The Inner Child is a metaphor for the part of us that has been abandoned, neglected, or abused by someone with more power. My clients are smart, brave, and successful. Yet, inside, they often have a fear that defies definition. It is a feeling of unease, that something dangerous is waiting right around the corner. My clients say “Everytime s/he talks to me, I feel like I am seven again.”
The client who expresses or feels this fear is a good candidate for inner child work. We use the inner child to articulate fear, sadness, disappointment, or broken-heartedness. Through different exercises, we use who we are as adults now to empower and ease the pain of that child. Sometimes, it looks like “reparenting”. Other times, it is visualizing the adult and the child coming together and evidence that healing in a form of art.
Here is an example:
Untamed
Where are you, little girl?
You are wild, wise, whole.
Your wings are broken
But hope yet lives in you.
Wild woman. Wise woman. Whole woman.
Come home, out of hiding.
Your heart is broken
But hope is a thing with wings.
Where are you, little girl?
You are weary, watchful, woke.
The world is needing
Your sweetness, light, peace
Weary woman. Watchful woman. Woke woman.
Your body is sacred, holy.
The cage door is open.
Mirrors hold not the truth.
Where are you, little girl?
You are whimsical, witchy, a warrior.
The sunshine lets hope grow.
There is a place for you
Whimsical woman. Witchy woman. Warrior woman.
It’s time to take your rightful place.
Your mind and your body belong to you.
Feel the sunshine on your face.
Where are you, little girl?
You are wistful, willful, worthy
Your wings are healing.
The sky is open and impatient.
Wistful woman. Willful woman. Worthy woman.
You hold the world in your hands.
Sunshine opens the sky.
Hope is breaking through the clouds.
There you are, little girl!
You are weeping.
Weeping woman, take her hand.
Weep together.
Weep with the ghosts.
Weep with your sisters.
Weep with your mothers.
You are maiden, mother, crone, full of hope.
Together, walk with audacity.
Cast doubt aside.
See your limitless capacity.
Pain becomes anger.
Anger becomes power.
Power becomes hope.
Hope becomes freedom.
Freedom becomes peace.
Weep together.
Hope together.
Take flight together.
Together, you are free.