The Loving Llama

Cultivating your compassionate inner voice

The Loving Llama represents the antidote to the Poisoned Parrot—your innate capacity for self-compassion, kindness, and gentle encouragement. Whilst the Parrot focuses on criticism and fault-finding, the Llama embodies warmth, acceptance, and unconditional positive regard. This adorable creature reminds you that you have within you a voice capable of offering comfort, understanding, and genuine support, particularly during life's most challenging moments.

Llamas are naturally gentle, patient animals known for their calm presence and protective instincts towards their herd. These qualities make them perfect symbols for the kind of inner voice that can soothe anxiety, offer encouragement during setbacks, and provide the emotional safety needed for growth and healing.

How We Use It in Sessions: The Loving Llama teaches you to develop and strengthen your self-compassionate voice. We practice speaking to yourself as you would to a cherished friend facing the same difficulties. Instead of the Parrot's harsh "You're pathetic for feeling this way," the Llama might gently say, "This is really difficult right now, and it's completely understandable that you're struggling."

We explore what prevents the Llama's voice from being heard more often. Perhaps you were taught that self-compassion is self-indulgent, or maybe the Parrot's voice has simply been practised for so much longer that it drowns out gentler alternatives. Through guided exercises, we help the Llama's voice grow stronger and more accessible, so it can offer comfort precisely when you need it most.

Therapeutic Benefits:

  • Develops emotional resilience through self-compassion practices

  • Provides an alternative to harsh self-criticism during difficult times

  • Helps heal shame and self-rejection through gentle acceptance

  • Builds internal emotional resources for coping with stress and setbacks

  • Encourages treating yourself with the same kindness you'd show others

  • Creates a memorable symbol for accessing self-compassion in daily life