Building Your Inner Coach

Building Your Inner Coach

You might find this helpful if...

• your inner voice is often harsh, critical, or impossible to satisfy
• you find it much easier to show compassion to other people than to yourself
• you replay mistakes long after they have happened
• you struggle with shame, perfectionism, or feeling that you are never quite enough
• you would like to develop a kinder, steadier relationship with yourself without pretending everything is okay

This resource won't tell you to silence your inner critic

For many people, the inner critic developed for a reason. It often began as an attempt to protect us from rejection, failure, or disappointment. This is not a resource about forcing positive thinking or getting rid of that voice.

Instead, it gently helps you to:

• understand the difference between the inner critic and the inner coach
• notice the messages your inner critic repeats most often
• begin developing a more compassionate, balanced inner voice
• use a simple two-colour writing exercise to make the two voices easier to recognise
• practise responding to self-criticism with honesty, care, and self-honour rather than judgement

There is no right way to complete it, and no expectation that your inner critic disappears overnight. It is simply an invitation to begin noticing that another voice is possible.

What's included

Printable A4 PDF resource and worksheet

• A gentle explanation of the inner critic and inner coach
• Guidance on using the two-colour reflection method
• A structured worksheet to explore both voices
• Reflection prompts to help strengthen your inner coach over time

This resource may be helpful if you're experiencing...

• self-criticism
• shame
• perfectionism
• low self-worth
• anxiety
• burnout
• people-pleasing
• difficulties practising self-compassion

This resource is not...

• a substitute for therapy
• a crisis resource
• a diagnostic tool
• about pretending difficult feelings do not exist
• about replacing every critical thought with a positive one
• something you have to complete perfectly or all at once

You are welcome to work through it at your own pace, return to it whenever you need it, or use it alongside a counsellor if that feels helpful.

Created with compassion

Every Place to Talk Therapies resource is built around the same belief:

Change rarely begins with finding the perfect answer. More often, it begins with enough safety to become curious about your own experience. That means there are no perfect answers inside these pages, only gentle invitations to notice, reflect, and understand yourself a little more.

Licence

This purchase includes a personal use licence, for your own individual use. It is not licensed for use with clients, students, or within a professional practice. This resource may not be shared, resold, redistributed, copied, edited, rebranded, or uploaded elsewhere. If you are a practitioner and would like to use this resource with clients, a practitioner version with a suitable licence is available in our Practitioner Resources collection.

Disclaimer

The resources available in this shop are therapeutic tools intended to support professional practice and personal reflection. They are most safely used alongside the support of a qualified therapist, counsellor, GP, or healthcare professional. They do not constitute therapy, clinical advice, diagnosis, or a substitute for professional mental health support. Purchasing and using this resource does not create a therapeutic relationship with Place to Talk Therapies or any of its practitioners.

If you are in crisis, please contact your GP, call 999, go to A&E, or call Samaritans on 116 123.

Price and Fees

Prices shown are set by Place to Talk Therapies and do not include any transaction or processing fees applied by Payhip

Refunds

As this is a digital download that becomes available immediately after purchase, refunds are not available once your purchase is complete.