Ann Weiser Cornell’s 21-Day On-Demand Course

Finding Freedom from Inner Critics

Discover a different way to approach inner critics so you can move forward with more confidence, peace, and self-compassion.

(because when you know how to be with your inner critics, life gets a whole lot easier…)

I’m Ready to Find Freedom
Get your first lesson as soon as you sign up!

Definition: An inner criticizing part is any part of you that believes that you or another part of you has to change in order for you to be OK.


– Ann Weiser Cornell, Radical Gentleness

Being kind to yourself might not come easy for you…

Inner critics can be crushing, right? From paralyzing you with perfectionism to hurling shame-inducing words your way, they know how to hurt you.

Being kind to yourself takes practice. Self-compassion is not a skill that’s given much attention in our pressure cooker of a society. But it’s oh-so-important to living a happy, peaceful life. And I’m here to show you how to treat yourself with more kindness.

It might surprise you to hear that inner critics actually have good intentions. They’re really just trying to save your life (I promise!). They mean well. But they’re afraid of what might happen if you ____ . And the only way those voices know how to defend you leaves you feeling terrible.

I know how easy it is to get hijacked by a mean inner voice. And how impossible it can feel to move forward when that happens. I’d love to show you what else is possible.

I’m Ready to Find Freedom

Does your inner critic:

  • Tell you, “You’re not good enough”?
  • Second-guess most everything you say or do?
  • Rehash your bad decisions and make you relive past mistakes?
  • Compare you to other people and point out your short-comings?
  • Hover in the background, constantly worrying about what might go wrong, even when things are going well?

These are just some of the ways the inner critic shows up. Some are subtle while some have all the grace of a rhinoceros in a grocery store. But they all have the same results: You feel bad about yourself and your life.

It can feel inescapable. And if you’ve ever tried to banish, silence, or control your inner critic ― the ‘Anything to Make It Stop Strategy’ – you’ve probably found it actually gets bigger (like Empire State building big).

Thankfully, there’s another way.

I’d like to help you feel better about yourself and your life.

So I created something that teaches you a radical, loving, life-enhancing way to change the way you experience the parts that criticize you.

Let me introduce you to the Finding Freedom From Inner Critics course

I created the Finding Freedom From Inner Critics course to give you the skills and support you need to treat yourself with more kindness.

You’ll learn how to easily recognize when inner critics are afoot and one powerful way to settle them down right away. You’ll get practical, step-by-step processes to help you move beyond feeling hijacked, frozen, or drained by the voices that speak harshly to you. And you’ll develop a regular practice of being kinder to yourself.

Every day, for 21 days, you’ll get practices designed to support you in releasing old habits of self-criticism while developing self-compassion skills. If self-acceptance seems challenging, don’t worry — every day you’ll get real-world examples of what it sounds/looks/feels like to treat yourself with compassion. of self-care in the middle of your day.

The structure and guidance you get in the Finding Freedom From Inner Critics course makes it easier to change the way you experience inner critics. Plus, you’re not alone. The moment you join, you become part of a community of people working on the same issues and concerns who can help you stay on track.

Get your first practice the day you sign up.

I’m Ready to Find Freedom

When I accept what is here right now, and give it space to be exactly as it is, it is more likely to change..


– Ann Weiser Cornell


Finding Freedom From Inner Critics at a Glance

Daily Practices

Every day for 21 days you get one new practice to explore

Online Video Trainings

Daily videos to help you put the practices to work. Easy-to-use online course you can access from anywhere.

Audio Downloads & PDFs

Watch. Listen. Read. Get course content in multiple formats so you can learn the way that works best for you.

Supportive Community

A forum where you and other people in the course can share and connect


Discover Helpful Ways to Address Inner Critics


Some of the Topics We’ll Cover

  • Being Gentle with Yourself
  • Is It Possible to be Okay with Making Mistakes?
  • The Three Secrets of the Inner Critic
  • Imposter Syndrome – “If They Only Knew What a Fake I Am”Negative Labelling – “I am bad, a failure, stupid, worthless, etc.”
  • What Inner ‘Should’s’ Do to Your Ability to Take Action
  • Freezing — And Why You Do It
  • Not Feeling Good Enough As You Are & The Need to Be Perfect
  • Why Not Just Tell the Critic to Get Lost?
  • The Most Tragic Love Story on Earth – Your Inner Critic and You
  • Living a Critic-Free Life – Radical Self-Acceptance
  • And ten more!
I’m Ready to Find Freedom

About Your Teacher

Ann Weiser Cornell struggled with painful inner critics that contributed to her experience of addiction, social anxiety, and inability to do the things she most wanted to do.

Ann created Inner Relationship Focusing with her long-time colleague, Barbara McGavin, to help people learn to listen compassionately to all the inner voices. Along the way, Ann and Barbara developed a radical new process for relating to the self-blaming voices inside them. It changed their lives, and it became their mission to help others transform as well.

