Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice: A Revolutionary Program to Counter Negative Thoughts and Live Free from Imagined Limitations (Paperback)

~ Robert W. Firestone (Author), Lisa Firestone (Author), Joyce Catlett (Author), Pat Love (Author) "A man about to give a speech thinks: You're going to make a fool of yourself..." (more)
Key Phrases: critical inner voice, fantasy bond, voice attacks, Robert Firestone (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In vain, psychologist Firestone, psychotherapist Lisa Firestone, and lecturer/ writer Joyce Catlett attempt to convey the interesting concept of the "critical inner voice," which could be described as that little devil that sits on one's shoulder to balance out the little angel on the other side. This voice begins when as young children we internalize parental messages, particularly negative ones, creating a psychological base which many of us do not progress beyond to find a more realistic and rational self-view. All parents, however well intentioned, create critical inner voices. Unfortunately, description is all readers will get here as the text recounts ad nauseam various manifestations of the voice. Although many readers will respond to the premise (and to the sad anecdotes), the book fails to articulate clearly any methods for counteracting the effects of the voice. Not recommended; instead, consider Byron Brown's clear, practical Soul Without Shame: A Guide to Liberating Yourself from the Judge Within.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

A clear and concise guide for recognizing and changing limiting programs from the past. A font of psychological wisdom. -- Jeffrey K. Zeig, Ph.D., The Milton H. Erickson Foundation

The authors are committed to help readers liberate themselves from a legacy undermining their well being and right to life. -- Richard Vogel, Ph.D., Weiss-Sampson Control Mastery Theory Group, San Francisco

The chapter on intimacy and couple relationships alone is worth the price of the book. -- Charles Bonner, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, Pittsburgh, PA

This book will enlighten and guide therapists to better understand their clients and use the techniques in counseling sessions. -- Donald K. Freedheim, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland

This highly engaging book contains real life cases and exercises to help free oneself from a critical inner voice. -- Yasmin Farooqi, University of The Punjab, Pakistan

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Product Details

• Paperback: 214 pages
• Publisher: New Harbinger Publications; 1 edition (June 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572242876
• ISBN-13: 978-1572242876
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #138,531 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Effective solutions if you will work at it, November 17, 2002

By	Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice: A Revolutionary Program to Counter Negative Thoughts and Live Free from Imagined Limitations" is a powerful therapeutic work for dealing with the inner voice that holds us back. It is both an explanatory text that describes how we acquire a critical inner voice and its purpose in our lives and a workbook that walks the reader through exercises, questionaires and other activities to get it under control.

If you find that no matter what you do you don't seem to get what you want in life or you are often engaged in self-talk that is not positive in nature then this workbook could be the path to changing your life. A highly recommended read.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Restore balance and contentment to one's way of life, November 10, 2002

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Collaboratively written by clinical psychologists Robert W. Firestone and Lisa Firestone, with the assistance of author/lecturer Joyce Catlett, Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice is an impressively "user friendly" self-help guide to learning how to overcome negative thoughts and self-imposed limitations. Individual chapters address how excessive self-criticism can interfere with intimacy, career, and general quality of life, and how it can co-opt oneself into addictive and unhealthily dependent behaviors. Strategies for learning how to restore balance and contentment to one's way of life, and also for choosing an effective therapist, offer a way out of the endless downward spiral of self-depreciating negativity. Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice is a highly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library self-improvement, self-help reference collections.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars straightforward yet effective, April 4, 2007

By	loquacious d (san mateo, ca) - See all my reviews

This book is simple, but it doesn't talk down to the reader. In the chapter, "How the critical inner voice interferes with your career", the section about playing the victim begins:

Playing the victim is often a sign that a person is refusing to be an adult at work.

How could you not embrace a book that is so direct and honest? I've been through tons and tons of crap lately, and have skimmed tons and tons of pop psychology and self help books. They all seem to fall into 4 categories: touchy-feely, new age, overly academic, and the worst, condescending superficially academic.

This one is a practical workbook for people who don't necessarily want or need to delve into their pasts, or rewrite their lives in a symbolic (new age) narrative, but just want to get through another day!

This book helps me look at my reality (which is created by my thoughts, feelings and attitudes) a little more rationally and objectively. There is no magic bullet for feeling better about oneself, so it's good to have the toolkit provided here to deal with that oh so critical inner voice.

I recommend this book, of the dozens of self-help books that I've reviewed, it's the only one I would recommend to anyone.