How do you connect with your inner child?

[SinkorSwim]

I am currently doing trauma focused therapy about my abuse as a child. I had a very impactful therapy session and was actually able to start feeling some things my inner child 7 year old self buried along the way. It was the first time I ever connected and was wondering how you go about connecting with your inner child and not let it overwhelm you?

 

[ladee]

Take it slow. In my case, my little ladee, needed time to see if she could trust me to not abandon her again. I wrote a lot of conversations between her and me. It really wasn't overwhelming to me, I was just so excited she existed and hadn't been killed off, I think if anything, I had to work at not overwhelming her !
Hopefully, your T will help you with this also... have some suggestions... it was awhile before the trust was secure... but we have had some beautiful times together since the beginning.... and she was able to see what lengths I will go to to protect her now.... it was one of the most beautiful gifts of my recovery....
So happy you are able to connect with your little self..... and I hope you both have a safe and healing time together.... Gentle hugs for both of you.

 

[2Beachboxer]

I am currently doing trauma focused therapy about my abuse as a child. I had a very impactful therapy...

Oh Wow, what a topic! brought me here fm Twitter. Me too!! still can't touch
her or connect 4 some eason - will have to switch to phn- keeboad kaput

Take it slow. In my case, my little ladee, needed time to see if she could trust me to not abandon her ag...

Yes Things roll along and happen at the right pace. I'm certain it will happen when the time is right. SO MUCH else coming up and processing. I was glad to see I wasn't alone with that. Thanks for sharing. I will watch the process. ;)

 

[EveHarrington]

I tell her that she's safe.

She will only come out when it's safe.

She comes out more with safe people.

She's really comfortable around my boyfriend. He says that he loves little E. Yes, he knows her and he can see quite easily when she comes out. I'm fortunate to have a guy who is totally on board with my healing so he supports the inner child concept.

She also comes out more at night. Then again, it's always at night when I'm talking to or with my boyfriend. Again, she feels very safe around him.

And then there are my teddy bears. She is them and they are her. My teddy bears are male, but somehow it all works.

We do fun stuff like color and play in the park.

I can also tell when she's upset as a forceful one worded "NO!" will come out of nowhere.

I'm not sure how to not let it overwhelm you, as I never had such feelings myself.

Good luck!

 

[Rani G2]

It was the first time I ever connected and was wondering how you go about connecting with your inner child and not let it overwhelm you?

Hello Katiesue,

its a progress that you were able to feel those feelings...... you know that already.

Even after a 3 year therapy and being in a mental ward, I havent been truly able to connect with that younger me. Atleast I believe so. I tend to talk in a childlike voice a lot, and I do feel much younger than I am. I feel very split. I wish to get to that point of connection... well wishing alone wont be enough... I need to work towards it

 

[UnicornSightings]

I've done many things on my route to healing and one of them was a soul retrieval. 2 in fact. Where the shaman retrieved lost parts of me as a kid and how he described them and what they said was crazy powerful. That gave me a lot of compassion and it's constantly a process of comforting myself in tough times but that really helped. After that I would write from the perspective of those younger ages and bought them toys from the toy store to play with. And I could kind of sense them. And so I'll occasionally sense them in my heart. Just take care of those younger parts cause they're you.

 

[Phantom Shadow]

I guess I am the reverse of all of you. I hate the younger me and never want to think about that time. I was not good enough then an it plays into my problems now.

 

[Tornadic Thoughts]

I have to try to consciously nurture myself into a foundational state of being that can healthily connect to the parts of me that were harmed and viciously silenced through the years.

It takes different methods depending on the day and the mood. I can't say it never overwhelms me, though, as it can easily get overwhelming depending on the circumstances and my energy levels.

I tried to fight my way through it all for years in constantly battling with my feelings and external beings, but living within that fighting mentality day after day only led to continually feeling war torn and worn the f*ck out, rendering me even more unable to function.

Now I simply try to healthily love myself through each choice I make within each day and seek out or create/co-create as many awe-inspiring moments of beauty and kindness that I can, restoring my child-like wonder that I was robbed of.

I learned in my experiences that there's no fancy GPS gadget or any other shortcuts that can lead us back to ourselves. I never did like those things anyway. lol "Re-calculating!!!" I had to map out my own terrain the old school way. Being directionally challenged adds even more of a hurdle. Always an adventure, whether I want it to be or not.

 

[SinkorSwim]

Thank you all for your responses! This is super thought provoking! Love hearing all of your input!

 

[Rose White]

I'm so glad you started this thread as I have been busy lately trying to figure out how to nurture my inner child! My T talked about how her granddaughter is very possessive of her as her Granna, and now my inner child wants her own Granna. So one way I be the Granna for my little me is by making overnight oatmeal for her every evening. When we put the oats and the dried fruits and nuts in and pour the milk and water and stir it I tell her how much I love her and how glad I am she is born and how happy she will be when she eats the oatmeal in the morning and I will be waiting for her in the morning. Also we have been sleeping with a big purple bunny and we even sprayed it with the Mrs. Meyers Lemon Verbena spray so that it would smell like T's office.

 

[SinkorSwim]

So today was interesting. I totally dissociated half the time in therapy as I was connecting to little me. So we worked on creating a safe place for my little me and big me so hopefully I can think of that place and ground myself better before even starting to work on all the trauma.

 

[EveHarrington]

I guess I am the reverse of all of you. I hate the younger me and never want to think about tha...

It saddens me to know that you hate your inner child. I honestly think this could be hindering your healing. The inner child is the part of us that is innocent and child-like, someone who deserves to be cherished and protected.