Healing is a theme that keeps popping up over and over again in my life. When I began my journey toward physical healing, mental healing came along with that and at that point, I thought that was all I had to heal. I figured if I just kept working on my physical and mental health, I’d be all good. Little did I know, that was just the tip of the iceberg. Emotional and inner child work opened me up to a whole new level of healing I didn’t even know I needed.
Throughout life, all of us accumulate baggage that we continue to carry with us, whether consciously or subconsciously. We all experience pain and trauma to some degree – it’s the nature of living in a broken world. Some people have obvious trauma, and in those cases, the need for healing is clear. Others of us have smaller traumas that become engrained in our bodies and minds without us even realizing they’re affecting us. A lot of us have both.
For example, losing my dad was an obvious trauma. I knew the deep affects of this and that it was something I needed to work through and heal from. My parents’ divorce was also a pretty obvious trauma for me. But I also have experiences from my childhood that deeply affected me but were pushed into my subconscious mind and never properly dealt with. Through inner child work, I’m realizing the times I felt misunderstood, left out, unloved, and abandoned as a child. No, my parents never physically abandoned me, but as a young child I felt that way when my dad wasn’t as present in my life as I would have liked due to work schedules and other factors. This has led to a fear of abandonment in adulthood that has caused issues. Digging deep into these old emotional wounds is allowing me to acknowledge them, process them, feel them, and then let them go.
I personally think we could ALL benefit from some deep emotional and inner child healing. Why? Well as the saying goes, hurt people hurt people. Even if we’re not hurting others, many of us end up hurting ourselves due to our own limiting beliefs, negative thought patterns, and actions. Unresolved pain and trauma can manifest itself in so many ways – addictions, chronic pain and illness, anxiety, depression, the inability to trust others, negative self talk, and the list goes on.
Healing isn’t easy. It’s not pretty or pleasant a lot of the time. It takes a lot of courage to be that introspective and a lot of determination to be the best version of yourself you can possibly be. But I also know that continuing to mask emotional pain and push it deeper into our subconscious ends up hurting us more than the temporary discomfort of healing ever could. If you’re wondering how to even start with this kind of healing, there are a few things I’d recommend:
- Mindfulness and meditation. This can help ease stress and relieve any blockages that may be present in your healing. Mindfulness and meditation are just good practices in general, so I will always recommend them!
- Therapy. A good counselor will be ready and willing to help you work through and uncover anything that’s hindering your health and success.
- Talk to your inner child. This may sound funny, but it really does help to tell yourself that you’re loved, you’re safe, and that everything turns out okay in the end.
- Journal. This has helped me so much! A regular journaling practice will help clear your mind and release emotion in a healthy way.
If you’re reading this, please make a commitment to yourself to truly heal. Know that you’re worthy, and as uncomfortable as it may be in the moment, you will be so glad you did. Finding yourself, loving yourself, and believing in yourself again is so worth it all.
The Art of Wellness 