Mind Matters: Taming the Inner Critic (PSK2DEC26a)

This session explores the concept of the “inner critic” and how self-critical thinking can develop in response to training, expectations and past experiences. We will consider how the inner critic can influence confidence, decision-making, learning and responses to feedback.

The session will introduce practical approaches to recognising and responding to self-critical thoughts, including developing more balanced internal dialogue and reducing unhelpful thinking patterns.

The session is interactive and reflective in style, using a combination of brief teaching, guided reflection and discussion. It is suitable for all doctors in training and does not require prior knowledge.

Booking courses

Please ensure that you check your availability before booking a place and add the booking to your diary / calendar. Please ensure that you also book the relevant study leave in advance with your employer.

Please refrain from booking multiple instances of the same course or course type to ensure that places are available to your colleagues. If a course is full, please add yourself to the waiting list and you will receive a notification if a place becomes available.

Joining Instructions

This is a virtual course, the joining instructions for the virtual meeting will be added to the documents section (above) before the course. Please ensure that you are able to access this before the course so that you are ready to join on the day.

Booking cancellation

Participants must make every effort to attend courses they have booked. If your availability changes after booking, please cancel your place through Maxcourse as soon as possible. This will release the place for colleagues on the waiting list.

If you need to cancel within 1 week of the course or the course has started and you are not able to attend, please email england.lsfdcourses.yh@nhs.net to give your apologies

This course is only available to General Practice and Higher Specialty trainees, and SAS Doctors within Yorkshire and the Humber.

Mandatory: Dentist, or Doctor, or Public Health Professional

To support doctors in training to understand and manage self-critical thinking, and develop more balanced and supportive internal responses.

This course will: 

• Introduce the concept of the inner critic and its key features. 
• Explore how self-critical thinking develops and is reinforced in medical training. 
• Examine the impact of the inner critic on confidence, performance and wellbeing. 
• Provide opportunities for guided reflection on individual thinking patterns (optional). 
• Introduce practical strategies to respond to and manage self-critical thoughts. 
• Explore how to develop more balanced and supportive internal dialogue.

After this course, delegates will be able to: 

• Understand the concept of the inner critic and its relevance in medical training. 
• Recognise patterns of self-critical thinking in themselves (if applicable). 
• Understand the impact of the inner critic on confidence, performance and wellbeing. 
• Reflect on their own internal dialogue and identify opportunities for change (if applicable). 
• Apply practical strategies to respond to self-critical thoughts in a more balanced and supportive way.