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Many of us have a voice in our heads that functions like an inner therapist.

The therapist within tells us to regulate negative feelings, not stuff or suppress them.

The therapist within often gets drowned out by conditioned habits of thought and feelings and by bad advice.

At the end of the day, the therapist within tells us to live according to our deeper values.

We all have voices within, however faint they may be, left over from parents, teachers, lovers, and, these days, from the Internet. Many of us have a voice that functions like an inner therapist. At its best, this voice reminds us to improve rather than blame, appreciate rather than complain, connect rather than withdraw, and protect people who matter to us. It reminds us to act according to our deeper values instead of temporary feelings. It urges flexibility instead of rigidity and calls us to become the person, partner, parent, and friend we most want to be.

Unfortunately, the therapist within often gets drowned out by conditioned habits of thought and feelings and by bad advice. The adult brain is replete with biases, automatic responses, and habits that can distort judgment. For this reason, we should not place blind trust in every feeling or conclusion that comes to mind. Instead, we must examine evidence for and against our judgments. The ability to question our........

© Psychology Today