Ingrid Bowen on how not to decorate a vase with a sickly sweet, Umbridgesque inner critic.

Today I am speaking with Dr Rebecca Ray. She is a clinical psychologist, a mentor, podcaster, professional speaker and an author of 5 books her latest being 'Small Habits for a Big Life'. She's an all round beautiful soul and in this interview she gives a very eloquent (ex) psychologist's perspective on the inner critic. Rebecca describes quite a character as she casts her the inner critic as a bodyless, side of stage voice that appears or at least turns up and can be heard in act 2, with all it's manipulative lines. I loved hearing how she now lives a highly aligned life. A life to make her future, 80 year old self proud and I really resonated with her saying, 'I relentlessly believe in my own potential.' I'm super grateful for your expertise and your time, thank you Dr Rebecca Ray! Find Dr Rebecca Ray ~ Website - https://rebeccaray.com.au Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drrebeccaray/ _ https://www.darlingmillsstudio.com https://www.instagram.com/darling_mills_studio/

In this episode I speak with Artist and Sydney Road Gallery co-founder Fiona Chandler.  She is a watercolour and mixed media artist living on Sydney's Northern Beaches. She speaks of confidence, art and creativity as well as the community she has nurtured through Sydney Road Gallery and the 'Conversations with Creative Women' series.  She surprises me with her inner critic cast as Big Bird's invisible companion, Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street.  Her inner mentor thankfully is not a big yellow bird but rather her intuition hooking into her avid reading and researching skills providing the right answers at the right time. I love that Fiona's advice to quieten the inner critic is consistency and hard work but that you've got to love the work you're making. https://fionakate.com.au/ https://www.instagram.com/fionakatesimplegorgeous/ https://sydneyroadgallery.com/ ~ www.darlingmillsstudio.com

EPISODE 11 ARTIST & ASTROLOGER SARAH BASHA ON HOW INNER CRITICS ARE COSMIC TEACHERS! Isn’t it curious to star gaze and contemplate the symphony of planets chorusing behind our inner critics, our inner wisdom and our entire identities? Sarah explains that the planet Chiron represents the wounded child, Saturn is the ruler of ‘the shoulds’, Virgo is about perfectionism and the moon has it’s cycles of less and more of everything - less energy more energy, less confidence more confidence, less critic more critic. It’s all highly intriguing to me. Like others I’ve interviewed with perfectionist (possibly Virgo) tendencies, in this episode Reese Witherspoon becomes Jacqueline, the cliquish, stuck up school girl inner critic! The counter of which is Rolla the Latina inner mentor who is the delightful and sultry, compassionate, older version of Sarah herself. I love that Sarah said - My inner critic does make me laugh and she does remind me that I love things to be beautiful and well done. It goes to show our inner critics are more than just negative voices - they are cosmic teachers with a dual purpose, that we have free will to harness for the better. They can have us rocking in a dark corner AND they can also push us to create to the best of our abilities. Find Sarah in these places: https://www.sarahbasha.com https://www.instagram.com/sarahbashainovosejt/ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darling_mills_studio/

So far in Casting the Inner Critic, I have been speaking solely with female creatives and in this episode I am rectifying that and chatting with Nick Gill. Nick is a former professional Aussie rules footballer who played for the Adelaide Crows. He is now a breakfast radio presenter on Hit 106.9 in Newcastle, he is also part of a band for kids called the Quokkas. It's catchy music that is all about diversity, inclusivity and basically it is music that makes a difference. Nick talks about his doubtful clump of clay critic called Gak and casts his counter critic as his inner rational, nerdy spreadsheet loving self. Find Nick on instagram, on Hit 106.9 Newcastle and in the Quokkas. www.darlingmillsstudio.com @darling_mills_studio

