...but I think there is a big difference between critiquing and criticizing.

When someone critiques, they offer observations about what isn't going so well. They usually also mention things that are going well. And they often offer at least encouragement and sometimes suggestions to get the not so well things more on par with what is going well.

When someone criticizes, all they are interested in doing is pointing out faults.

At least that's the way I see it...