What is the Inner Child?

Inner Child Therapy focuses on the core beliefs that we hold about ourselves, about others and about the world around us. These beliefs are learned during our early childhood when we are young, and do not possess the ability to determine whether the information we are basing our beliefs on is correct or not. Because this process occurs at such an early stage the information and beliefs we learn, and that continue on into adulthood, seem like an absolute truth because it has always been that way.

If we have an emotionally stable upbringing with positive experiences then the beliefs we learn about ourselves and others are likely to serve us well, as we will develop positive beliefs about ourselves and others.

If, however, we have an unstable or difficult or distressing upbringing, with little or no support, then we are likely to develop limiting and mistaken beliefs about ourselves and others, such as ‘I’m not good enough’, ‘I can’t get anything right’, ‘No one can be trusted’ etc.

These mistaken beliefs learned during childhood remain with us and continue to be active, although often without our conscious awareness, causing difficulty in our lives as they affect our decision making, self-esteem, our relationships and more. However, because these beliefs are outside of our conscious awareness we feel confused and irritated because there is a ‘conflict’ between our logic and our emotions and behaviours. Ever thought something like "I know I shouldn’t feel/think/do this... but I can't help it"? That's your unconscious inner child at work.

Using Inner Child Therapy

In Inner Child Therapy, we work on the premise that the ‘inner child’, the part of our unconscious mind where the memories and beliefs of childhood are held, can be communicated with and those mistaken and limiting beliefs can be changed.