Do you suffer from low self-esteem? Do you self-sabotage or have difficulties setting boundaries? Well, these are some of the signs of a wounded inner child.
A wounded inner child can affect your quality of life, and that’s why you need to work on it. This is where inner child work comes in.
What Is Inner Child Work?
Inner child work is a way to recognize and heal childhood trauma. It focuses on addressing our needs that have been unmet in childhood by re-parenting ourselves. Inner child work recognizes that how you behave as an adult is influenced by your childhood experiences. By having this type of self-discovery, you will understand your behaviors, triggers, needs, and wants. You will understand why you react or behave the way you do.
When you start the healing of your inner child, you tap into your vulnerable part. You reparent yourself by being the grownup and the child while you give yourself unconditional self-love, self-support and compassion.
Healing the inner child means going back in time to the trauma, both mentally and emotionally. You will then understand the feelings of your inner child from an adult’s perspective. The adult can then untangle the coping mechanism the child devised to protect you from more trauma.
Why Do The Inner Child Work
The inner child work comes with immense benefits.
- Self-awareness. Dealing with your inner child trauma helps you to be self-aware. You know why you act or respond the way you do. Also, you can untangle the coping mechanisms you developed as a child and therefore you can respond better to circumstances.
- You develop healthy coping mechanisms and get rid of the harmful ones you developed as a child.
- You understand how your present behavior is affected by past trauma.
- You feel empowered and have better control of your life.
- You can go back to your talents, dreams, and passions that you may have shelved.
- Your self-esteem increases and your emotional response improves.
- Where to start with inner child work
You May Be Wondering, Where Do You Start With Your Inner Child Work?
Meditation
Meditation allows you to face your most difficult emotions including those of childhood trauma. When you meditate, you learn to be present with your feelings and you can manage your stress and regulate emotions. For example, you can use the inner child meditation script pdf for your inner child work.
Practice Self-Care
One of childhood trauma is caused by unmet needs. Were you neglected or rejected as a child? This can affect you in your adulthood. By practicing self-care, you meet your needs and it’s a sign of self-love. You can parent yourself such that if your wounded inner child is upset, you step in and do what an adult would have done.
Try Therapy
Inner child therapy means getting professional help to deal with your inner child’s wounds. The inner child therapists can help you to connect how your childhood trauma may be affecting your adult behavior. They may ask about your specific memories, and triggers that affect you and your family systems.
Talk To Those Who Hurt You
Most who cause childhood trauma are family members. You may blame them for the trauma they caused you. However, as a child, you may not have known what they are going through as grownups.
This may not justify their actions, but it can give you closure and maybe rebuild your relationships.
