Have you ever heard someone use the term "inner child" and wondered what it meant? In this guide, we'll explore what an inner child is, how we can use it to our advantage, and how therapists can help with inner child work.
Your inner child explained
The inner child can be found in every person, including you! This concept has been around for quite some time; however, it seems to have gained more popularity recently through social media platforms.
The inner child is a part of us that is connected to our own experiences as children including the feelings, emotions, and beliefs we had back then. It's the part of us that needs to be loved and cared for, still wants to play or be silly, and still feels hurt when we don't get what we need. Sometimes feelings like anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma can be related to our inner child.
How can understanding your inner child help you?
The inner child can play an important role in our development as adults. Our relationship with our inner child may influence how we feel about ourselves and others, how we behave in relationships, how we handle conflict, and more.
Understanding your inner child can help you understand yourself better. For example, if you notice that you tend to react impulsively and emotionally when someone criticizes or challenges you at work, that may be because your inner child feels threatened by criticism and wants to protect itself from feeling hurt again.
If you notice yourself feeling anxious in certain situations, it’s possible that your inner child doesn’t feel safe because of experiences that you had when you were younger. That inner child might need some care and attention to start feeling safer in anxiety-inducing situations.
How to nurture your inner child
Nurturing your inner child can look different for each person. Here are a few suggestions:
Learn to listen and communicate with your inner child
Practice self-compassion
Practice meditation and mindfulness
Engage in playful activities
Can therapy help with inner child work?
Yes! In fact, many therapists use some form of inner child work. It's an important part of therapy because it can help us notice patterns from the past that impact our present-day behaviors. It can also help us change our beliefs and thoughts about ourselves, which creates space for us to respond to ourselves in a gentle and loving way.
Connecting with your inner child is one way to get to know yourself better. You can start by asking yourself how often you feel like a child and how it impacts your life. Do certain situations or people trigger these feelings? How do you express these feelings? What might your inner child be trying to tell you in these situations? Remember to be gentle with yourself and the little one inside.
Begin Working With Asheville Therapists
Nurturing your inner child can be difficult when dealing with the stressors of adulthood. Our team of caring therapists is happy to offer support from our Asheville-based practice. You can receive support with in-person and online services by following these simple steps:
Meet with a caring therapist
Start improving your mental health!
Other Services Offered with Strive On Counseling
Our team understands you may experience a number of mental health concerns. This is why we are happy to offer a variety of mental health services at Strive On Counseling. Mental health services offered include individual counseling, anxiety treatment, EMDR trauma therapy, therapy for men’s issues, mindfulness, Buddhist counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, teletherapy/online therapy. Some other resources we offer include guided meditations, supplements, a list of books and other useful resources, and online courses. If you would like more information about any of these services, please reach out today, and start doing therapy in North Carolina!