Emotional Invalidation (Distinct from criticism)

A developmental environment where a person’s internal emotional experiences were dismissed, minimized, misunderstood, or treated as inappropriate, exaggerated, or inconvenient. Rather than being corrected or criticized for behaviour, emotions themselves may have been ignored, reframed, or denied (e.g., being told one “shouldn’t feel that way”). Over time, this can shape difficulty identifying or trusting one’s emotions, reliance on external cues to determine how one “should” feel, and a sense that internal experiences are unreliable or unacceptable.

“I Am Shameful”

This belief convinces you that something about you is inherently bad or broken — not just that you’ve…

“I Am Weak”

When the belief “I Am Weak” takes hold, it can drive avoidance of vulnerability, overcompensation through perfectionism, and…

“I Am Defective”

“I Am Defective” is a deep-rooted core belief that can leave a person constantly scanning for signs that…

“There Is Something Wrong With Me”

A belief that quietly erodes self-trust. “There is something wrong with me” drives hypervigilance, shame, and the constant…

“I Am Crazy”

This belief isn’t about diagnosis — it’s about doubt. “I Am Crazy” is the internal narrative that turns…

“I Am Trash”

The belief “I Am Trash” traps a person in cycles of self-loathing, shame, and emotional shut-down. It distorts…