Acknowledge your inner child - Minds Elated Therapy and Consulting

The process of acknowledging your inner child really just means recognizing and accepting things that caused you pain in childhood. Bringing these, hurts out into the light of day can help you begin to understand their impact. That said, many people do find it helpful, even soothing, to address their inner child as they would a living person, so don’t feel afraid to give it a try.

1 Listen to what your inner child has to say:

It’s important to listen to what your inner child's feelings are saying. Oftentimes it shows up in situations that trigger us or have heavy feelings associated with situations.

2 You might notice:

- Anger - Sadness - Rejection - Anxiety - Abandonment - Insecurity

3 Write a letter to your inner child:

It can be very healing to open up this dialogue. It can be thought provoking, give insight and offer comforting words. Sharing these words with your inner child might sooth some inner pain. Often writing a letter can bring messages of reassurance and comfort.

4 Give meditation a try:

Meditation has plenty of benefits for physical and mental health, but a few of these relate directly to inner child work. For one, meditation boosts mindful self-awareness, teaching you to pay more attention to feelings that come up in daily life. Greater mindfulness around your emotions makes it easier to notice when specific situations trigger unhelpful reactions. Meditation also helps you get more comfortable with unwanted emotions. Children often have a hard time naming uncomfortable emotions, especially when they aren’t encouraged to express themselves. They may repress or bury these feelings to avoid punishment or earn praise from caregivers for being “good” or maintaining control.

5 Journal as your inner child:

Just as journaling can help you recognize patterns in your adult life that you want to change, journaling from the perspective of your inner child can help you recognize unhelpful patterns that began in childhood. For this journaling exercise, set your present self aside for the moment and channel your child self. Try photos or a brief visualization exercise to help recall how you felt at the specific age you’re intending to explore.

6 Bring back the joys of childhood:

Adulthood certainly comes with plenty of responsibilities, but relaxation and playfulness are both essential components of good mental health. If your childhood lacked positive experiences, getting back in touch with your playful side and making time for fun can help heal the pain of missing out on what you needed as a child. It’s also important to enjoy small pleasures, like ice cream after a walk, games with your partner or children, and laughter with friends. Whatever you do, making regular time for fun and lightheartedness in your life can help rekindle the positive emotions of youth.

7 Leave the door open:

Healing is an open ended journey. You’ve started the process of reaching out to your inner child, now you can captivate this newfound awareness and continue listening, exploring, soothing, and transforming as you move forward. Continue on this journey offering love, compassion, understanding, and working to heal any wounds that may be open.

8 Talk to a Therapist

Trauma can cause distress in our lives, it's helpful to talk to an experienced licensed therapist who will create a safe place as you journey towards healing. Therapists are able to recognize the signs, patterns and learned behaviors we used to survive. Therapists use highly evidence based interventions geared towards a safe and gentle approach to breaking free from emotional pain.