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An inner critic can cause depression, anxiety, attention deficit, mood swings, and other problems. It isn’t just a negative internal thought process full of nasty content; it’s a part of your psyche that has its own personality. It communicates to you in a specific way by making you the recipient of a particular kind of energy, vibe, and style of communication. This is the HOW instead of the WHAT of your experience.
In psychology, it’s called “process” vs. “content.” We tend to focus solely on the latter but it’s often difficult to transform a problem without working on the process level. Your experience of the critic as powerful, relentless, and cold is a way of being you need to integrate in a positive, transformed way.
To do this, you must identify and describe HOW your critic acts upon you—by being aggressive, bold, strong, etc.—and transform these qualities into a constructive force you claim for yourself. This takes away the critic’s power. Doing this work over time transforms it from an oppressive part of your psyche into an inner strength you can use for healing, growth, inner strength, wisdom, and success.