When you’ve experienced trauma throughout your childhood, your behavioral development shifts. The situation often ages you because that’s the only way to survive. However, you never really get the chance to be a comforted, protected, and supported child. As a result, your inner child never experiences stability enough to grow up. In adulthood, you must reconnect with your neglected inner child to resolve childhood traumas. This is especially important because these traumas can cause mental illnesses, self-defeating behaviors, and addictions.
Activities to Get in Touch With Your Inner Child
Inner child work is important to healing childhood trauma. To heal, focus on reconnecting with your inner child.
Make Art
Numerous studies have shown that art is therapeutic and beneficial to mental health. This holistic approach is especially useful when you’ve experienced childhood trauma and inner child neglect. You may benefit from this because it allows emotional awareness and self-expression.
Since we’re talking about inner child work, you might find that connection by doing forms of art that kids usually participate in. You can try finger painting, coloring in coloring books, painting on yourself, and making collages. As you participate in them for longer periods of time, you might feel yourself opening up to buried emotions. You can then process those emotions with the help of a therapist.
Outdoor Adventures
One aspect of childhood that you may have missed out on is playing outside. No matter your abilities or disabilities, you can find outside activities that allow you to connect with nature. By engaging in play and adventures, you might feel yourself getting out of your adult mindset and into that child’s perspective. As you allow yourself to spend more time in that mindset, you may feel yourself become more balanced between your inner child and your adult self.
Write Your Inner Child a Letter
After you’ve found a way to access your younger self, you may want to write a letter to them. You can put in language to validate their experiences and emotions. Discussing the trauma is important. Moreover, you can offer them the comfort that you lacked as a kid. Then, with the help of a therapist, you can allow your inner child to read it. Reflecting on your past can help resolve lingering trauma impacting your inner child.
If you experienced severe childhood trauma, you might struggle with complex PTSD, addiction, depression, and anxiety. Many times, this is caused by toxic stress and a neglected inner child. At the Guest House, we can help you work through these issues. We provide holistic therapies like art therapy, adventure therapy, and so many more options. These can help you connect with your inner child. Then, in individual and group therapy, you can work through the inner child’s emotions and experiences. Our team is ready to accept you with open arms. When you’re ready, call The Guest House at (855) 483-7800.