Everyone's a Critic: How we can learn to be kind to ourselves

Description

Do you beat yourself up after making a mistake? Do you treat yourself worse than you would a good friend? If these questions strike a chord, it's likely that you contend with unhealthy self-criticism. This mental habit is the cause of so much emotional suffering, and lies at the root of most of the problems that psychotherapists and counsellors encounter. In Everyone's a Critic, psychotherapist Julia Bueno shares seven case studies, inspired by her practice. They explore some of the reasons why we learn to turn against ourselves, encourage readers to be more curious about their self-critic, and inspire a practice of greater self-compassion instead.

Julia Bueno practises full-time as a psychotherapist in London. Her first book, The Brink of Being: Talking about Miscarriage, won the British Medical Association Popular Medicine Book Award 2021 and was the runner-up for the British Psychological Society Book Award 2021. She has a particular expertise in working with pregnancy loss and infertility, and has met countless self-critics in her consulting room. Her writing has been published in The Times, the Sunday Times, the New York Times and Psychology Today, and she reviews books for the Times Literary Supplement.

This sensitive, insightful and occasionally self-critical book made me think that its author must be very good at her job * Times Literary Supplement * Insightful, honest ... Bueno's writing is accessible, with reference made to pre and post-pandemic experiences, of working with clients in an office, but also online, and she speaks in a frank manner to us the reader * Entertainment Focus * Julia Bueno explores such an important topic, and one that holds so many people back: our inner critic. This book discusses where it may come from and, through case studies, how we can rewrite the script. Gently enquiring, authoritative and reassuring. * Annalisa Barbieri, Guardian * A quiet revelation: an investigation into the lacerating self-criticism many of us unleash upon ourselves without even being aware of it. One thinks, feels and learns. A compelling and important book * Hannah Betts * If you've ever felt that little voice - or a very loud one - at the back of your mind telling you you're no good, Julia Bueno's book is the ideal way to answer back * Harry Mount, editor of the Oldie * This is most certainly not a self-help book to beat yourself up with. Julia Bueno explains how self-criticism affects many of us and digs far deeper than the usual social-media-blaming... It's an important, timely book that many will benefit from reading and acting upon * Louise Chunn, founder of therapist-matching site Welldoing *