For over 35 years now, Ann’s been teaching this practical, revolutionary process to people all over the world. With this on-demand course, you get the benefit of Ann’s expertise and the chance to practice the simple, yet revolutionary process of Focusing with her gentle, compassionate guidance.

Ann is the author of Focusing in Clinical Practice: The Essence of Change, The Power of Focusing, and The Radical Acceptance of Everything. Today she is internationally recognized as one of the leading innovators and theoreticians of Focusing.

“Our relationship with the inner critic is the most tragic love story on earth. That there’s something inside you that wants only for you to be safe, and it’s doomed to talk to you in a voice that makes you sure it hates you.”

― Ann Weiser Cornell

Are you ready to transform a tragic love story
into a healing one?

Learn how you can:

Recognize when a critical part is activated and why this happens

Develop skills to respond to inner critics with presence and empathy

Move forward with more confidence, inner peace, and self-compassion

Enroll for Your Course Here

Finding Freedom From Inner Critics

Finding Freedom From Inner Critics

$97.00

21-day Video Course to learn a loving, life-enhancing way to change the way you experience the parts that criticize you. Helps you move forward with more confidence, self-compassion, and inner peace.

All inner critics have a powerful secret. They’re really just trying to save your life.


― Ann Weiser Cornell & Barbara McGavin

What People Are Saying About Healthy Boundaries…

I’ve never felt more resourced and resilient! 

“Prior to this course, I often found myself stuck in a never-ending battle with a monstrous Inner Critic who tirelessly blamed me, shamed me, and judged me. It was brutal and exhausting! I signed up for this course hoping for even the slightest bit of relief. And, just one day into the course, I began to experience more relief than I thought possible. Ann’s bite-size teachings combined with her skillfully guided practices created a seismic shift and lasting change. I’ve never felt more resourced and resilient! As a result, I’m living more fully and daring more greatly.”
Lauren Taub Cohen

Opens the door to more freedom!

“Before I took the course, recognizing the various ways the inner critic can show up was my biggest challenge. But… I didn’t know that until I took the course! Now, I can recognize manifestations of the inner critic more readily. That opens the door to valuable inner work and transformation…and more freedom!”
Charles Herr

Offers practical ways to easily shift unhappy things we do to ourselves 

“I am immeasurably grateful for the ease Focusing brings to my life! Before this course, I wasted so much of my vitality spinning in place trying to get away from the Inner Critic. It left me feeling exhausted and defeated. Now, two big things have shifted: 1) The other day the Inner Critic sent me some frightening images (of what might happen). Because of this course, I was able to notice the images and thank my Inner Critic for trying to help me. I could listen to it, heed the warning it was offering, and take the steps needed to protect myself. 2) I used to worry a lot about whether or not I was liked. Now, I recognize there are people who don’t like me and that’s OK. I have enough loving people in my life. This course offers practical ways to easily shift unhappy things we do to ourselves when we’re caught up in the Inner Critic.“
Katharine L.

The most valuable focusing class I have ever taken

“This is the most valuable focusing class I have ever taken. I didn’t realize how devastating inner critic attacks were to my ongoing sense of well-being. Not only do I know that now, but I’ve also learned effective ways of being with this worried part of me. My life has changed dramatically as a result. I’m immensely grateful. Before the course, my life was often in the pits, I was discouraged about ever being able to attend groups comfortably. Now, I know my inner critic was instrumental in causing these feelings AND my relationship with my inner critic has changed dramatically. Instead of attacking me, I would now say it gives me a warning, letting me know it’s worried about something. And I’m able to listen to it and let it know I understand its worries. It’s wonderful to know an inner critic “attack” isn’t going to send me down the tube for a long stay. I’m very very happy about all this!”
C.L.

Transformational!

“Before the course, I was often vacillating between feeling like I was incapable of accomplishing goals and that I was a failure for not accomplishing goals. And that left me feeling powerless, anxious, frozen, and depressed. Now, I know how to be compassionate to both those parts of myself (the one who feels incapable and the one who feels like a failure), while also separating my present self from them, so that I am free to start actually working toward the life I want. Working with the inner critic is transformational!“
Jackie S.

I discovered the positive intent of inner critics

“I am blown away by the power of this material. Before the course, I was stuck with an inner critic that hounded me 24/7 which left me feeling hopeless and exhausted, yet still sensing that ‘there must be a better way to live.’ In the course, I discovered the positive intent of inner critics; that ‘I’ am more than the inner critic; that the inner critic ‘speaks’ through body sensations and feelings as well as voices and images; that the inner critic has much wisdom to offer — wisdom that emerges in layers when I listen without attachment. These were huge learnings. On a more specific note, I have lived with a knot in my stomach most of my life, a knot sourced in unprocessed emotions. Nothing I tried alleviated that knot. But during this course, I had many moments where the knot began to release! I am deeply grateful to have ongoing access to the materials because I realize integrating these techniques is a matter of practice. I look forward to re-visiting the lessons again and again.“
Amy Russell

Understanding and accepting inner critics can change so much

“Before the course, there was an important task I couldn’t handle. I couldn’t even move my hand in the direction of the task. I felt anxious, incapable, and completely overwhelmed. Now, I am better able to face the demands of the task and no longer feel totally blocked. It’s still not fun, but at least I’m able to face the challenge. I think it’s so important to get to know your inner critics. Understanding and accepting them can change so much. And even if you’re new to Focusing, this course helps you reevaluate problems and find unexpected access to new solutions. I’d recommend it to anyone.”
Elisabeth K.

