The Voice In Our Head and How to Harness It, with Dr Ethan Kross

Do you have a voice inside your head? For most of us, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. And we often turn to this voice for guidance, ideas and wisdom. But sometimes this voice can lead us down a rabbit hole of negative self-talk and endless rumination. So, is it possible to take back control and harness the power of this so called ‘inner chatter’? This is the question the award-winning psychologist and guest on today’s podcast, Dr Ethan Kross set out to answer 20 years ago, when he began to study the conversations that we have with ourselves.

In his brand-new book, Chatter: The Voice In Our Head and How to Harness It, Ethan combines groundbreaking research with real life examples to illustrate how our inner voice controls our life. The language we use about ourselves, he says can be incredibly powerful. Yes, there is negative self-talk. But that same voice can also help us innovate, problem, solve, fantasize, rationalize, and in many ways, help us to shape our identity. It’s our inner voice that makes us unique as humans, so rather than silencing the chatter, we need to learn how to harness it.

If this all sounds intriguing, but too good to be true, rest assured, this conversation is packed with super-practical advice. You’ll find out:

Why it’s not always good to talkThat sometimes ‘in the moment’ is not the best place to beWhat distance self-talk is and how it can help usHow to harness the placebo effectHow to support others through their chatterWhen social media is helpful, and when it’s notHow rituals and awe create control and perspectiveWhy you might want to consider putting together your own ‘board of advisors’

This episode really is full of actionable tips that will help you redirect your inner chatter away from rumination and self-criticism towards reflection and self-improvement. I think this is a powerful conversation and I hope you enjoy listening.

Disclaimer: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.*

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Watch the video version of this interview in full below.

'We are much better at advising other people than taking our own advice.'
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Connect with Ethan:

Website     Instagram     Twitter    

Ethan’s book:

Chatter: The Voice In Our Head and How to Harness It †

Further learning:

The Guardian Why your most important relationship is with your inner voiceThe Daily Mail Are you plagued by negative thoughts?The Times Having negative thoughts? How to talk yourself out of them

Related Feel Better Live More podcast episodes:

#126 How to Win at Life Without Losing Yourself with Dr Pippa Grange

#163 How to Silence Your Inner Critic (and Why You Should) with Dr Kristin Neff

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*DISCLAIMER: Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

†Disclosure: All books marked with a † are hyperlinked to an affiliate program. We take part in Amazon’s affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon’s website. You are not charged any extra by using these links to purchase books.

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