Inner Child Meditations

Allow yourself to rest and reset with inner child meditations that create a safe space in which you can begin to understand and heal your inner child.

Inner child healing meditations help us connect with our younger parts of self and notice how they play out in our daily lives. As a therapist, yoga instructor, and meditation creator, I've put together a series of meditations that help you understand and routinely check in with your inner child.

Keep in mind that meditation does not replace therapy, and healing our inner child takes time.

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If you would like more information on inner child meditations and inner child theory, keep reading.

All about inner child healing meditations and theory

If you're just learning about inner child theory, it might seem strange to you. Here, I'll explain a little more about inner child theory and how it plays out in your daily life.

What is the inner child theory?

While there is no specific inner child theory, there are several ways of working with our inner child to provide a healing space. The main concept in working with our inner child is to be a compassionate witness to the inner child’s wound to help unburden the younger part of its negative core beliefs about itself and roles or patterns that it had to take on to survive. We all have an inner child—or our childhood self who experienced a trauma of some sort. Since we experienced that trauma as a child, we heal the trauma by reconnecting with our child self who actually experienced the trauma.

Am I traumatized?

Many people think that trauma work is reserved for people who experience severe trauma, but we all have trauma we can heal from. Everyone's traumas are valid, and all benefit from healing. Many things can cause trauma, such as:

1. Natural disasters

2. Abuse

3. Loss of a loved one

4. Neglect (emotional or physical)

5. Witnessing something violent

And much more.

Although many people consider trauma to be an event or series of events, in the therapy world, trauma is considered to be our response to that event. A trauma response takes many forms, like:

1. Insomnia or night terrors

2. Anxiety

3. Social withdrawal

4. Mood swings

5. Panic attacks

6. Feelings of guilt and shame

7. Anger and irritability

8. Being startled easily

9. Racing heart, high blood pressure

10. Feelings of numbness or disconnection

11. Difficulty concentrating

And more.

Trauma is a human reaction—a fight, flight, and freeze response. When we don't address and heal from the trauma, we go into a fight,  flight, or freeze state when things like sight, smells, people, physical sensations, and emotions trigger us and remind us of that memory. Much of this is unconscious.

Inner child work is a way to heal the trauma that we all experience at some level.

How do I find my inner child?

Finding our inner child is all about quieting and listening to ourselves with a lense of curiosity, which is why an inner child meditation is a great start.

Making that first connection with your inner child can feel awkward, vulnerable, and emotional. However you choose to connect with your inner child, it's crucial that you feel safe and are compassionate with yourself and your inner child. 

Here are a few ways to find and connect with your inner child.

1. Meditate. To connect with your inner child, make space for them. By quieting your mind and setting time aside, you can usher them in.

2. Revisit childhood memories. Try to transport yourself back to that time. Look at photos, find old diaries, or ask your friends and family about that era of your life.

3. Write letters. It might feel silly, but try writing a letter to your inner child. Ask them questions, and make sure that you (and they) don't feel judged.

4. Visualize. If you're struggling to connect with your inner child, close your eyes and imagine them with you. Notice where they sit and what their posture is like. Notice how you feel towards this younger part of you. Visualization helps bring your inner child to life.

5. See a therapist. A therapist who does inner child work can help you find your inner child and work with it with great care so that you don’t re-traumatize the inner child. 

These are only a few ways. Whichever way you try, I recommend slowly going into this work. Inner child work can be intense.

How do I heal my inner child?

Since you are unique, there is no set way to heal your inner child. The following are common methods of inner child healing.

1. Be mindful. Now that you've found your inner child, be mindful of your inner child. Be aware of how your inner child would react to certain things and what they think.

2. Look for patterns. Think back to a childhood event or memory that feels similar to something you experienced recently. Notice the physical sensations that arise when you think back on the memory or pattern. Is this a familiar feeling? How old does this sensation feel to you? What is the urge when you notice this sensation? Can you witness this pattern without reacting to it?

3. Listen. Listen to your inner child without judgment. They might feel angry, hopeless, alone, or even playful. Try to be a compassionate witness to their experience without trying to fix or minimize them. 

4. Journal. Try journaling as your inner child. See your daily events through your inner child's eyes.

5. Love your inner child. Our inner child is likely wounded in some way. Try sending love and care to your inner child to help heal them.

6. Go to therapy. Like I mentioned, inner child meditations are not a substitute for therapy. But if inner child work resonates with you, find a therapist who uses this approach.

These are only a few ways to heal your inner child. Once you're aware of your inner child, you will likely learn how to comfort and love them more naturally.

What is inner child therapy?

Inner child therapy is a therapy that helps heal past wounds through the lens of your inner child. The intention of inner child therapy is to help heal parts of us that are still operating from the old wounds. The work is witnessing the wound, offering it compassion and unburdening it so that it can return to its natural state (playful, curious, present, etc.). Inner child therapy is often paired with other trauma therapy approaches like brainspotting, IFS, EMDR, and typical talk therapy.

Therapists who do inner child work acknowledge the influence that our childhoods have on our daily life. Since many of our memories become blurred over time, inner child therapy helps us recall tough or traumatic memories that explain our current behaviors.

Since inner child work is typically trauma work, it's best to consult with a therapist. My inner child meditation gently guides you through connecting with and understanding your inner child, but it is not a substitute for mental health treatment.

Start healing your inner child with an inner child meditation

If you want to heal your inner child but don't know where to start, my inner child meditation bundle is perfect for you. 

My meditation helps you bring awareness to your inner child and connect with them so you can start healing. If you'd like to learn more about my meditation style before purchasing, feel free to follow me on Insight Timer.