Inner Child work is part of many research-based psychotherapeutic models, including Transactional Analysis, internal family systems, EMDR, Gestalt Therapy, schema therapy, and narrative therapy. The reason why it is part of so many therapies is that it WORKS.
We all have a part of us representing ourselves as a child at different ages of our childhood. This child part remembers everything that happened in our youth, even if we don’t.
When I was doing a live demonstration inside the ‘Relationship Cycle Breakers’ course a few weeks ago my Inner Child took me to a scene where I was watching King Kong in Black and White. I was four years old. As she watched it, she was feeling scared. ‘Are there really these huge gorillas who kidnap girls?’ She was starting to feel scared of the outside world and of being on the planet.
Because I was with her in my nurturing adult state, I told her that it was made up. It was a story. I told her that the world is very safe. Yes, there are some scary people, but there are WAY less scary people than kind people, and I reassured her that I would help keep her safe and whatever happened to her, I was going to be with her all the way. She was immediately relieved and then wanted a hug.
Notice how I didn’t lie to her and tell her that the world was a completely safe place. It isn’t. I told her the truth.
I have been doing Inner Child work daily for over 16 years. My Inner Child is now an integrated part of my psyche. She still brings me new things to work with sometimes, but in general, she is happy, cared for, content, and playful. I have taken what I have found to be the most valuable part of working with clients and myself and put it into my new course ‘Inner Child Healing”. It is self-paced and jam-packed with information, practices, and demonstrations to teach you HOW to do this work. Check it out here
Have a wonderful week,
Love, Jen
