Dr Jean Cheng, an expert in inner child healing, delves into how inner children get wounded, the importance of healing them for personal growth, and how parental influence impacts a child's self-confidence and behavior. The podcast explores the impact of a wounded inner child on adult behavior and the significance of acknowledging and nurturing the inner child for emotional well-being.
Unaddressed childhood wounds can lead to adult struggles with self-trust and emotional navigation in relationships.
Healing inner child wounds is vital to reconnect with personal desires, joy, and authentic life purposes.
Deep dives
Understanding How Inner Child Wounds Originate
Children can experience wounds when they are not treated with full dignity and respect, leading to emotional and relational scars. Instances like scolding a shy child for needing more time to adjust can create wounds where the child feels something is wrong with them, leading to a lack of self-trust. These early wounds can manifest later in life when individuals struggle with trusting their own feelings and internal feedback, impacting their ability to navigate relationships and environments with confidence.
Impacts of Unhealed Inner Child Wounds in Adulthood
Adults who haven't addressed their inner child wounds may find themselves disconnected from their true desires, sources of joy, and authentic purposes in life. Operating from a place of reacting rather than choosing based on personal fulfillment, individuals may feel empty despite outward success, highlighting the importance of healing these childhood wounds to live a more fulfilling life.
Perpetuating Wounds and Patterns from Childhood
The unhealed wounds of the inner child often lead to adults perpetuating harmful patterns rooted in childhood experiences. Individuals may either become excessively rebellious, constantly challenging authority figures, or adopt a people-pleasing attitude, suppressing their own needs and desires. These patterns can result in a lack of self-awareness and inner connection, influencing decisions and relationships in adulthood.
The Importance of Attending to and Reconnecting with the Inner Child
By recognizing and nurturing the inner child, individuals can begin to address and heal the wounds that impact their adult lives. Through gentle self-reflection and reassurance, one can start the journey of reconnecting with and understanding the needs of their inner child, fostering self-compassion and inner dialogue. Taking small, intentional steps to acknowledge and validate one's inner child can pave the way for a deeper healing process and a more authentic self.
How did we learn to distrust our emotions? Or to disconnect from our inner knowing about our needs in order to keep pushing through to deliver what is expected of us, even if it harms us?
In this second part of my conversation with Dr Jean Cheng about inner child healing, we talk about how our inner children received wounding and what's at stake when, as adults, our inner children do not find healing
This episode is particularly rich with analysis, examples and stories about children and how these relate to our inner children.
CHAPTER MARKERS (00:00:18) - Introduction (00:02:16) - How Does An Inner Child Get Wounded? (00:09:01) - When Does Our Inner Child Start Getting Wounded? (00:17:27) - What's At Stake If Our Inner Child Does Not Experience Healing? (00:33:24) - PRAXIS: Listen. Ponder. Act (00:40:22) - Conclusion Available here. TRANSCRIPT Available here.
REFLECTION PROMPT Listen. - Was there any part of this episode that resonated particularly strongly with you? - Pay attention to what that story or sharing, a particular point might be, that you felt resonated with you.
Ponder. - Stay a little longer with what had come to your attention as you listened to your own reactions. - Can you identify what emotion you're feeling? - Take notice of what you're feeling. Don't rush out of this step.
Act. - Look at a photograph of your younger self. Do you remember how you were at that age? - Imagine what it was that you had most desired to hear when you were that age.
For full details of this reflection prompt, please see transcript.
PODCAST COMPANION WORKBOOK - Downloadable & Printable - 10 worksheets, over 30 exercises - Helps you integrate and apply the foundational principles to Becoming Me - Great for inner work and connecting with yourself in solitude - Includes tips for partner and small-group sharing - Free for all e-mail newsletter subscribers