You Are Not Your Inner Critic

Shame whispers that we’re never enough. It disguises itself as self-doubt, criticism, and guilt, holding us hostage to patterns of fear and silence. In this two-part series, Emma Lyons, trauma-informed healer and founder of the Trauma Matrix, reveals why shame persists even after therapy, self-help, and spiritual work—and how we can finally break free.

Through her revolutionary BREAK method, Emma shows us that the inner critic is not part of who we are, but an internalized system of control. These conversations invite us to challenge the cultural lie that shame makes us better people and to step into sovereignty, resiliency, and authentic self-expression.

Featured Episodes

Episode 61: Being Free from Shame’s Grip + Resiliency

Emma shares her personal journey from burnout and depression to uncovering the real culprit behind her suffering: an internalized narcissistic voice. She explains how shame is programmed into us through family systems, culture, and societal expectations, particularly targeting women and marginalized groups.

💬 “Shame is always, always about control, and we’re kind of gaslit into believing that we need a little bit of shame in order to be a good person. And it’s just not true, because shame shuts down empathy.”

Listeners walk away with a fresh perspective on shame as foreign programming rather than truth, and with practical tools from the BREAK framework to begin reclaiming power.

Episode 62: Disarming Your Inner Narcissist + Resiliency

Emma takes the conversation further by exposing the inner critic as a parasite feeding on our energy. She dismantles the harmful advice to befriend shame and instead gives us permission to cut it off completely.

💬 “You don’t owe your inner critic anything – not politeness, not attention, not energy.”

Emma offers powerful tools to stop fueling shame and reclaim our authentic selves, including reframing cultural language that glorifies shame, identifying trauma triggers, and releasing emotional baggage. This is not just about personal freedom—it’s about breaking cycles and modeling resiliency for future generations.

Key Takeaways from Emma’s Story

• Shame Is Control: It masquerades as morality but exists only to suppress and silence.

• The Inner Critic Is Not You: It is a system you’ve internalized, not your authentic voice.

• BREAK Framework: Break the trance, Refuse to engage, Expose the lie, Anchor in your body, Kick it out.

• Language Matters: Words like “shameless” reveal how deeply culture defends shame.

• Healing Ripples Outward: Freeing yourself from shame changes not just your life, but the lives around you.

Proclamations Applied

• Stand Strong Against Challenges: Resisting the inner critic demands courage and determination.

• Make Resilience a Superpower: Disarming shame becomes an act of everyday resiliency.

• Learn through our Journeys: Emma’s path from burnout to healing shows how hardship can reveal truth.

• Turn Challenges into Opportunities: Every encounter with shame is a chance to practice BREAK.

• Build Strong, Supportive Communities: Rejecting shame allows us to connect with others authentically.

• Prioritize Well-Being: Refusing to feed shame is an act of self-care and protection.

• Learn from Setbacks: Instead of being crushed by shame, we can use it as a signal to reclaim power.

• Cultivate Emotional Intelligence and Empathy: Freeing ourselves from shame makes space for empathy to flourish.

• Lead with Integrity and Authenticity: Stepping beyond shame allows us to live in alignment with our values.

• Pursue Knowledge and Self-Improvement: Emma’s BREAK method equips us to actively dismantle shame’s influence.

Ready to silence your inner critic and reclaim your power? Subscribe to the Reignite Resilience newsletter for more tools, stories, and wisdom to help you live shamelessly resilient.

Tools to Resiliency

• Practice BREAK: When shame surfaces, use Emma’s framework to stop, name, and release it.

• Challenge the Language: Notice when shame is disguised as morality in everyday speech.

• Cut Off the Parasite: Refuse to give the inner critic your energy or attention.

• Anchor in the Body: Grounding practices remind you that you are here, real, and not defined by shame.

Shame thrives in silence. Resiliency thrives in truth. Emma’s work reminds us that we are not our inner critics and that we can step into a life beyond shame’s control. May these episodes give you the courage to evict shame from your story and reclaim the shameless, resilient self that has always been yours.

With hope and solidarity,
The Reignite Resilience Team