Inner Child Healing: A return To Self
Written By: Nicole Chinery | 2024
Breaking the chain of low self esteem requires we give our inner child room to rekindle lost interests. This may be as simple as colouring or building lego blocks, but it may also be more challenging as with going back to school for a degree you know you would have excelled in. Whichever way we heal our inner child is entirely up to us but it is imperative that we do so because wounded children often grow up to be wounded adults.
We may begin to heal our inner child by first and foremost being kinder to ourselves. By creating a safe space within ourselves, we stimulate a seamless flow of interests. We find that we are suddenly more ‘alive’ because we have permitted ourselves to foster childlike curiosity. Thus, creating a sense of unlimited possibilities wherein we can learn, grow and be ever evolving.
For me, photography was my first love, shocking I know. But before words on page clawed my attention, photos did and in the most profound way. As a nerdy kid, I watched a lot of NatGeo Wild.
Since I was not yet apt enough to fully be engrossed in the science of it, I was enthralled by the art of it. To me, these documentaries were magical narrations of our world. And I wanted to do that too so I told my mother. She laughed and I did not understand why because I was serious. I chalk it up now to the humour adults address children with, as though not a single conscious thought can ebb through a child’s mind.
Fast forward November 2023, the yearning hugs my chest again and I am beside myself with childlike curiosity. In exploring these forthcoming interests, I have healed parts of me I didn’t even know were wounded. These are parts of myself that contributed to my low self-esteem. While low self-esteem in itself could be healed in many ways, I find that reconnecting with our inner child allows us the space to know ourselves intimately. We deserve to explore the passions we once had but were either dismissed as too impractical or frowned upon, or even thought of as downright silly. By giving our inner child the permission to explore, we reaffirm that for ourselves as adults, and by extension, we take more risks. We are more adventurous and confident, all necessary tools to build that trust in ourselves which subsequently boosts our self-esteem.
Recognizing that healing our inner child may prove to be challenging, Elmi Counselling and Wellness Services provides professional support through a combination of therapeutic techniques and holistic approaches, designed to help individuals reconnect with their inner child, address unresolved childhood experiences, and foster a sense of self-compassion and empowerment. By creating a safe and nurturing environment, our practice enables clients to explore their past, heal emotional wounds, and cultivate a more fulfilling and balanced life.