Healing YOUR INNER CHILD

The journey of self-discovery is nuanced and you may have discovered a younger you that needs to be seen and heard. Certified Meditation Practitioner, Melissa Lainn, shares her approach to healing the inner child.

- THOBEKA PHANYEKO

POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS ARE at the core of inner child healing, Melissa enlightens that it's like giving your younger self a big, warm hug. "It's a therapeutic process where you connect with and nurture your inner child-the part of you that holds memories, emotions, and experiences from your early years." Affirming that by healing your inner child or reparenting them, you're mending past wounds and creating a stronger, more confident version of yourself. "When we're triggered or under pressure, we often let our unhealed inner child make decisions in important aspects of our lives, like what we eat, how we are in relationships, or our career choices. The result? It's like having an angry two-year-old in the driver's seat of your life. Inner child healing helps us take back control," she says.

Glamour: What are the signs that the inner child is wounded?

Melissa Lainn: The signs can vary, but common indicators include fear of rejection, low self-esteem, relationship struggles, and difficulty in expressing emotions. It's easy to spot when our unhealed inner child takes the wheel during challenging times. They often react impulsively and emotionally. Reparenting involves recognising when this happens and gently guiding them towards healthier choices.

GL: What's the first step to healing the inner child?