Hello, Inner Critic!

A playful guide to talking back kindly

About this workbook

Almost every child I meet has a voice in their head that says things like "I'm not good enough," "I always mess up," or "Nobody likes me." We call it the Inner Critic. It isn't a bad voice, and it isn't the truth. It's a thought, and thoughts can be noticed, named and answered.

The workbook draws on thought defusion, an idea from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Children don't argue with the critic or push it away. They step back and say, "I'm having the thought that..." That gives them a little space between the thought and what they do next. Through games, drawing and silly voices, they learn that a thought is something they have, not something they have to obey.

What's inside (15 pages)

• Who is the Inner Critic? and the Critic Crew (Fortune Teller, Mind Reader, Comparer and more)

• Seven short activities: Name That Thought, Leaves on a Stream, Silly Thoughts Lab, Passengers on the Bus, Unhook Lab, Be Your Own Best Friend, and the Critic Translator

• 16 cut-out Kind Comeback Cards, plus blank cards for children to write their own

• A 7-day practice tracker with stickers and a reflection

For children, parents and teachers

Little and often works best. Two minutes a day is plenty. The steps are simple:

1. Notice it. "What did your critic say today?"

2. Name it. "I'm having the thought that..."

3. Play with it. Use a cartoon voice, sing it, or put it on a leaf.

4. Answer kindly. Use a Kind Comeback Card, or ask, "What would you say to a friend?"

5. Take one small step. The thought can stay. The child carries on with what matters to them.

Don't tell a child their critic is "wrong." Try, "Thanks, critic. I hear you. We're doing it anyway." Sharing your own critic helps too ("Mine says I'll be late!"). Praise the practice ("You noticed it!"), not only the result.

For school counsellors: using it in your practice

I use the workbook as a flexible toolkit. You can build sessions around it in three ways:

• Individual sessions. One page per session works well. Start with pages 2–3 to build a shared language. Then let the child choose an activity. The "Grip-o-meter" and the Unhook Lab give you a simple way to see change from one session to the next.

• Small groups (4–8 children, 6 sessions). Session 1: Who is the Inner Critic? Session 2: the Critic Crew. Sessions 3–5: one playful tool each, such as Leaves, Silly Voices or the Bus. Session 6: Kind Comeback Cards and a celebration. Children enjoy swapping cards and naming their critics together, and it reminds them they are not the only ones.

• Classroom guidance. Choose one activity, such as Name That Thought or the Critic Crew, and use the pages as a short 20-minute lesson or an advisory-period activity.

Some practical points:

• Start with the child's own words. Let them name their critic and choose their own comeback. Cards they write themselves are the ones they keep using.

• Use the tracker as a conversation starter. Look at it together at the start of the next session. Notice what helped, and don't focus on scores.

• Pair it with home. Send the Kind Comeback Cards or the "How to use" tips home so the language is shared with parents and teachers.

• Keep it playful. If an exercise feels heavy for a child, switch to a lighter one. The aim is to hold thoughts more lightly, not to get rid of them.

Scope and referral

This workbook supports everyday emotional skills and early support in a school setting. It doesn't replace assessment or treatment. If a child shows persistent low mood, high anxiety, self-harm, trauma responses, or distress that affects school, sleep or relationships, follow your school's safeguarding and referral procedures and involve parents or guardians and the appropriate mental health professional. Any mention of self-harm should always be taken seriously and escalated right away.