Although the concept of the "inner critic" has long been familiar to me as a psychotherapist, I have become aware of its role in the spiritual journey through my study of the Diamond Approach.1 I learned a great deal about how the critic functions and began to see how it was often in conflict with and also confused with what Quakers call the "Inner Guide," our internal sense of God or the Divine, which helps us discern right action in the world. This pamphlet integrates my learning from the worlds of Quakerism, psychotherapy, and the Diamond Approach. I am writing this as part of my own journey in freeing myself from the critic. I hope that it might help Quakers and other seekers find more clarity in distinguishing the critic from the Guide in order to keep self-judgment from holding back their soul's creative expression in the world and to increase their capacity for unconditional love. The narrative is interspersed with examples of my personal process of distinguishing the critic from the Guide as I write this pamphlet and with suggested exercises for exploration of the topic.