One of the most disorienting parts of trauma healing is noticing that your inner critic gets louder the more progress you make. You do a clearing practice. You have a breakthrough. And then the voice starts. Who do you think you are? This won’t last. You’re not that far along.

This isn’t sabotage. It’s a protection mechanism.

The inner critic developed to keep you small and safe in environments where being too visible, too joyful, or too yourself felt dangerous. As you heal, that part of you gets louder because it’s scared. The changes are real, and to the part of you that learned safety through contraction, real change feels like a threat.

Kundalini Yoga helped me build a different kind of relationship with that voice. Instead of arguing with it or trying to silence it, I learned to notice it without believing it. The breathwork created enough space that I could hear the critic without becoming it.

What’s been most powerful is practicing with others who understand this dynamic. Witnessing someone else move through the same spiral and come out the other side is more healing than any amount of solo affirmations.

Ready to do this work in community? Harmony Within is a membership for women and 2SLGBTQIA+ people who are ready to come home to themselves — through Kundalini Yoga, nervous system repair, and honest community that actually holds you. Explore Harmony Within here.