Helps greatly reduce emotional fear

“I’ve been working with my inner critics for many years, but now I have a better sense of “Self-in-Presence” and more feedback from my younger parts who have been so terrified, anxious, and lonely. I can hear more from them about what they are not wanting to have happen to me. This helps greatly reduce emotional fear and the “flight response” these parts have used in the past. Before the course, I’d get scary images of what might happen to me or those I loved and I’d feel fearful. Now, the intensity of my emotional reaction to those images has lessened and the images themselves are less scary.”
Ann M.

Worth every minute and every penny 

“Before the course, I was exhausted by my constant inner critic and never really felt good enough despite all my efforts to be perfect. I feel more at peace with myself now. I’m better at allowing all Parts to feel what they feel and being with them instead of wanting them to stop and go away. I’ve known for some time that the ‘critic’ was trying to protect me, but wasn’t aware that the Part that tried to ‘help’ the critic was actually not Self-in-Presence but a Part that wanted to make it better (and therefore couldn’t really accept the worries of the critic). This has been a big shift for me. This course is worth every minute and every penny spent on it!“
Tessa H.

A warm, safe setting that helps you access your own inner resources

“At first, I thought Finding Freedom from Inner Critics wouldn’t get me out of the place where I felt low and despondent because of my inner critic. I couldn’t do things with ease and spontaneity. But the course did work. It helped me see that I was holding my critic at a distance and wasn’t able to really connect with it. I was ignoring it and pushing it away when it was trying to help me. If, like me, you think it seems impossible to shift long-running patterns that seem to be there ‘forever’, do treat yourself to Ann’s help. She’ll gently guide you into a warm, safe setting that helps you access your own inner resources.”
Parimal Barot

Helped me approach my feelings in a new way

“The exercises in the Finding Freedom From Inner Critics course helped me approach my feelings in a new way, giving honor and space to them. I would never have approached my inner critic as something that is worried about me. That has really changed my relationship to this part and helped me see it as ‘not the enemy’. I’d already been practicing Focusing when I found this website. The trainings here are so easy to follow and have helped me explore specific topics or feelings rather than only doing general Focusing where I just see what comes up.”
Carey Patrick Wertz

I can be with whatever needs my presence and empathy

“This course is life-changing. Before the course, when I’d speak up (in class for example), something in me would say, ‘You should never speak up. No one wants to hear from you…’ Now, I can turn towards this something and say, ‘Hello… I’m sensing you might be worried…’ I am able to listen and hear all it has to tell me. I know I’m okay and I can be with whatever needs my presence and empathy. I love the 21-day format! Receiving a lesson every day felt so supportive. Learning to cultivate Self-in-Presence is what I’ve been needing all my life! Thank you!”
L.R.

How This Course Works

Learn Wherever You Like

This course is accessible by computer, tablet, or smart phone. If you can connect to the internet, you can connect to this course!

Be Supported In Your Process!

You won’t be going it alone! You’ll have access to a forum to chat with other students, plus access to Ann for parts where you might feel stuck.

Available at Your Convenience!

Access new content (delivered daily) whenever it works for you. You get lifetime access, so you can revisit the material anytime

Interactive Materials

This course includes a beautiful PDF workbook to help you integrate your learning. There will also be checkpoints during the course to check-in on your progress.

Got Questions? We’ve Got Your Answers…

The great news is that you can take this course whenever it works for you. You get content when you want it, plus lifetime access. No stressing out about being somewhere on time. Way less pressure to move through the material at a pace that might not fit for you. The lessons are compact and set up so that you can do them in small bites or big chunks depending on your learning style and your availability.

No. You’ll have access to the first lesson of the course as soon as you sign up. Every day you’ll get a new lesson released to you. We provide the content in ‘small bites’ like this because taking time to practice the material and move forward in small, consistent steps supports you in making the kinds of changes you really want to make.

Sure. The classroom is virtual. You’ll get access to the course platform right after registering. Materials are provided via a combination of video, audio slideshows, and written content to cover a variety of learning styles. There is a forum so you can connect with other program participants and be part of a dynamic learning community. And you get lifetime access to all of it. Go through it once and come back anytime you need some extra support to handle life!

Thanks for asking. Each course is licensed to a single user – you! While we can’t authorize you to share the materials, we’d love to have your friend participate too. Please feel free to invite them to sign up too!

Your course comes with a 100% money-back guarantee. If you let us know within one year after you purchase the course that we didn’t deliver what we said we would, just ask and we’ll cheerfully refund the full course fee.

No, we’re sorry. Continuing Education Units (CE Credits) are not available for this course. If you need CE Credits, please check out our upcoming live online courses here.

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