Inner Child Therapy is a powerful therapy which is designed to release hidden emotions that can lead to several different types of problems if not dealt with. It recognises that as adults we all retain the Inner Child aspect of ourselves, which may still be in need of attention, nurturing or healing and this is the reason it is causing disruption in our lives. The child within is a delightful part of us, spontaneous, mischievous, the iridescent part of our personality. The opposite aspect is that the child within can throw tantrums, behave unreasonably or inappropriately.
Through Inner Child Therapy we aim to identify and address the unresolved experiences of childhood which are unconsciously continuing to limit you in your adult life. For example – relationships, work, money, family, love, self- concept, health, which are often connected to each other. It is designed to connect you to a lost part of yourself that you may have buried deep within you as a result of not feeling safe or not feeling truly loved. This therapy is designed to sensitively and positively deal with these experiences by healing in a non- traumatic way, enabling you to take back control of your thought process, your feelings and your behaviours and ultimately your life.
The subconscious mind cannot tell the difference from what is real or what is imagined or perceived to be true. It is imperative that we remove limiting beliefs as science has now proven that they actually affect our genes and can lead to a dis-ease in the body. For example, we store grief in the chest area and health issues arise there, we store anxiety in the stomach area and health issues arise in that area as a result. Changing our belief systems and only having beliefs which serve us well enables us to live happy and healthy lives.
Some examples of the effects of limiting beliefs and patterns that we were shown in early childhood include, not being exposed to real love or feeling that we were abandoned or lacking attention can mean that we grow up thinking we are unlovable. Comments we heard from people that we were useless, stupid or worthless, and physical and psychological abuse may hurt deeply and can also lead us to live lives where we actually believe that we are no good and stupid. It can for some people create the limiting belief that we are worthy of abusive partners or friends, and thus attract these into our lives.
It is possible in hypnosis to regress right back to the very first time our Inner Child developed a self-limiting belief. Using our adult perspective, in hypnosis we can develop a new understanding and an expanded perception about the circumstances of our childhood, and ‘ reframe unhelpful beliefs and provide the positive regard that we – the Inner Child – maybe didn’t have at the time. Self-empowering truths can then take their natural place in our psyche. They can become rooted in at a deep unconscious level, which can then start to manifest into our everyday lives.
To understand the events that happened in childhood, it’s important that the Inner Child is regressed and becomes a witness to the events that happened to their own parents (or those who raised them) when they were children. This awareness is powerful and insightful as it allows the Inner Child to take a look at what their parent’s life was like i.e., what they had to contend with. Then going all the way back to the very first ancestors who made mistakes; perhaps they were too focused on putting food on the table and didn’t realise the need to nurture their children or maybe they lived in a constant state of anxiety or used fury as their strength. Whatever the case may be, a message of love is sent and the realisation of how much more can be achieved individually and jointly. This shifts the ancestral awareness and healing is sent throughout the entire family line
The inner child sees how things would have been different if people had treated each other with love and respect. They then can imagine how different life would have been for them if this had been the case. This new version of the inner child is then given permission to grow up, know more about who they really are and have confidence, strength and inner belief. This version of the Inner Child is then fully reintegrated into the adult self and a new future is then envisioned.
Childhood traumas are often ignored or swept under the carpet by the adults around them. Many of the feelings you experienced as a child were not validated or dealt with. As a result your, self- concept can be significantly diminished and be preventing you for not living the life you deserve.