Casting the Inner Critic

Rachel Moodie

A series of interviews with artists about their inner critics. Who are these critics? Where did they come from? And how do artists overcome them and continue to create work in spite of them? In these conversations we very literally cast the inner critic and throw a spotlight on the ensemble within.

  1. 10/09/2022

    ARTIST & ASTROLOGER SARAH BASHA ON HOW INNER CRITICS ARE COSMIC TEACHERS!

    EPISODE 11 ARTIST & ASTROLOGER SARAH BASHA ON HOW INNER CRITICS ARE COSMIC TEACHERS! Isn’t it curious to star gaze and contemplate the symphony of planets chorusing behind our inner critics, our inner wisdom and our entire identities? Sarah explains that the planet Chiron represents the wounded child, Saturn is the ruler of ‘the shoulds’, Virgo is about perfectionism and the moon has it’s cycles of less and more of everything - less energy more energy, less confidence more confidence, less critic more critic. It’s all highly intriguing to me. Like others I’ve interviewed with perfectionist (possibly Virgo) tendencies, in this episode Reese Witherspoon becomes Jacqueline, the cliquish, stuck up school girl inner critic! The counter of which is Rolla the Latina inner mentor who is the delightful and sultry, compassionate, older version of Sarah herself. I love that Sarah said - My inner critic does make me laugh and she does remind me that I love things to be beautiful and well done. It goes to show our inner critics are more than just negative voices - they are cosmic teachers with a dual purpose, that we have free will to harness for the better. They can have us rocking in a dark corner AND they can also push us to create to the best of our abilities. Find Sarah in these places: https://www.sarahbasha.com https://www.instagram.com/sarahbashainovosejt/ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darling_mills_studio/

    24 min
  2. 27/02/2022

    Anna Kellerman - An Art Therapist's perspective and the seductive whisper of an inner critic

    In this episode I am speaking with Anna Kellerman a creative nurturer, a super connector and lateral thinker. She is an artist and a registered clinical art therapist working with both children and adults. She is a lecturer teaching the Bachelor of Art Therapy and the Bachelor of Counselling & Psychotherapy courses at the Ikon Institute of Australia. Anna is the founder of Mama Creatives a thriving community for all types of female creatives - artists, writers, musicians you name it - she supports them and she also has her own podcast called The Creativity Couch. Anna’s inner critic could be described as the popular school girl, a cheerleader, leading her astray with seductive misguidance. Anna talked about how inner critics can be viewed as more than just self loathing it can be fear, rigidity and perfectionism beliefs developed in childhood playing at keeping us safe - and in a box. So we are toeing the line and not taking up space. The inner critic voice can be more than just hateful, unkind language but also a familiar whisper, lulling us into a false sense of comfort with procrastination, unhealthy habits and self gaslighting. In regards to children Anna’s advice is clear and profound. Sit with kids while they create. Create alongside them. Help them co-regulate by just being there and if there is a rupture - work on the repair aspect. After years of doing the work herself so she can be of service to others Anna is the embodiment of her inner mentor. A character who is an older woman - a sparkly, flowy, sexy fairy godmother with wavy curly grey hair dancing and smiling. There were a few points I wanted to repeat because they are so good: Watch out for the seductive whisper of the inner critic - it shows up not just as hateful internal language. Your triggers are your teachers Treat yourself kindly, the way you would a good friend. Allow all feelings to percolate - accept them. Visualise yourself stepping into your big girl boots and embody your inner mentor. Anna also mentions Dan Siegel (accidentally as Dan Siegelman) in the episode. I am really grateful for Anna’s perspective as a creative and a clinical art therapist as it sheds a new light on this subject. Find her @mamacreatives on instagram and at www.mamacreatives.com

    1h 1m
5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

A series of interviews with artists about their inner critics. Who are these critics? Where did they come from? And how do artists overcome them and continue to create work in spite of them? In these conversations we very literally cast the inner critic and throw a spotlight on the ensemble within.