Three Ways to Connect with your Inner Child
The Power of Inner Child Work
Have you ever felt an emotional reaction that didn’t quite make sense in the moment? Maybe you felt rejected, overwhelmed, or ashamed, even though the situation didn’t warrant it. These responses often stem from unresolved childhood experiences—and they point to an inner child who is still holding pain from the past. Inner child therapy in Phoenix offers a powerful way to begin healing these wounds.
In this post, we’ll explore how to recognize your inner child and three therapeutic practices that can help you reconnect, heal, and integrate these wounded parts of yourself. If you’ve been looking for a gentle, effective way to address childhood trauma, keep reading.
Understanding the Inner Child and Emotional Triggers
We all encounter emotional pain in life, especially in childhood, when we’re most vulnerable and least equipped to process it. When these early wounds go unhealed, they can leave behind emotional "fragments" that show up as disproportionate responses in adulthood.
In therapy, we often refer to these fragments as parts of the inner child—aspects of ourselves frozen in time around painful experiences. For example, feeling devastated after being left out of a work gathering may not reflect your adult reality, but instead, a deep-seated childhood fear of being forgotten or unimportant.
Recognizing and naming these feelings is the first step. From there, we can begin the work of meeting those unmet needs with compassion and intentionality.
This inner child work is especially impactful in addressing issues related to:
Emotional neglect
Chronic feelings of unworthiness
Grief and loss
If you’re searching for a childhood trauma therapist near you, learning to connect with your inner child could be a pivotal part of your healing journey.
The Therapist’s Perspective: Why Inner Child Healing Works
From a clinical standpoint, emotional healing happens not just through insight but through corrective emotional experiences. That’s why inner child work is so powerful—it helps rewire the brain by creating safe, nurturing internal experiences that were missing in childhood.
As a therapist offering inner child therapy in Phoenix, I’ve witnessed how transformative this work can be. Clients often share that even just acknowledging their inner child brings a sense of relief, tenderness, and emotional clarity.
What’s important is to approach this work gently:
Begin with curiosity rather than judgment.
Allow emotions to surface naturally.
Give yourself permission to feel without rushing to “fix” anything.
If you’re working with a therapist, inner child exercises can be incorporated into your ongoing therapy plan. Learn more about EMDR therapy for trauma healing in this blog.
Three Ways to Reconnect with Your Inner Child
Once you've identified an inner child part that feels wounded or forgotten, there are practical ways to begin the process of re-parenting. Here are three therapist-recommended exercises:
1. Do a Childlike Activity
Pick an activity your younger self would have loved—coloring, swinging at the park, dancing to your favorite childhood songs. Give yourself permission to fully immerse in the experience. Visualize your younger self being there with you and notice what emotions come up.
This joyful, embodied experience can help shift your inner narrative from one of abandonment to one of connection and care.
2. Gaze at a Photo of Your Younger Self
Find a childhood photo that matches the age of the inner child you're working with. Study the expression, posture, and mood. Let yourself feel compassion, admiration, or even sadness for this younger version of you.
Imagine what they would feel if they saw you looking at them with love and attention. This visualization is a powerful tool in healing childhood trauma and developing self-compassion.
3. Have a Conversation with Your Inner Child
In a quiet space, close your eyes and imagine your younger self in a painful memory. Pause the scene and approach them with love and curiosity. Ask what they’re feeling and needing. Offer reassurance, validation, and a comforting presence.
Sometimes this practice brings tears, insight, or deep peace—all signs that healing is unfolding.
Learn more about trauma therapy here.
Begin the Journey Toward Wholeness
Insight alone doesn’t lead to healing—experience does. And few experiences are more powerful than offering your wounded younger self the care they never received. Inner child therapy invites you to transform old pain into new peace, through compassionate, intentional connection.
If you’re ready to explore inner child therapy in Phoenix or want to work with a therapist who specializes in childhood trauma, reach out today. You don’t have to do this alone—and your younger self deserves the love and healing that’s possible. Reach out for a free therapy consultation call today to get started on your healing journey.
