How do I heal my relationship with my inner child?

Your inner child represents the part of you that holds your earliest experiences, emotions, and needs. When childhood wounds go unhealed, they can continue to influence your adult Interpersonal relationship, identity development/building-self-worth" class="internal-link">self-worth, and emotional responses in ways that feel confusing or disproportionate. Inner child work involves developing a conscious, caring relationship with these younger parts of yourself. This process often begins with recognizing when your inner child is activated—times when you feel small, powerless, or react with emotions that seem too big for the current situation. Maybe you feel devastated by criticism in a way that reminds you of being scolded as a child, or you find yourself desperately seeking approval in ways that echo childhood needs for love and acceptance. emotional healing involves offering your inner child what they needed but didn't receive—validation, protection, comfort, and unconditional love. This might mean speaking to yourself with the kindness you needed as a child, setting Personal boundaries that protect your sensitive parts, or allowing yourself to experience joy and playfulness that may have been discouraged when you were young. Inner child work isn't about dwelling in the past but about integrating these wounded parts so they can heal and stop unconsciously driving your adult behavior.