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Gavin HamnettMS, LMHC
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The voice that is never satisfied

Therapy for adults in New York who are tired of being their own harshest judge.

Request a free consultation
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Who This Is For

You finish a project and only see the flaws. You replay a conversation from three days ago. Someone compliments you, and a voice inside says they don't know the real story. Most of the people I see would never speak to a friend the way they speak to themselves.

Many of them are high achievers, artists, and people building something of their own. The critic may have pushed them forward for a while. Now it is costing more than it gives.

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What We Work On

  • Perfectionism

    Work that never feels finished or good enough to share.

  • Replaying mistakes

    Going over the same moment again and again, looking for what you did wrong.

  • Comparison

    Measuring yourself against everyone else and always coming up short.

  • Shame

    The quiet sense that something about you is wrong at the core.

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How I Work With the Inner Critic

I don't try to argue the critic down. In Hakomi work, we slow down and get curious about it. What happens in your body when it speaks? How old does that voice feel? Often it sounds like someone from long ago, or like a younger you trying to stay safe.

Psychodynamic work helps us understand where the critic learned its lines. As you come to see it as one part of you rather than the whole truth, it tends to loosen its grip. Underneath it is a Self that was never the problem.

More about my approach
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What Sessions Look Like

  1. We talk first

    A free 20 minute phone consultation, so you can get a feel for how I work.

  2. Weekly or every two weeks

    55 minute sessions, in person in Rhinebeck or Hudson, or by telehealth anywhere in New York.

  3. Catching it in real time

    We notice the critic as it shows up in the room, gently and without adding more judgment.

What Can Shift

The goal isn't to become someone who never doubts. It is for the critic to become one quieter voice among many, so there is room for kindness, play, and your own way of doing things.

What I hope for, in the end, is a different inner sentence.

"It's good to be me."

Rates in Brief

Sessions are $160 for 55 minutes. The first step is a complimentary 20 minute phone consultation.

Rates
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Questions People Ask

Won't I lose my edge without the critic?

It's a common fear. What I have seen is that energy and creativity often grow once people stop spending so much of both on attacking themselves.

Where does the inner critic come from?

Often from early experiences of being judged, or from trying hard to be good enough to stay safe. We explore your own version gently, without blaming anyone.

Is this the same as low self esteem?

They are closely related. Whatever we call it, we look at how you treat yourself and where you learned it.

Can we do this work by telehealth?

Yes. I offer telehealth to adults anywhere in New York State, and the mindful part of the work translates well to the screen.

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Start With a Free Consultation

Send me a short message and I'll set up a free 20 minute phone call.

Request a free consultation (845) 532-8336