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When Your Inner Critic Won't Shut Up: Learning to Soften the Voice Inside
Not fixing what's broken, but discovering what becomes possible when you meet yourself with understanding instead of force.
Stefan Jurgens
Jan 134 min read
The Problem With New Year’s Resolutions (And a Kinder Way Forward)
Change doesn’t begin with pressure. It begins with emotional safety.
Stefan Jurgens
Dec 31, 20254 min read
Your Inner Voice Shapes Your Future: Mindful Self-Talk Tips
The language we use shapes how we interpret the world. Adding "yet" to thoughts like "I haven't reached my goals yet" shifts from self-criticism to possibility. Replace "I can't handle this" with "This feels hard, but I can take one step at a time." Speak to yourself with the same respect you'd offer a friend. Small changes in self-talk build resilience and emotional balance.
Stefan Jurgens
Oct 20, 20254 min read
Moving Forward with Healing, Humour, and Self-Compassion
Moving forward is about choosing compassion, shifting focus, and allowing humour to lighten life’s weight. Healing begins with connection and grows through trust in the life waiting ahead. | Inner Counsel Psychotherapy
Stefan Jurgens
Sep 29, 20253 min read
Feeling Unjustly Treated? How to Cope and Stay Grounded
This post explores how to cope with unfair treatment by naming emotions, pausing before reacting, and protecting your peace, helping you stay grounded and move forward with clarity and self-respect. | Inner Counsel Psychotherapy
Stefan Jurgens
Sep 25, 20254 min read
Tired of the Same Old Story? How to Rewrite Your Negative Self-Narrative
Explore how to notice and challenge negative self-narratives. Learn practical steps to gently rewrite your inner story, build self-compassion, and cultivate confidence, mindfulness, and personal freedom in daily life. | Inner Counsel Psychotherapy
Stefan Jurgens
Sep 22, 20254 min read
Reflections To Calm Your Mind & Enrich Your Life — Part 1/2
Here are five gentle reminders to help you step out of that loop and move through life with more ease.
Stefan Jurgens
Sep 11, 20253 min read
Five Gentle Truths for When Life Feels Heavy — Part 1/2
Five gentle truths about rest, worth, and boundaries. Learn to distinguish exhaustion from laziness, see rest as an investment, claim inherent worth, set healthy boundaries, and protect your energy. | Inner Counsel Therapy
Stefan Jurgens
Sep 2, 20253 min read
Small Acts, Big Impact: Daily Tools for Sustainable Rest
This final post in the Permission to Pause series offers practical, science-backed micro-practices to make rest and self-compassion a sustainable, guilt-free part of daily life.
Stefan Jurgens
Aug 4, 20253 min read
Meeting Your Tiredness with Kindness: The RAIN of Self-Compassion
Discover RAIN, Tara Brach’s self-compassion practice to meet exhaustion and self-criticism with kindness. Recognise, Allow, Investigate, and Nurture your way to inner refuge. | Inner Counsel Therapy
Stefan Jurgens
Jul 28, 20253 min read
Understanding Your Inner Critic with Compassion
Part 2/4 of "The Permission to Pause" Series - Discover how your inner critic forms, why it intensifies under pressure, and how to shift your relationship with it. Learn to replace judgment with curiosity and self-compassion.
Stefan Jurgens
Jul 21, 20253 min read
It’s OK To Feel Tired: Your Exhaustion is Valid
Part 1/4 of "The Permission to Pause" Series - Your exhaustion isn't laziness. It's your body/mind signaling need. Validate physical fatigue, emotional drain & longing. Silence the inner critic. Rest is valid.
Stefan Jurgens
Jul 14, 20253 min read
A Practical Cure for Overthinking
Overthinking drains joy, but peace comes through presence, not perfection. Question thoughts, contain worry, let them pass & take small actions. Be kind to yourself. You are not your anxious mind. When Enough Was Enough: My Practical Response You know that mental treadmill of replaying conversations or stressing about deadlines? I burned years there, exhausting myself on regret loops and imaginary problems that solved nothing. Finally, I tried something practical: When a worr
Stefan Jurgens
Jun 5, 20252 min read
Your Inner Voice, Your Choice
Understand how your inner voices shape mental health. Learn to reframe negative self-talk, embrace self-compassion, and reclaim control. Practical tips for transforming inner dialogue into a source of strength. A friend once told me, “It’s great to have someone listen. I spend all day listening to myself.” Their comment stuck with me because it nails the constant inner chatter we all experience: bursts of optimism, nagging doubts, and that critical voice which bleats, “You’r
Stefan Jurgens
May 26, 20254 min read
On Making Mistakes: Why Falling Forward is Part of Being Human
Mistakes aren’t failures, they’re feedback. Embracing them fosters growth, authenticity, and resilience. Celebrate the stumbles; they’re proof you’re moving forward. Growing up, adults fretted, ‘Stefan makes so many mistakes.’ But those ‘mistakes’ were just me learning: climbing bridges, wearing questionable outfits, jamming badly on musical instruments. Those messy moments became my compass, nudging me toward trusting myself over others’ checklists for ‘doing life right.’
Stefan Jurgens
May 19, 20252 min read
We Wear Some Scars, Others Wear Us
Scars, particularly emotional ones, are narratives of survival and growth. By honouring them, we reclaim our power, transforming hidden pain into bridges of connection, growth, and wisdom. When I was a young boy, I fell on broken glass that was hidden in long grass. That scar is still with me, decades later. It felt like a crisis then. Now, it's just part of me. It seems smaller now, not because it was insignificant, but because I’ve grown around it. That scar, like others on
Stefan Jurgens
May 15, 20252 min read
The Beauty of Imperfect: Embracing Our Flaws
The Floorboards That Taught Me A Lesson This weekend I scrubbed our old veranda floorboards. Seasons of rain, sun, and neglect had faded the wood's original warmth, leaving behind a muted, etched surface. As layers of grime disappeared, some stubborn stains remained. And amongst those deep-set discolorations were loads of cracks and weathered grooves. “What a mess,” I thought. Stepping back, I took it all in and reconsidered my perspective. The deck wasn’t meant to look perfe
Stefan Jurgens
May 12, 20252 min read
Turning Obstacles into Opportunities: Embracing Our Power to Shape Our Experiences
Life has a way of surprising us. Plans fall apart, relationships shift, and things don’t always go the way we expect. It’s easy to feel stuck or defeated in those moments. But here’s something important to remember: While we can’t control everything that happens, we do have control over how we respond. And, honestly, we’re the experts when it comes to ourselves. Sometimes, just a small shift in how we look at things can make all the difference. Think about it: you're trying
Stefan Jurgens
Jan 20, 20254 min read
Navigating Life, Embracing Change
Choice is the expression of change. It’s through our choices that we embrace the transformations life offers. For busy professionals, navigating choices can feel overwhelming when balanced against demanding careers and personal responsibilities. Psychotherapy offers tools to clarify priorities, overcome self-doubt, and foster growth in ways that align with both personal and professional aspirations. Your past experiences influence your viewpoint, but they don't have to define
Stefan Jurgens
Jan 13, 20252 min read
Looking for insight, guidance, or practical strategies to navigate life’s challenges?
This blog offers tools from therapy to help you manage burnout, heal from past wounds, and explore personal growth. You’ll find posts designed to foster emotional wellness, resilience, and a deeper connection with yourself and others.
Welcome to your journey toward self-discovery and meaningful change.
A Reminder: The content on this site is for general informational purposes only and is not medical or therapeutic advice. It does not create a therapeutic relationship. For diagnosis or treatment, consult a licensed mental health professional.
Inner Counsel Psychotherapy Blog
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