Chairwork Inner Critic Interview (Empty Chair Technique)

In this video I will explain how to use Transformational Chairwork to conduct an inner critic diagnostic interview. The diagnostic interview can help establish the fears and vulnerabilities which may be driving the inner critic to attack. It's basically a semi-structured interview which takes inspiration from Gestalt psychotherapy, the Voice Dialogue approach, Internal Family Systems Therapy and Schema Therapy.

🔵 CHAPTERS

0:00 Demonstration of the inner critic diagnostic interview
3:06 How to safety end and aid separation

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🔵 INNER CRITIC DIAGNOSTIC INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

☐ May I speak with you?
☐ Who are you?
☐ Do you have a name?
☐ What do you look like?
☐ When did you first come into (client) life?
☐ What is your reason for being here?
☐ In what kind of situations do you tend to come out?
☐ What do you want?
☐ What do you need?
☐ What are your goals for (client)?
☐ How are you helping (client)?
☐ How are you harming (client)?
☐ What are you most afraid of?
☐ Did someone hurt you?
☐ Did someone frighten you?
☐ Who loved you?
☐ What do you most like about (client)?
☐ What makes you angry about (client)?
☐ What makes you sad about (client)?
☐ What would happen if you were not here?
☐ If there was one thing that you wanted (client) to know, what would it be?

It’s really important the therapist safely ends the interview and facilitates the clients separation from her inner critic. I would suggest the therapist thanks the inner critic and then invites the client to return to their former chair, this aids a sense of separation. The therapist should then check in with the client, asking how they feel and make sure they are fully grounded.

I want to draw your attention to the fact the therapist is not challenging or trying to change the inner critic. The diagnostic interview is conducted from a place of curiosity and compassion. Via this process the therapist is also building a relationship with the inner critic and letting it know that it’s welcome in therapy room

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🔵 ABOUT TERESA LEWIS

Teresa Lewis is the founder and Director of Lewis Psychology and a Senior Accredited psychotherapist with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP Snr. Accred). Qualified in 1995, Teresa has been providing counselling and psychotherapy treatment for nearly 30 years. Teresa holds a masters degree in counselling and psychotherapy and is a qualified EMDR Practitioner having completed training accredited with EMDR Europe. Teresa is also a qualified adult educator and an accredited Mindfulness teacher As a recognised expert in her field Teresa is frequently asked to conduct editorial reviews and endorse counselling and psychotherapy books for international publishing houses.

🔵 GRAPHICS AND THUMBNAIL

#LewisPsychology

[aster_xx]

Your videos have been exceptionally helpful to me as a therapist in training. Did the empty chair in session with a client following your tips, and we had a really fruitful discussion! Really appreciate the way you break down concepts in an easy to understand manner :)

[andreabroomfiled]

Really informative video as usual. So helpful.Thank you.

[come.tothinkoffit]

My god this video is amazing and so well done. Hope you're well Teresa 😊

[hughtube]

Would love to see your video of how you interview the more punitive demonic critic one day :)

[SusanaXpeaceu]

Interesting. I seem to believe that my critical inner voice is a thing of the past. And mostly it is! but sometimes I get this disappointed in myself feeling. It's really uncomfortable but i can rationally recognise that the thing that's making me uncomfortable is not a huge big deal.

[come.tothinkoffit]

A video on People pleasing would be great if you haven't done one already.

[hannabio]

I would be really happy if you would do a video about self-hate! 😢
Sometimes I feel like "inner critic" and self-hate are not the same things at all...

Or maybe you can share your experience with "killer critic" in your job?

[PRGME]

Can you do a video on interviewing/whatever you do with a killer critic?

[Bichonfrise]

Can you make video on BPD self harm please.

[munkiechatchat]

In schema therapy the (chair of the) inner critic is send away (outside the therapist’s) room. This seems different from the Gestalt / EFT perspective?

[emekdenizdemirci]

Inner critic is you being your own enemy. So harmful.