We all have an “inner child:” the part of ourselves that carries the emotions, beliefs and experiences from our early years. While this aspect of ourselves can be a source of creativity, playfulness and wonder, it might also harbor unresolved wounds that affect our adult relationships and behaviors. In this episode of the Being Well Podcast, Dr. Hanson and Forrest explore what the inner child really is, how it manifests in our lives, and practical ways to work with this important part of ourselves, including healing your inner child. They discuss how to identify inner child wounds, demonstrate techniques like voice dialogue, and share strategies for bringing more awareness and healing to our younger selves.

Key Topics:

• 0:00: Introduction
• 1:20: What is the inner child?
• 7:30: How the inner child shows up in our adult lives
• 10:40: A CBT-ish way of thinking about the inner child
• 16:40: Unmet needs, and examples of inner child wounds
• 21:45: Promoting the positive aspects of the inner child
• 28:50: How to begin engaging with the inner child
• 35:30: Shame, and turning toward yourself
• 39:00: Reparenting
• 46:30: Voice Dialogue demonstration
• 1:00:15: Reflections on the demonstration
• 1:06:00: Other approaches to healing your inner child, and reasons you might be having a hard time
• 1:09:25: Rage and release, looking at pictures, and creating an autobiography
• 1:14:00: Balancing the inner child’s desires with the realities of life
• 1:20:10: Recap

Forrest is now writing on Substack, check out his work there.