Often used inpsychotherapyandspiritualsettings, the inner child can symbolize hardship, trauma, and eventriumphwe experienced during our youth.
We can end up overlooking important formative experiences that may be critical in healing some of ourmaladaptive coping mechanisms.
Why Is the Inner Child Important?
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When you lose conscious awareness of your inner child, you lose conscious awareness of a part of yourself.
In turn, you may experience difficulty regulating your emotions and act from a regressed state when upset.
For example, you could find yourself having an angry outburst akin to a temper tantrum.
Alternatively, you might feelshamefulandlonely, just as you did as a child.
What Is an Inner Child Wound?
An inner child wound refers to adamaging experience or repeated experiences a person lived through as a child.
In turn, these experiences can result in unresolved trauma that manifests within adults.
What Triggers Our Inner Child?
Inner child triggers arent much different than any other triggers we may stumble upon.
Referred to as trigger events, these issues can be mundane examples of disruption in an otherwise ordinary day.
Let us be clearthe inner child isnt a mere source of discontent.
The inner child can present as free-spirited, excited, and light.
Think back to a moment you felt genuinely excited and giddy.
It could have been when doing something you enjoyed or when receiving excellent news.
This is an example of a positive inner child trigger.
How Do I Tap Into My Inner Child?
Inner child work can be emotionally arduousespecially if you have atraumahistory.
With that in mind, youll want to refrain from revisiting any traumatic events from your childhood by yourself.
Having a psychotherapist by your side as you dive intopainful memoriescan help avoidretraumatizationand ensure your hard work is fruitful.
Consider ways you’re able to tap into the joy of being a child.
Was there an activity you loved as a kid?
Consider taking it up.
Were amusement parks your thing?
Plan a trip and lean into the silliness of it all.
First, psychotherapy is a fantastic option.
There are some forms of talk therapy that incorporate inner child work.
It shouldeveryone has a younger part that is working to protect the individual as a whole.
Thus, IFS focuses on bringing all parts of a persons psyche into harmony.
Furthermore, psychodynamic therapy uses the relationship between the client and the therapist as a powerful vehicle for change.
Lets say you find your inner child triggered by your therapist.
These parallels will be used as fodder for understanding your psyche further and deepening your healing journey.
Reparenting Yourself
A clinician can help you learn how to reparent your inner child.
However, there are steps you’ve got the option to take on your own.
Nurture that younger self.
If you notice youre triggered and getting flooded with negative emotions, grant yourself patience.
Finding peace is possible and you dont have to go it alone.
Working with the inner child.
In: Smith J, ed.
Psychotherapy: A Practical Guide.
New York, NY: Springer International Publishing; 2017.
1991;26(3):745-755.
