Ever felt like feedback in your recovery journey hits you like a punch to the gut? You're not alone. In this eye-opening episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, hosts Duane and Eric Osterlind dive into why criticism can feel so painful during recovery and share game-changing strategies to transform those tough moments into opportunities for growth. Drawing from cutting-edge research in neuroscience and psychology, they explain how our early life experiences shape our sensitivity to criticism and why some people struggle more than others with feedback. But here's the good news: by adopting what scientists call a "growth mindset," you can learn to receive feedback differently and use it to strengthen your recovery journey. The brothers share practical, easy-to-implement strategies that can help you shift from feeling defensive and ashamed to seeing criticism as valuable feedback for your growth. Whether you're in recovery or supporting someone who is, this episode offers essential tools for turning difficult feedback into stepping stones toward lasting change.

Download:  Growth Mindset Worksheet

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KEY TOPICS

• Understanding why criticism hits harder for some people
• The connection between early childhood experiences and sensitivity to criticism
• How the brain's stress response system affects our reaction to feedback
• Dr. Carol Dweck's research on growth mindset
• Three practical strategies for developing a growth mindset
• The role of criticism in sustainable recovery
• Practical tools and worksheets for implementing these strategies

TIMESTAMPS

[00:01:07] Introduction to criticism's impact on recovery

[00:02:45] Understanding sensitivity to criticism through attachment theory

[00:06:00] Introduction to growth mindset concept

[00:08:00] Real-world examples of criticism in recovery

[00:11:11] Three practical strategies for developing growth mindset

[00:13:21] Practicing affirming statements

[00:14:57] Resources and community support information

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Supporting Resources:

If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center

NovusMindfulLife.com

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