Everyone has a child within them. It represents the innocence, awe, and joy reminiscent of our youth. However, our inner child also carries the accumulated baggage of hurt, trauma, and fears from our early years.
As we grow into adults, we carry this inner child with us, and from time to time, it resurfaces to remind us of our childhood scars. Some choose to look the other way and continue living their lives. While this coping mechanism might work for a while, it may lead to destructive habits. Indeed, it's uncomfortable to deal with childhood trauma, but you can address this by practicing inner child healing.
In this episode, Elise talks about mending the emotional scars left from our childhood through inner child work. She also shares ways to overcome trauma and negative self-talk and explains why it's crucial to face our fears. Lastly, Elise imparts how we can truthfully connect with our mind and body.
If you're interested in starting your journey to inner child healing and finding your truth, stay tuned to this episode!
3 reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
- Uncover the meaning of inner child healing.
- Discover the modalities to healing your inner child.
- Learn the importance of mind-body connection in mending your emotional scars.
Resources
Episode Highlights
[03:33] Defining Inner Child Work
- Inner child healing is about loving that part of yourself who felt alienated.
- It addresses the emotional wounds attached to your early years.
- When your inner child is wounded, it can reflect on your current behavior.
[06:30] Healing Childhood Trauma
- People who experienced childhood abuse could seek refuge in inner child work.
- Reflect on who you are beneath your pain.
- Psychological scarring could happen at birth or be inherited from previous generations.
[07:42] Our Body
- Everyone has an innate personality who wants to give and experience love.
- Infants have an unobstructed relationship with their bodies.
- No one needs to be ashamed of their body.
- We must unlearn the maladaptive ways ingrained in us.
[10:23] On Self-Compassion
- It's not selfish to love yourself.
Elise: "I believe that when each person on this planet is appropriately loved and resourced, then we can stop hurting ourselves and each other and get to living the life we're meant to live."
- It's your birthright to feel happiness and contentment.
- The ripples of self-love can reach your community.
[12:12] The Mind-Body Connection
- Inner child healing starts with your body.
- Your body contains your entire existence and memories.
- Everything you've been through was first experienced by your body.
- Reflect on your thoughts and understand the monologue happening in your mind.
[15:18] The Internal Family System (IFS)
- The exiled child learns to hide their emotions after constant rejection.
- The proactive protector prevents the exiled child from flooding our feelings. It often shames us for showing emotions.
- When the proactive protector fails, the reactive protector comes. They use extreme measures to go back to equilibrium.
- Your true self is what you want to uncover; it's connected to your higher qualities.
Elise: "Our psyche is not meant to be fragmented. We're meant to have all of these different experiences and not have one be judged as disgusting or unacceptable. All parts need to be able to be welcomed and be here in order to have a balanced and blended life."
[21:16] Eye Movement, Desensitization, and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- EMDR is a form of therapy that uses bilateral stimulation. Listen to the full episode to know more about how it's done!
- The logical brain takes time to process trauma.
- EMDR helps with inner child healing by analyzing and repairing the less accessible parts of the nervous system.
[25:07] Facing Your Fears
- Reclaiming your traumatic past raises your level of consciousness.
- Face your fears to find your truth.
Elise: "You don't have to live without shining a light on the event that took your power from you. When fear is exposed, it loses its grip."
- Emotional scars lose their power over you when you confront them.
[27:25] Return Home to Yourself
- Inner child work reclaims our worth and place in the world.
- Inner child wounding happens when others don't recognize our feelings.
- Permit yourself to connect with your mind, body, and spirit.
- Healing from within takes dedication and commitment; it's not an overnight process.
Enjoyed this Episode on Inner Child Healing?
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Have any questions or lightbulb moments? I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to hit me up on Instagram or send an email at elise@elisekindya.com.
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