What are the internal critical parent and the internal loving parent?

What are the internal critical parent and the internal loving parent?

Through recovery work and therapy, ACoAs become familiar with their internal dialogue and the way that they speak to themselves. Often, they begin to identify an internal critical parent voice that can be abusive, demeaning, and perfectionistic.

This is the voice that is often bossing the wounded inner child part around, repeating the cycle of hurt, pain, fear, self-doubt, and negativity. The ACoA becomes so used to this dialogue that they feel this is who they actually are.

Over time, the ACoA can begin to identify with a more loving, kind, patient and flexible inner loving parental voice. The ACoA may need to be exposed to kind voices in meetings, in therapy and in other supports to start to internalize this other part, especially if there has been no reference for this frame. This is the voice/part that will eventually show the inner childcare, allowing the child part to be free, have fun, be creative and playful, and get his/her needs met. Aspects of therapy may also work with dialoging between these two parts and offering healing through visualization or creative means to heal the inner wounded child.