253. Understanding Your Inner Critic (And How to Respond) with Dr. Jeanne Catanzaro

“I want to offer you a perspective shift when it comes to your inner a-hole voice. What if that voice and even your struggles with food are not actually the problem? What if they are trying to help you?”

What if your inner critic isn’t the enemy, but a protective part of you? In this episode, I’m joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Jeanne Catanzaro to explore how Internal Family Systems (IFS) can help you understand the different “parts” driving your thoughts and behaviors around food. We unpack why dieting can feel safe even when it’s not serving you, and how to replace self-criticism with curiosity and compassion so you can break free from old cycles and build a healthier, more supportive relationship with yourself.

What You’ll Learn:

• Where your inner critic really comes from, and why it’s so loud about food and body
• Why dieting and controlling food can serve as coping mechanisms (and what they’re trying to protect you from)
• How the tug of war between food freedom and restriction happens inside, and why it actually makes sense
• Steps to start responding to your inner critic with curiosity and compassion rather than shame
• What it means (and looks like) to approach your relationship with food differently, so you can finally break the cycle

Resources:

• Jeanne's book, Unburdened Eating: An Internal Family Systems Approach to Healing Your Relationships with Food and Your Body
• Jeanne's Website
• IFS Institute
• Episode 220, How Tracking Macros Turned Toxic for Jamie (and the food freedom she finally found!)
• Grab the Hunger & Fullness Scale Guide at DietCultureRebel.com/hungerfullnessscale and take your next step toward building trust with your body and food.
• Connect with me over on Instagram at @diet.culture.rebel.

Struggling with food, but not sure where to start?

You don’t have to feel 100% ready to get support. If you're tired of obsessing over food or feeling stuck in the diet cycle, my team of Registered Dietitians is here to help. We offer one-on-one nutrition counseling—and we accept insurance! Spots are limited, so head to https://dietculturerebel.com/insurance to see if we’re covered in your state and learn how to get started.