A way of working with critters

Softly blurred figure standing looking into distance, with blurred feather shapes around them
Softly blurred figure
Julia Fry
2026

There are moments when our bodies speak louder than words, carrying messages that link us to our lineage, emotions, and unseen energies. Recently, something happened that reminded me of how intertwined body and psyche truly are — how even invisible critters, as Richard Schwartz calls them, can find their way into our awareness.

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Can we trust Gremlins, Inner Critics, Saboteurs and Critters?

Befriending the Voices Inside

Abstract art of inner parts emerging through creative expression, symbolising acceptance in therapy.
Inner Selves
Julia Fry
2026

Anxiety is often spoken about as a problem to be fixed, medicated, or mindset-hacked away. Yet in the therapy room and in my own life, anxiety has shown up as something more complex: a protective part, a messenger from deeper hurt, and sometimes a sign that something stranger is moving through the nervous system. In this article, I share my journey with gremlins, inner critics, parts-work and “critters”, and how creativity and compassion help us move from fighting ourselves to befriending what lives inside.

This is written for anyone who feels hijacked by anxiety or critical voices and is curious about a gentler, more creative way of relating to them.

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Words are Magic Spells for Our Nervous Systems

Discover how self-talk acts as magic spells on your nervous system. Reframe struggles, soothe inner critics, and embrace self-compassion this Christmas.

I draw on my breath and the overflowing love that constantly pumps through my heart – healing me, loving me unconditionally, giving me energy in surprising ways. 

Words are magic spells. 

Words as magic spells healing the nervous system through self-compassion
Julia Fry (2022)
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The Inner Critic Hides a Wounded Child

I am so very grateful to Julia Cameron, writer of The Artist’s Way. In that book she taught me to give space to the inner critic by writing down what it says and then turn each phrase around.

My Heart Sings (2020)
Collage, colour pencils
20 x 14 cm
Julia Fry
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Kind Communication With Yourself

Image courtesy of Jotform.

Paying Attention to Your Inner Voice

How we talk to ourselves has a direct relationship to how we feel and what we do. This has been documented in psychological research (see references below) and there is a correlation between self criticism and feeling crap. You can see for yourself how true this is by paying attention to your inner voice. If your inner voice is hard to notice at first in daily life, you could pick an activity that you’d like to be able to do well, but haven’t clocked up the hours yet to be able to do well in it. It could be drawing or painting or parkour, for example.

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