Coaching Services

BEFRIEND YOUR INNER CRITIC

Stay tuned for future workshop announcements.

Are you constantly wrestling with your Inner Critic? You know, that nasty voice that says you’re not good enough. Or talented enough. Or compares yourself to others. Or expects nothing but perfection. 

Maybe your voice says, You’re so undisciplined, unmotivated, lazy. You can’t seem to get started or stick with any goals. And if you do start something, you never finish it. What’s the point of trying? You’re a failure. 

Your Inner Critic can feel like your enemy! Wouldn’t you love to be friends instead? Now you can. Through specialized individual and group coaching for writers and other creatives (artists, musicians, designers), you will get the knowledge, encouragement, and incisive feedback you need to befriend that part of you—and to free up the energy to pursue your dreams.

Together, we will . . .

► identify your personal goals and aspirations for your creative life, no matter how modest or ambitious. 

► activate the voice of your Inner Critic with curiosity and compassion—listening closely and without judgment to what it has to say and why. 

► work deeply and constructively on understanding and overcoming your internal and external obstacles.

► create a highly individualized, structured plan for working with your Inner Critic on your own.

► set realistic, but challenging, goals to keep you focused, motivated, productive, and accountable. 

As your coach and partner, I draw on decades of experience as a writer, editor, writing coach, musician, and psychotherapist. I share skills and strategies I’ve learned from cognitive-behavioral theory; positive psychology principles; mindfulness and self-compassion research; and the Internal Family Systems model, which isolates different parts of ourselves in a holistic way. 

About Me and My Inner Critic 

When I was 14, I wrote in my diary, “I have talent but no incentive.” Creative ideas fired in my brain constantly—I wanted to write novels, poems, essays, stories, a Broadway musical. But many ideas fizzled as I struggled to manage other challenges, like, say, adolescence. My Inner Critic's loudest message was, "If you can't do it perfectly, why bother starting?" 

As an adult, I've published occasionally. I also excelled at distracting, avoiding, and postponing. Deep inside, I longed to nurture and prioritize my writer self! So, in my late 50s, with my existential clock ticking (and after a few life-coaching sessions), I went back to school to get an MFA in creative writing at Lesley University. It was a wonderful, immersive, soul-validating experience. Along the way, I gained new skills, support, accountability, and a fabulous community. 

Since then, I’ve published two books and numerous literary essays and op-eds. Although my Inner Critic is still active, we have a different, healthier relationship. I know its tricks and intentions—to protect me from failure or rejection. But it’s an ongoing process, requiring attention and nurturing—as well as staying connected with others on the same path.

ARE YOU READY TO BEGIN? 

If you’re ready to befriend your Inner Critic and make a commitment to your creative self, email me at deborahsosin@gmail.com to schedule a free 20-minute Zoom or phone consultation to discuss your needs and goals. Daytimes (ET) preferred, including some weekends. All coaching takes place virtually. 

Payment options: Venmo, Zelle, or personal check. 

MENU AND RATES 

1:1 Single Sessions

► $150 per 45-minute session; frequency TBD.

1:1 Multi-Week Sessions

► Six 45-minute sessions. Must be used within three months.
Cost: $855 for the package (save $45) or

► Twelve 45-minute sessions. Must be used within six months.
Cost: $1,700 for the package (save $100)

Befriend Your Inner Critic Support Group

► Six weeks, TBA

Cost: $300 per person. Maximum of six participants. 

This weekly support group is for those who are interested in working with the Inner Critic in a group setting. Participants will check in weekly and share their pitfalls and progress with others. Support groups can powerfully interrupt feelings of isolation and ignite (and sustain) one’s motivation. Participants will have the opportunity to set individual goals and create measures for accountability over the six weeks. 

Note: While my clinical knowledge and accrued wisdom inform every aspect of my coaching work, my services do not constitute psychotherapy. If issues arise that might best be addressed with a therapist, we would talk about appropriate next steps. 

EDITING OPTIONS

1:1 Coaching Plus Editing 

Supplement your coaching experience by receiving editorial feedback on your writing at any stage. Cost: $100/hour.  Nonfiction, creative nonfiction, picture books. 

Editorial Consultation or Manuscript Editing Only

See Editorial Services, here.  

For more, read “Befriend Your Inner Critic,” which appeared on the Brevity Blog. 

Standard writing coaching focuses on bolstering your writing practice, whether you are a novice or a veteran—from getting words on the page to setting and adhering to realistic goals, establishing positive habits, overcoming internal and external obstacles (including some Inner Critic exploration, if desired), and/or making strategic plans for submission or publication. 

Standard coaching can also include craft discussions (nonfiction, creative nonfiction, picture books) for writers who want to develop and enhance their skills; and suggestions for "homework" such as readings or creative writing prompts. Direct text editing or manuscript assessments outside of coaching sessions are available as an add-on, as above.

For contact information, rates, and options, see above.