10 Tips to heal and nurture your Inner Child
Have your heard of adverse childhood experiences study? It’s an interesting study that highlights how our traumatic early life experiences can come to haunt us later in our adult life. If you’ve been hurt as a child or had traumatic experiences, you might have developed feelings of rejection, abandonement, deep distress, lack of trust, feeling unworthy, lonely, and poor self esteen, hence healing from this emotional wounds is essential for our success. Our team here at Wellness North Counselling, often tells clients that nurturing and healing your inner child could be one of the core components for emotional healing and personal growth. The inner child represents the emotional and vulnerable part of you that carries childhood experiences, wounds, and needs. If you’ve got unmet attachment needs, reach out to a professional for support today.
Self-Awareness: Start by becoming aware of your inner child's presence and needs. Reflect on your past and try to identify any unresolved childhood issues, traumas, or unmet needs that may still affect you today. Journaling or therapy can be helpful in this process.
Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with the same compassion and kindness you would offer to a child. Understand that your inner child carries wounds and emotions that deserve acknowledgment and care. Practice self-compassion in your thoughts and actions.
Reconnect with Your Inner Child: Imagine yourself as a child and try to establish a connection with that part of you. Spend time doing activities that bring joy and playfulness, like drawing, playing music, dancing, or spending time in nature. These activities can help you access and connect with your inner child.
Emotional Expression: Allow yourself to express your emotions in a healthy way. Give your inner child permission to feel and express anger, sadness, fear, or joy. This can be done through art, writing, or talking with a trusted friend or therapist.
Validate Your Feelings: Validate your inner child's feelings and experiences. Avoid dismissing or judging your emotions, as this can further suppress the inner child. Instead, offer validation and understanding.
Reparenting: Reparenting is a technique where you provide the care and support to your inner child that you may not have received as a child. This involves being a loving and nurturing parent to yourself. You can use positive self-talk, self-care routines, and comforting gestures to practice reparenting.
Inner Dialogue: Engage in inner dialogue with your inner child. When you feel triggered or overwhelmed, talk to your inner child, comforting and reassuring them. This can help you provide the emotional support and understanding that may have been lacking in your childhood.
Have you tried EMDR: EMDR is a gold standard for trauma treatment. Some of our team members are certified trauma professionals and can provide guidance and therapeutic techniques to support your healing process.
Forgiveness: Forgive yourself and anyone else who may have contributed to your childhood wounds. Forgiveness doesn't mean condoning hurtful actions, but it can help release the emotional burden you may be carrying.
Practice Patience and Persistence: Longer you were carrying the heavy burden of stressful life experiences, harder it might be to resolve them but patience and persistence can go a long way. Your progress may not always be linear, but each step you take in the right direction can create a difference.
Nurturing and healing your inner child can be a transformative journey, leading to greater emotional well-being and self-acceptance. It's a process of self-discovery and self-compassion that can profoundly impact your overall mental and emotional health. Wellness North Counselling team is ready to walk alongside you in this healing journey.
