Negative Thoughts Happen: How to Find Your Inner Ally When Your Inner Critic Shows Up

by Diana M. Garcia MS, LMHC

Overview

Tell your inner critic to take a back seat, so you can start feeling more calm, confident, and kickass!

Negative self-talk can feel like an ever-present roommate who insists on giving you unsolicited opinions about every aspect of yourself— including your worth, appearance, personality, and life choices. Have you ever wondered where this annoying inner critic comes from? And more importantly, can you make it go away? Unfortunately, no matter what you do, negative thoughts will happen. It’s simply how our brains are wired. But you can change the way you respond to these thoughts.

This take-anywhere, use-anytime guide offers quick, simple, and evidence-based skills drawn from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you make peace with your inner frenemy. You’ll discover what drives these negative thoughts, why it’s important to listen to them—yes, you read that right, listen—and how to put them in perspective so you can go back to the things that really matter in your life.

You never know when negative thoughts will show up, crash your party, cramp your style, and get in the way of living your best life. But once you learn how to respond to this negative inner chatter, you’ll be able to turn the volume down and listen to your true inner voice—your inner ally—more clearly, and use it as a compass throughout your day.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781648482250
Publisher:	New Harbinger Publications
Publication date:	12/01/2023
Pages:	200
Sales rank:	657,883
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.00(h) x 0.44(d)

About the Author

Diana M. Garcia, MS, LMHC, is a licensed therapist in Florida, and founder and owner of the private practice, Nurturing Minds Counseling. In her practice, Garcia helps stressed-out people feel calm, confident, and kick-ass in their daily lives. Additionally, she works with couples who are struggling to communicate and seeking to rekindle their connection. Garcia has been working in the field since 2013 in various roles, including primary therapist at various treatment centers and, most recently, as director of counseling services at a local university. She is fortunate to be a Certified Daring Way Facilitator, and is a member of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.
 

Editorial Reviews

Negative thoughts are a universal experience for every person on the planet, and it’s a natural part of being human. However, our self-criticism can hinder us from living the life we desire. If you’re looking for ways to cope with your inner critic, I highly recommend this book. It provides practical and engaging tips, strategies, and exercises to help you strengthen your inner ally.” 
—Joe Oliver, coauthor of The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Self Esteem, and founder of Contextual Consulting
 

Joe Oliver

There is not a human alive who has failed to be tormented at times by their inner critic. This kind and gentle book walks into the persistent self-doubt many of us grapple with and shows how the inner critic works, while offering transformative insights and tools grounded in ACT for finding an inner ally that will change your relationship to the negative thoughts that hound you. For anyone feeling ensnared by negative self-talk and seeking meaningful, brave living, this book is a must-read. Dive in, reflect, and experiment. These pages contain a path to a life well-lived, beyond the confines of that inner bully.” 
—Steven C. Hayes, PhD, Nevada Foundation Professor in the department of psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno; and co-originator of ACT

Steven C. Hayes

If you have ever experienced negative self-talk (and I bet you have!), then this is the book you’ve been waiting for. With empathy and wisdom, it reassures you that there’s nothing wrong with you, and offers tangible tools to break free from the grip of your inner critic. Prepare to embark on a transformative journey toward a life filled with self-compassion and the fulfillment of your dreams.” 
—Rikke Kjelgaard, psychologist, author, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer, and chief ‘rock’n’roller’ at www.rikkekjelgaard.com
 

Rikke Kjelgaard

A must-read for human beings! Negative Thoughts Happen is a simple, straightforward guide to changing your relationship with negative thoughts. Filled with engaging and powerful exercises, it offers genuinely helpful guidance aimed at helping you build new relationships with your thoughts. Negative thoughts can feel like a burden to bear, but Diana Garcia’s relatable, conversational tone offers real hope for lightening that burden.” 
—Miranda Morris, PhD, clinical psychologist, peer-reviewed ACT trainer, cofounder of True North Therapy and Training, and past president of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science

Miranda Morris

An invaluable resource for those seeking to live a more meaningful life by changing the relationship you have with the negative thoughts residing in your head, aka, your ‘inner critic!’ As a psychology professor and psychotherapist, I highly recommend this empowering book. Through insightful guidance and effective strategies from ACT, it equips readers with practical tools—increasing awareness, flexibility, and values-driven behavior that leads to a rich, meaningful life.” 
—Lisa Arango, psychology professor at Florida International University, psychotherapist for more than twenty years, and creator of the Happy Marriage Formula

Lisa Arango

11/01/2023

For those who have an inner critic inside their head that is always chiming in, Garcia takes her years of experience as a therapist and uses concepts and skills from acceptance and commitment therapy to help readers deal with those negative thoughts. Instead of proffering the usual positive affirmations found in other self-help texts, Garcia helps users evaluate and get to the root of their negative thoughts. She also provides suggestions for handling these thoughts and listening to one's inner ally. Garcia provides great insight into how the mind works, how negative thoughts can be useful, and what skills to develop to change one's responses. Easy to read with a personal feel and relatable examples, the book is split into two parts and features a table of contents and a references section; each chapter ends with helpful reflection exercises that explore the chapter's lessons. VERDICT This is a good book for those interested in self-help, psychology, and guided exercises to gain new insights about themselves.—Bridgette Whitt

Library Journal