercritical of themselves and each other than men. Women are less likely to self-promote than men. They also consistently rate their performance lower than men when both have the same average score. Self-compassion is a proven solution for building confidence, a stable sense of self-worth, and a sense of community for women.

Some topics we will address include:

• Is it possible to motivate ourselves without self-criticism?
• How does easing the inner critic lead to better mental health and better outcomes at work?
• How does self-compassion impact the body and brain?
• How is self-compassion different from self-indulgence and self-esteem?
• How does the brain change as the inner critic eases?
• Why is breaking free from the inner critic key to having a successful legal career?

We will use psychological strategies, wisdom from ancient cultures, and meditation to break free from a harsh inner voice, and find empowering ways to think about the past, present, and future.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the link between the inner critic and the legal profession.
• Learn how to motivate yourself to achieve your highest goals without resorting to an inner critic.
• Discover why self-compassion helps protect from burnout and bolsters resilience.
• Try out practices that you can use in the moment to transition from criticism to helpful observations or discernments.

FACULTY

Elizabeth Pyjov, Lead with Compassion