In this episode I chat with Ros Gervay, she is an abstract painter, teacher, mentor and an all round gorgeous creative spirit, ever inspiring to those around her. After a windy career path marked by "should haves and should bes" she's realised her inner critic 'Stanley', an old well dressed man with round spectacles, needs to be permanently side lined with firm self talk and painting past his judgement. Ros speaks about having a believing mirror as her inner wisdom. Perhaps her older wiser self or the reflection of a most nurturing and supportive friend. So if you're looking for community, Ros offers various free and paid memberships on her website alongside her own art, creative workshops and her podcast called Paint, Rest, Repeat. Ps. Uni was about 20 years ago not 5! Follow Rachel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darling_mills_studio/ View Darling Mills Studio website here! Follow Ros on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ros.gervay.creative/ For Ros’ art please visit https://www.rosgervaycreative.com Ros’ Membership Art for the Heart - for more info please visit: https://www.permissiontopaint.com

Amie McNee is a writer, creativity coach and podcaster.  She is a beautiful soul who I have been following on instagram for some time and loving the gentle and profound encouragement she shares in large hand written notes.  Amie casts her inner critic as her younger self, mostly a petulant teenager but sometimes a scared, fearful and tantruming child.  And she casts the antithesis of this as her inner mother. Her older wiser self, that soothes and mothers her younger persona most often on the pages of her journals where she rewrites any negative language.  She literally erases and replaces what is inside her mind, negative to positive, with a pen and paper! It's so, so clever. If you need a creative pep up I highly recommend the It's Time To Write paid podcast for creatives. You can find Amie in these places: Her website - https://www.amiemcnee.com  Instagram - @inspiredtowrite  Podcasts - It's Time To Write (paid) and Unpublished (free) Thanks for listening!  www.darlingmillsstudio.com

In this episode I am speaking with Anna Kellerman a creative nurturer, a super connector and lateral thinker. She is an artist and a registered clinical art therapist working with both children and adults. She is a lecturer teaching the Bachelor of Art Therapy and the Bachelor of Counselling & Psychotherapy courses at the Ikon Institute of Australia. Anna is the founder of Mama Creatives a thriving community for all types of female creatives - artists, writers, musicians you name it - she supports them and she also has her own podcast called The Creativity Couch. Anna’s inner critic could be described as the popular school girl, a cheerleader, leading her astray with seductive misguidance. Anna talked about how inner critics can be viewed as more than just self loathing it can be fear, rigidity and perfectionism beliefs developed in childhood playing at keeping us safe - and in a box. So we are toeing the line and not taking up space. The inner critic voice can be more than just hateful, unkind language but also a familiar whisper, lulling us into a false sense of comfort with procrastination, unhealthy habits and self gaslighting. In regards to children Anna’s advice is clear and profound. Sit with kids while they create. Create alongside them. Help them co-regulate by just being there and if there is a rupture - work on the repair aspect. After years of doing the work herself so she can be of service to others Anna is the embodiment of her inner mentor. A character who is an older woman - a sparkly, flowy, sexy fairy godmother with wavy curly grey hair dancing and smiling. There were a few points I wanted to repeat because they are so good: Watch out for the seductive whisper of the inner critic - it shows up not just as hateful internal language. Your triggers are your teachers Treat yourself kindly, the way you would a good friend. Allow all feelings to percolate - accept them. Visualise yourself stepping into your big girl boots and embody your inner mentor. Anna also mentions Dan Siegel (accidentally as Dan Siegelman) in the episode. I am really grateful for Anna’s perspective as a creative and a clinical art therapist as it sheds a new light on this subject. Find her @mamacreatives on instagram and at www.mamacreatives.com

Sydney based watercolour artist Ingrid Bowen, talks to us about her Umbridgesque (of Harry Potter) inner critic. This sickly sweet but oh-so-sour negative voice is offset by her own caring, older and wiser self. When Ingrid needs to fill her cup she creates space for self care and seeks creative community. Links ~ On Being ~ Podcast with Mike Rose www.ingridbowen.com.au @ingridbowenart  

Artist Nicole Law tells us about her inner critic - Marge, and also her inner mentors Cotton & Lux. She mentions Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert  &  'Playing Big' by Tara Mohr You can find Nicole on instagram https://www.instagram.com/nicolelaw.au/ and view her website http://www.nicole-law.com

This is my fourth interview this time with abstract artist Alexandra Plim. We talk about her fictitious panel of art institution judges and  how selective rejection amnesia, background media and Harry Potter spells put her inner critics to bed. @alexandraplim and www.alexandraplim.com