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The Self-Healing Practice That Changed How I Speak to Myself

A personal story from my Louise Hay–inspired self-healing session. plus a simple practice you can try today to soften self-criticism and reconnect with your wholeness

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Rev. Dr. Greg Harte

I remember the moment it clicked. not in a dramatic, cinematic way, but in the quiet way real healing usually happens.

It was during one of our self-healing sessions, inspired by Louise Hay. The room was calm. The energy was gentle. And yet I could feel how many of us were carrying something heavy- stress we don’t talk about, grief we haven’t named, self-judgment we’ve normalized.

Louise used to remind people that healing begins when we stop treating ourselves like a problem to solve.

So let me ask you something simple:

When you’re alone with your own thoughts,how do you speak to yourself?

Why self-healing matters more than ever

Many of us were taught to “push through.” To be productive. To stay strong. To keep it moving.

But the body doesn’t always agree with that approach.

In Science of Mind, we understand that life reflects consciousness. Louise Hay taught something equally radical and compassionate: the body is not your enemy—it’s a messenger.

Self-healing, in this tradition, isn’t about blaming yourself for what you feel. It’s about meeting your inner world with enough kindness that the healing process finally has room to begin.

What I mean by “self-healing”

When I say self-healing, I’m talking about spiritual practice: shifting the inner climate of thought, belief, and self-relationship, so your body and life can respond with greater ease.

This is not a replacement for medical or mental-health care. It’s a way of partnering with your healing—through compassion, truth, and consistent inner support.

The moment I realized I was still trying to "fix” myself

In one session, we did a simple exercise: placing a hand on the heart, breathing slowly, and speaking one honest sentence, without trying to improve it.

Not an affirmation yet. Not the polished version. Just the truth.

As I listened to people share, I noticed something: almost every sentence carried a hidden message of unworthiness.

And then I realized, I’ve said versions of all of those.

Even as a minister, even as someone who teaches spiritual principles, I can still slip into the mindset that healing is a performance. That we become worthy only after we become better.

Louise Hay’s work interrupts that pattern.

Because her message isn’t “be perfect.”
  • It’s “be present.”
  • It’s “be kind.”
  • It’s “start where you are.”
That night, I felt something shift, not because I forced it, but because I stopped fighting myself for a moment long enough to hear what was real.

Healing begins when we stop speaking to ourselves like we’re the enemy.

— Dr. Rev. Greg Harte

The Louise Hay principle I return to again and again

Louise taught that our thoughts and beliefs create an inner environment, and that environment shapes how we experience life.

Not as punishment. Not as blame. Simply as a spiritual law: what we consistently hold inside, we eventually live out.

So in our self-healing session, we practice one core shift:
  • From self-criticism → to self-compassion
  • From “I must fix myself” → to “I can support myself”
  • From fear-based change → to love-based change

Try this:

If you want a simple starting point, try this exactly as written. No intensity required—just willingness

The 3-minute self-healing practice we use.

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Today, I choose: “I am willing to be kind to myself.”

Louise Hay–inspired affirmations

(use what resonates)

  • I am willing to be kind to myself.
  • I release the need to punish myself with my thoughts.
  • I am safe in this moment.
  • I can start again gently.
  • I forgive myself for how I learned to survive.
  • My body is doing its best to support me.
  • I choose thoughts that support my healing.
  • I am worthy of care, even before I feel "better."
  • I trust life to meet me as I meet myself.
  • Love is the power that heals.

What I’ve noticed when I practice this consistently

  • I respond instead of reacting.
  • My self-talk softens, especially under stress.
  • My body feels less braced—more breathable.
  • I stop abandoning myself emotionally.
  • I feel more connected to God as Love, not as judgment.

Reflection questions

(journal if you’d like)

  • 1. Where am I still treating myself like a project?
  • 2. What would change if I spoke to myself the way I speak to someone I love?
  • 3. What part of me is asking for gentleness right now?
  • 4. What’s one belief I’m willing to release—even a little?

Resources to support your healing

Louise Hay

Self-Healing Lesson

Louise Hay

Self-Healing Lesson

Free Guide

Try 7-day mirror work at home

Lost to Found

7-Day Clarity Practice Guide

Join the Self-Healing Lesson at FCRS

If you want to practice this in community, where you’re supported, witnessed, and reminded of your wholeness, we would love to welcome you.

Our Louise Hay–inspired self-healing class is a gentle space to reconnect with yourself, learn practical tools, and build a new relationship with your inner voice.

View My Schedule
Join the Self-Healing Session

Thank You for Being Here.

I serve as Director and Senior Minister at First Center of Religious Science New York, also known as First Church of Religious Science, one of the oldest and most respected New Thought ministries in the world.

Founder of FCRS: Founded by Rev Dr. Raymond Charles Barker

Our USP: We are also known as the place where Louise Hay has trained.

More about me: 


First Church remains a spiritual home for thousands seeking empowerment, healing, and truth.

For over 35 years, I’ve taught Louise Hay’s principles of self-healing, self-esteem, and spiritual empowerment every single week- likely leading the longest-running self-healing group in the world.

These timeless teachings have helped thousands move beyond fear, limitation, and old programming to reclaim their lives and discover their worth.

My work is grounded in New Thought wisdom, especially the teachings of Ernest Holmes and Louise Hay, and shaped by decades of real-world service.

During the AIDS pandemic, I brought this message into schools, treatment centers, and hospitals, work that earned Dade County’s People Who Dare to Care award.

My Background:

  • Doctorate and Master’s in Consciousness Studies, a Master’s in Addiction Studies and Treatment
  • Bachelor’s degree from Siena College.
Today, I continue this sacred work through two weekly virtual gatherings, livestreamed worldwide. I’m currently writing a book to capture and share the insights from a lifetime of spiritual teaching, always spoken plainly, always from the heart. Alongside my public ministry, I offer selective personal coaching for individuals ready to overcome self-esteem or addiction challenges through meaningful growth and inner transformation.

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