“When we honor the feelings of our inner child we release the emotional wounds we still subconsciously carry with us.” – Patricia Hope
What is the inner child? Is it important to focus on it, and if so, why?
The inner child is our vulnerable, young self, born in the first years of life and shaped by interaction with attachment figures. When we refer to the inner child we are talking about today's adult who retains the innocence, purity, curiosity, maybe even the naivety of the past, but to a lesser or greater extent also carries with him deep wounds, memories, emotions, beliefs and needs unfulfilled that he experienced in childhood. Some of us have repressed or even ignored this inner child, learned to hide those vulnerabilities, and moved forward in life without realizing that unresolved wounds from the past have a significant impact in adulthood, both on behavior and emotions displayed in the relationship with ourselves, but also with our peers.
Self-criticism, low self-esteem, perfectionism, the need for validation and acceptance, resistance to change, avoidance behavior, detachment, surrender, the tendency to run away from or attract relationships similar to those of childhood, are just a few signs that you I'm talking about the wounded, forgotten, abandoned or maybe even abused inner child.
Healing the inner child is more than an invitation, it is an indispensable journey to bring balance and harmony into our lives.
By accessing the vulnerable parts, through the lens of the healthy adult and not the wounded child, we cultivate compassion and self-care, improve the way we communicate and interact with others, become more aware of intense emotions, reduce stress and anxiety, develop our creative potential and innovative.
Some steps you can take to heal your inner child are:
• recognizes the existence of the inner child (reconnection with childhood memories and emotions),
• access and accept pain and repressed emotions ("I allow myself to feel what I felt, it's okay!", be present with compassion and understanding),
• be patient with yourself, create a safe space for your inner child through meditation, inner dialogue,
• relearn self-love, pamper yourself (“I am a wonderful person, I deserve the best and most beautiful! I love and accept myself as I am!”)
• includes the inner child in the adult's life.
Compassion and self-love heals hidden wounds!
Psychologist Carmen Mariana Ardeleanu
