by: Shira Bauer
How can you recognize the voice of your inner child? Is it loud, or maybe just a whisper? Is it an emotion? Is it a thought? Is it a bodily symptom?
The voice of the inner child can come in different forms, shapes and sizes and people identify it in different ways as well. But all agree it is there.
Perhaps you haven’t yet acquainted yourself with it, or have pushed it down so deep that it almost feels like it doesn’t exist. But it calls, it beckons to us to be heard.
It’s that part of you that wishes to be seen. It’s that part of you that wishes to be shown perspective. It’s waiting for you to answer its call. It yearns to be in relationship with you. It wants to share all of life’s experiences with you, of many years ago, as well as just last week, or even just yesterday.
Are you the kind of person who feels things deeply? Are you in touch with your feelings? Are you aware of exactly what you are feeling? Anger, sadness, joy? Can you name your feelings? This is one way of getting to know this voice.
Or, are you a more cognitive person, who likes to think and perhaps even analyze them? Are you aware that you are thinking and what you are thinking? This is yet another way to learn about this voice.
Perhaps you are someone whose body reacts to things, for e.g., if you can’t contain an emotion, it can then express itself somatically, and you’ll get a headache or a cold. The place where your body reacts as a direct result to your emotions and is there to help you process it.
Sometimes this voice can be heard through depression, grief or loss. Sometimes through anxiety or panic attacks. It can be heard through addiction or eating disorder.It could be someone looking for meaning in life, or for someone trying to recover from any type of trauma. All of these things are gateways into the self and where this voice is beckoning to us to be healed.
So, the question is , ’how do we answer this voice?’
To answer this question, the sky is the limit. There are so many ways and methods that people try to heal and answer this call.
For e.g. There is CBT, DBT, IFS, EMDR, Mindfulness, EFT to just name a few.
CBT is Cognitive behavioral therapy- is a type of psychotherapy that helps people change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns to manage mental health conditions. It works by identifying negative or irrational thoughts, challenging them, replacing them with more realistic ones, which in turn leads to improved emotional regulation and behavior. CBT is goal-oriented and problem-focused treatment that is often structured, practical, and can be effective in a relatively short period.
DBT is Dialectical Behavior Therapy is also a structured from of psychotherapy that teaches skills to manage intense emotions and difficult behaviors. It focuses on finding a balance between acceptance and change to help people build a more satisfying life.
IFS is Internal Family Systems therapy which is a form of psychotherapy that views the mind as a system of ‘parts’ with their own thoughts, feelings and roles. The goal is to work with these parts under the guidance of a compassionate ‘self’ to achieve inner harmony and healing, rather than eliminating any part.
EMDR is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing which is a psychotherapy technique that helps people heal from trauma and other distressing life experience by using guided eye movements to reprocess memories. During sessions, a therapist directs a patient to focus on a distressing memory while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as following a finger or tapping. This process is thought to help the brain process the memory so it is less overwhelming, allowing a person to move past it and form more positive beliefs about themselves and the event.
Mindfulness is the practice of focusing on the present moment without judgement, using techniques like meditation, breathing exercises, and body scans to increase awareness of your thoughts, feelings and surroundings. It trains the mind to observe thoughts and feelings, as they come and go.
EFT is Emotional Freedom Techniques (a tapping-based practice) as a form of energy psychology that combines acupressure with cognitive therapy.
There are many other techniques as well, which I use more of, in therapy to help my clients.
Inner child healing-involves addressing emotional wounds and unmet needs from childhood to improve adult wellbeing by reparenting yourself through techniques like self-compassion, journaling, and therapy.
This process helps people understand how past experiences influence current behaviors and relationships, leading to greater emotional regulation, healthier coping mechanisms, and a more integrated and authentic self. Key aspects include acknowledging past trauma, processing emotions, and learning to provide yourself with the care and validation you needed as a child.
Logotherapy is a form of psychotherapy based on the belief that finding meaning in life is the primary human motivation. Created by Viktor Frankl, it emphasizes that meaning can be found even in suffering and difficult circumstances. The goal is to help individuals discover their personal purpose and responsibility through their actions, experiences and attitudes.
Guided Imagery is a mind-body practice where a person mentally visualizes a peaceful scene to promote relaxation and well-being. By using all senses in the imagination, individuals can reduce stress, anxiety, and pain, and it can also be used to help manage symptoms related to illness. This technique can be self-directed or guided by a practitioner through audio or verbal cues, often directing the user to imagine a calm place like a beach or forest.
Dream building is centered on the idea of manifesting a desired future through intentional thought and action. It refers to transforming abstract ideas and aspirations into tangible reality.
Talk therapy, or psychotherapy, is a form of mental health treatment where a person talks with a trained professional about their thoughts, feelings and behaviors to better understand and resolve problems. It helps individuals identify negative patterns, develop coping mechanisms, and work toward personal growth.
My favorite three kinds of therapy is combining Inner child healing, with Guided Imagery and Logotherapy. The Inner child healing goes very deep, to the root of things and can heal in a very powerful and transformational way. This, for me, is what healing is really all about. Getting in touch with the inner child, befriending it, getting into relationship with it, and learning to un blend and self-soothe.
I use Logotherapy to help my clients also find meaning and purpose in their personal situation, and this gives them and anchor to go through any challenge. These three methods combined are very powerful and transformational.
After reading this article, you are now empowered to see for yourself some of the things that resonates for you and what you should look for to answer your own inner child’s call. There are so many more that haven’t even been discussed in this article, but this should give you a head start. You’re welcome to be in touch with me if you have any questions ,or for more ideas of different ways of healing that you may not yet have tried, or have tried and have found so helpful, and want to share with me.
