: Prioritizing others' needs to avoid conflict.
Over time, to survive, you likely internalized those external critiques to anticipate her reactions. Now, as an adult, that "critical voice" stays on loop, causing: : Prioritizing others' needs to avoid conflict
For many women, the harshest critic they know isn’t a stranger or a boss—it’s the voice inside their own head. If you grew up with a narcissistic mother, that voice likely sounds remarkably like her. It’s the one that whispers (or screams) that you aren’t doing enough, that you’re "too sensitive," or that you don't deserve the life you’ve worked so hard to build. If you grew up with a narcissistic mother,
Healing from this specific type of childhood trauma isn't about "getting over it"; it’s about a survival language that no longer serves you. Understanding the "Internalized Critic" Understanding the "Internalized Critic"