Season 2, Episode 1: Kasey Taylor, Founder of the Scooty Fund:“Overcoming Self-Judgement”

Welcome to Season 2 of The Scooty Fund’s (TSF) podcast, Scoot! Season 1, hosted by Kasey Taylor, explored mental health  topics ranging from how to navigate trauma to how to challenge gender norms. Season 2, hosted by Claire Calfo, launched on October 14, 2022. Its first  episode offers a stirring, uplifting conversation with TSF’s founder, Kasey Taylor. She discusses the complexities of self-criticism and its impact on her wellbeing. 

2017 was the year that changed everything for Kasey. In February, a close friend from high school died, and only a month later, her beloved younger brother Will died by suicide. “I started Scooty Fund with Tara Nielson, our co-founder, a year after Will died,” says Kasey. “I was completely in despair and really angry.” Scooty Fund proved to be a deeply moving and loving way to honor Will, but healing was not linear for Kasey. “I started therapy a little bit before Will died, which … I think saved it my life quite literally. … I got to work on how I see the world [and] my relationships. I wanted to change the [culture] I had grown up around”.

Self-criticism has been a key focus of Kasey’s since entering therapy. Turning judgement or criticism inward is a common coping mechanism, and as Kasey explains, nobody is immune.  Self-judgment places us as individuals in opposition with ourselves. GoodTherapy shares that “no one is born with low self-esteem. We criticize our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors before others can beat us to it.” Prolonged exposure to this negative self-talk, combined with relentless external pressure can cast a shadow over our mental well being.
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 “Self-criticism isn’t always bad; it can be good when used proactively,” says
 ChoosingTherapy.com. ChoosingTherapy offers some tips to consider when navigating self-criticism listed below:

1. Practice Emotional Self-care: This form of self care includes practicing mindfulness, writing in a journal, engaging in breathing exercises, and creating healthy boundaries. It helps clear your mind and leaves you feeling more refreshed.
2. Escape the Urge For Perfectionism:Examples include allowing yourself to make mistakes and focus on the positives. This will help you remember that mistakes are normal. You will start to feel like you can let go of personal pressure and the desire to be in control.
3.  Talk With a Professional:Talking out your worries and stressors due to self-criticism can help you reduce self-doubt. Therapy that focuses on reframing negative thought patterns into positive ones and focuses on improving self-esteem can help establish a strong foundation of self-compassion.
4. Identify Triggers: If you find yourself uncomfortable or feeling strong emotions, you may identify that situation or behavior as a trigger. When you recognize a certain pattern of automatic responses to situations or people, you can start to understand your triggers. By identifying your triggers, you begin to understand situations that create self-criticism and judgmental thoughts and find new ways to navigate them.

Additional Sources:
 The Hazards of Self-Criticism | Psychology Today

1. GoodTherapy | Self-Esteem vs. Self-Criticism
2. How to Overcome Self-Criticism (choosingtherapy.com)
3. The Hazards of Self Criticism.

For more on Kasey’s story, work, and the Scooty Fund, you can listen to her interview on Scoot, wherever you listen to podcasts. Here is the Spotify link: Overcoming Self-Judgement in Your Recovery, with The Scooty Fund Co-Founder - Kasey Taylor - Scoot | Podcast on Spotify

Learn more about The Scooty Fund: http://www.scootyfund.org. Follow us on  Instagram and LinkedIn.