critical inner voice

Are You Tricking Yourself Out of Love?

I was once doing a radio show about our (my father, Dr. Robert Firestone, and my) work on the “critical inner voice,” a self-destructive thought process we all possess. The host started the show by talking about all the media attention on terrorism and the fear we, as a nation, were feeling following the attacks… Read more »

Learn More

The Emotional Life of Students: An Interview with Dr. Daniel Zamir

Student counselor, Dr. Daniel Zamir, draws upon his experience working at UCLA’s counseling center and discusses common issues university students seek to address. He touches upon a variety of key topics, including  relationships, anxiety, body image, depression, sexual identity, and stress reduction. [SlideDeck2 id=13141]

Learn More

Student Stress, Pressure and Self-Attacks: Interview with Dr. Daniel Zamir

Dr. Daniel Zamir debunks the thought process of “My grades define where I stand as a human being.” He discusses ways to reduce stress amongst students, as well as ways that students can challenge their Critical Inner Voice.   Debunking the Thought Process, “My grades define where I stand as a human being.” The following… Read more »

Learn More

When Life Becomes a Death Sentence

My brother now exists only in memory, form and features erased from the physical world. I can hear his staccato laugh, recall his smile and remember the tone and cadence of his voice, but I cannot touch him, squeeze his shoulders or even give him a friendly jab on the arm. I cannot ask him… Read more »

Learn More

Stop Self-Sabotage by Conquering Your Inner Critic

I was once doing a radio show about our (my and my father Dr. Robert Firestone’s) work on the “critical inner voice.” The host started the show by talking about all the media attention on terrorism and the fear we, as a nation, were feeling following the attacks of 9/11. She ended her introduction by… Read more »

Learn More

Becoming Your Real Self: Shedding the Baggage of Your Past

“To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.” – Robert Louis Stevenson What gives a person’s life meaning is unique to every individual. At one point or another, most of us find ourselves asking if we are truly living a life that is… Read more »

Learn More

Self-Esteem vs. Narcissism

As a culture, we are highly concerned with self-esteem. And this is a good thing. How we feel about ourselves determines how we treat those around us and vice versa. In 1890, William James identified self-esteem as a fundamental human need, no less essential for survival than emotions such as anger and fear. And yet,… Read more »

Learn More

A New Look at Differentiation

Remaining undifferentiated renders one unable to fully accept the gift of life and, instead, leaves one merely living out the life of another. The Self Under Siege I believe a fundamental question for people to consider is whose life are they living? Are they pursuing the things that really light them up, that matter to… Read more »

Learn More

What’s Behind Emotional Overeating?

Last month, Michelle Obama made a special guest appearance on the long-running hit TV show, The Biggest Loser. I’d heard about the show’s premise: contestants who struggle with obesity and often face serious health risks relocate to a fitness ranch, where together they learn about nutrition, diet, and exercise, while competing to lose weight. But… Read more »

Learn More

Breaking Free from Addiction

I must admit, I was curious as to why my sister was sitting me down to show me a recording of a dance she’d seen on a popular TV show.I watched, a bit skeptically, as the choreographer explained how she wanted the contemporary dance to symbolize a person’s struggle with addiction. The upbeat intro showed… Read more »

Learn More