Healing and Hypnotherapy Volume 7, Special Annual Issue, 15 June 2023 | Page 22

Other Dysfunctional Behaviours
How to Support Your Inner Child in Feeling Safe ( 7 Paths )
Trust issues can also swing the opposite way : we can become too trusting towards others . Being gullible and naive is another trait of the wounded inner child who seeks to cling to anyone in order to avoid isolation and loneliness .

Other Dysfunctional Behaviours

Emptiness , chronic depression , procrastination , inability to delay gratification , intimacy dysfunction , and thought distortions ( such as blaming and perfectionism ) are also signs of the wounded inner child .

How to Support Your Inner Child in Feeling Safe ( 7 Paths )

Hold the hand of the child that lives in your soul . For this child , nothing is impossible .
– Paulo Coelho
So what is the solution ? How can we meet and work with the wounded inner child that is unintentionally sabotaging so much of our lives ? The solution is to practice inner child work . Inner child work is a journey that I sincerely believe each and every person must undertake in this lifetime if they seek to grow and heal in any profound way . I am consistently and deeply amazed at how life-changing this work can be , both in my own lives and those of others . One of the most exciting and miraculous parts of inner child work is that we often discover wonderful hidden gifts and aptitudes that we ’ ve long lost touch with . Not only that , but many of our relationships improve , our addictions and negative habits lessen or fade away , and our connection with our Soul deepens . Self-love and acceptance are finally possible . I ’ m not saying you will experience all of these benefits right away , but you will most certainly experience something beneficial so long as you ’ re committed ! Also , I want to say here that the inner child healing exercises that I ’ m about to describe are not intended to replace therapy or therapeutic programs or groups for the inner child or child abuse . If you ’ ve gone through child sexual abuse , severe emotional abuse , or have a mental illness , seeking professional help is essential . This article is only meant to be a supplement . Finally , if you experience strange or overwhelming emotions while practicing the advice below , please stop immediately . Seek the help of a professional trauma-informed therapist before proceeding . Importantly , remember that all forms of deep healing takes time . The practices below are not quick fixes nor are they sparkly wands that will immediately make everything better in your life . But they will give you the basic tools you need for feeling safe , secure , and protected at a core level .